Let’s Chill: Exploring Restaurant Refrigeration Options

Pizza Today readers say that refrigeration is the number-one piece of equipment they plan to purchase in the next year, and it’s vital.

“It’s the absolute necessary thing to make your pizza restaurant run,” observes Chuck Hammers, president at Pizza My Heart in Northern California. Reliable refrigeration is absolutely critical for food safety and culinary quality.

It’s among your most expensive purchases, so consider your options carefully. Here’s a guide to refrigeration basics, to help you make the best decision whether you’re building out a new kitchen or replacing old equipment.

Making the right refrigeration choice will help you execute your mission of providing fresh, flavorful and safe pizza to your clientele.

Assess your refrigeration needs

“It starts with projecting your volume. How much sauce, how much cheese are you going to need to keep refrigerated? Are you going to cook your sauce and have to chill it down? The health department will look at that as a hazardous risk anytime you have to heat and chill food. So that means you need more refrigeration space because that typically happens in very shallow pans that take lots of shelf space,” advises Ken Batali, owner of Batali Associates Hospitality Consulting. “If you can get your stuff delivered every day, you need less refrigeration space than if it’s only once a week.”

Pizzerias that depend on a long, cold, slow ferment for their dough require significant extra cold storage.

You also need to consider your space and layout, budget, and health and safety regulations specific to your region.

Types of Commercial Refrigerators

Your refrigeration needs will vary based on a number of factors, such as business volume; complexity of menu; type and volume of ingredients; and whether you’re full-service, counter-service, or fast casual. You should also keep potential growth in mind.

• Walk-In Refrigerators: High-volume pizzerias may need a walk-in. They take up valuable back-of-house real estate and they can’t be moved easily, so they have to fit your space and your workflow. Adjustable interior shelving and rolling racks make them very versatile. You can choose from three options regarding the location of the condenser. Self-contained units have a condenser attached to the evaporator on the exterior of the unit, which is a less expensive option but generates a lot of local heat. A remote compressor can be mounted elsewhere in the building where the heat is less of a problem, and a remote outdoor compressor can be mounted outside.
• Reach-In Refrigerators: These offer easy accessibility in a compact footprint. Because they come in single or multiple sections with separate doors, they’re ideal for segregating different types of products. You can also choose a dual-temperature model, with a freezer section side-by-side with your refrigerator section(s). Expect adjustable interior shelving and precisely regulated digital temperature controls.
• Undercounter Refrigerators: These handy units are often used as supplemental refrigeration under prep countertops. Use these to take maximum advantage of limited floor space, and to hold high-traffic, frequently used ingredients.
• Refrigerated Prep Tables: These tables have integrated refrigeration under the counter and/or quick-access countertop refrigeration. Size your prep table according to how many pizza cooks you have working simultaneously. There are many variables in the prep table universe: drawers versus cabinets, removable cutting boards, adjustable shelving and more. They also employ several types of refrigeration to ensure countertop pans of ingredients stay at a uniform temperature. Traditional refrigeration involved cold air blown from the base to the bottom of the pans, but this may not keep food at the top of the pan cold enough. Innovations to deal with this issue include cold air blown over recessed pans, chilled rails and chilled dividers.
• Bar Refrigeration: If you serve cold beverages, consider whether you need separate bar refrigeration. Specialized racks and compartments ensure convenient access and quick service.
• Merchandising Refrigerators: If you offer self-serve beverages, choose a refrigerator that maximizes visual appeal. These have transparent glass doors (or no doors) for easy viewing and access.

What’s new in Restaurant Refrigeration?

Eric Hsieh, equipment department manager at Action Sales in Los Angeles, California, explained some of the new innovations in the commercial refrigeration industry.

R290, a liquid propane refrigerant that’s easier to work with and more eco-friendly than previous refrigerants.

Phone apps can collect data, generating a temperature log you can show to health inspectors, and also alert you when the power goes out or the temperature rises.

Coated components help reduce corrosion, especially when acidic products like tomato sauce are stored.

Buying Refrigeration: New or used?

Commercial refrigerators are similar to any large, expensive and essential piece of equipment. Buying new is the most reliable strategy with the best odds for long-term, hassle-free operation, but buying used confers significant savings. The usual pros and cons apply: New products have warranties and manufacturer support, and they’ll have more high-tech features and smart controls such as multiple temperature dials, automated defrost cycles, digital temperature control and remote monitoring systems. They’ll also be more energy efficient.

“I’m not really an advocate of used refrigeration equipment because it’s so mission-critical,” says Batali. “However, if you can get a box and put a fresh new compressor in it, then you might be able to save some money that way.”

Refrigeration Buying Tips

“I think the best resources are either bigger equipment supply houses or equipment brokers,” advises Batali, “because they usually have multiple brands and multiple solutions.”

Hsieh says “for pizza-specific, we usually recommend a top-mounted compressor. It stays cleaner, and it makes washing underneath [a reach-in] easier. We also recommend American brands because they usually have a lot of service networks and you can find techs that have parts and know how to fix then. Whereas imported brands, they have their own service networks, and they don’t fix units outside of warranty. It’s a lot harder to keep them going after the warranty period’s over compared to American brands.”

Hammers says that because of the high California labor rates, “it’s so expensive trying to repair these things. We find that if it’s not a simple repair, then it’s better just to go new again. If our compressor goes out, we end up buying a new machine. It’s just too expensive when we start chasing it. And then you end up kind of throwing good money after bad.” When machines stop working right, he warns “the health department will be all over you. It’s much more strict than it was 10 years ago.”

Refrigeration Maintenance

Can in-house maintenance help your refrigerators last longer?

“You can’t really stress that enough,” says Hsieh. He emphasizes that the compressor area and any accompanying filters must be cleaned according to manufacturer recommendations, especially in pizza restaurants with lots of airborne flour. The drain line inside the fridge is also subject to blockage by organic matter or mold and must be cleaned regularly. Hammers of Pizza My Heart concurs that diligent maintenance, especially cleaning compressors, must be a priority.

Having your refrigeration dialed in will make your pizzeria operation less stressful and more efficient. Think critically about your needs, decide on your priorities, and have a long conversation with your trusted commercial restaurant equipment supplier. By choosing equipment that matches the demands of your pizzeria as closely as possible, you’ll maximize your refrigerator dollars and ensure safe, high-quality pies leaving the red-hot environs of your oven and landing in the hands of happy customers.

Annelise Kelly is a Portland, Oregon-based freelance writer.