Essential Stainless Steel Equipment for Middle Eastern Restaurants
Middle eastern cuisine has witnessed a great emergence & development in America over the past 20 years. With an emphasis on herbs/spices, fresh vegetables, plant-based proteins & healthy oils, Middle Eastern food is trending upward. With a rise in popularity comes the need for the most up to date equipment to keep your Middle Eastern restaurant fresh. Does stainless steel play a role?
In this article, we’ll give you a checklist of 4 stainless steel product categories that should be considered for your Middle Eastern restaurant. Along with this, we will give some IMC offerings to complement your business. Let’s begin.
☐ Mixer/Slicer Tables
Hummus, shawarma & falafel are the trifecta of any Middle Eastern cuisine. However, these three items must be prepped using specific machines. Hummus blenders grind up chickpeas, shawarma is slowly roasted on a rotating vertical machine & falafel grillers can produce dozens of portions in a very short amount of time.
Luckily, this equipment is relatively compact, but they should be set atop a stable service to be operated. Mixer/Slicer tables are just the ticket.
IMC offers Models #SMT & #SMTT. SMT is a stainless steel mixer table with a 14-gauge top & an 18-gauge undershelf. The low height (30″) is ideal for operating any machine. SMTT is similar but has the added feature of a tool tree to hold your utensils. If you need tray rails to hold your portions, consider Model #SMTS. Here’s a look:
☐ Worktables
Moving onto the larger equipment – we have charcoal kebab grills, dough mixers & pita ovens. All three are essential in Middle Eastern cuisine. Dedicated worktables will be needed to keep these cumbersome machines at bay.
For prepping your dishes, worktables will work wonders as well. Middle Eastern foods are a visual feast (pardon the pun!) The creamy & vibrant textures paired along with the aromatic scents is something you must experience in person. Worktables enable you to properly lay out your wares for preparing your most compelling meals for patrons.
To help, IMC offers Models #WT, #WTB, & #WT1. Model #WT is IMC’s standard worktable available in 14- or 16-gauge type 304 series stainless steel. Model #WTB is the same as above except it has the addition of a 6″ high backsplash to protect your walls from damage. Model #WT1 features a 1½” backsplash. Here’s a breakdown:
☐ Accessory/Knife Cabinets
Shwarma drop pans & shavers are a must. Kunafet cooking pans are also an essential part of Middle Eastern cooking. But where do you store these items? You’ll need a dedicated accessory cabinet to keep them secure after service is finished.
IMC offers Model #AC, a wall mounted accessory cabinet. AC features (2) adjustable shelves with a stainless steel door & an optional lock box attachment. Check out this preview:
Shwarma knives also need their own cabinet for organization & safety. A knife cabinet is the perfect choice for this.
IMC offers Model #KNC, a wall mounted knife cabinet. KNC has a solid stainless steel door with a knife holder holding up to 10 knives securely. Here’s a look:
☐ Cold/Hot Food Counters
Middle Eastern cuisine lends itself to many dishes that must be served cold or hot. Salad such as fig & olive platters, fattoush, & shirazi are best served chilled. This can be achieved easily with the use of a cold food counter.
IMC offers two cold food counters, Model #CFCR & Model #CRBC.
CFCR includes a fully integrated refrigerated cold pan. The unit can be fitted with 2-6 ice pans, depending on your application. The refrigerated unit keeps frigid air pumping into the ice pans for a constant flow.
For large & high traffic salad bars, we recommend considering Model #CRBC. CRBC is IMC’s premiere cold food counter. The unit is fully equipped with a mechanical refrigeration unit, cold pan & stainless steel panels welded to the framework. The unit is designed for the longest possible storage of cold food for extended periods of time. Here’s a peek:
On the flipside, several types of foods should be kept warm during operations. Lamb, chicken, various breads & soups are just an example. To achieve this, hot food counters are recommended. They can safely organize & keep your foods warm while in the prep stage. They can also be used for buffet operations in the front-of-house.
IMC offers two main hot food counters – Models #SHF & #SHFC. SHF is a standard hot food counter that can be fitted with 2-6 wells, depending on your needs. SHFC is similar but includes a heated compartment that has a heated base with a pan slide assembly for back-up storage. Here’s a peak:
Middle Eastern cuisine is full of variety, attractive designs & rich flavors. The best way to highlight your dishes is to have the best equipment on hand to prepare them. Stainless steel equipment is here to bring your meals to the next level. To learn more about how IMC can cater to your stainless steel needs, click here.