Induction Cooktops Gain Ground

Foodservice operators are increasingly cooking with electricity, but we're not talking about your standard electric ranges. Induction cooking, long practiced in European countries, is coming into its own in the United States, showing up in venues ranging from cruise ships to restaurants' Sunday brunches.

Vollrath 69500 Induction Countertop Range

Traditionally gas has been the preference of U.S. chefs, primarily because heat adjustment is instant, unlike electric stovetops, which increase or decrease heat gradually. Induction cooking might have started out with a preconceived bad rap, because it is electric, but the similarity to an electric range stops there.

Induction works through electromagnetic energy that heats only the cookware, which must be made of magnetic material, such as steel, iron or nickel. Instead of heat flowing from the cooktop into the cookware and then cooking the food, the pots and pans themselves actually generate the heat. As a result, the pan becomes the stove.

Some of the benefits of induction include:

It's faster than gas.
It's safer because there's no flame.
It's cost efficient because 90% of the energy goes into the pan compared to about 55% with gas
Very little secondary heat radiates into the kitchen, which cuts back on air-conditioning costs.
It's clean, because it operates without grates or grease catches.

Induction also is remarkably precise. One manufacturer's induction cooktops feature 100 settings on digital controls. Induction cooktops also can maintain low temperatures indefinitely, something that is difficult to do with gas. Just as important as induction's precision with low heats is its ability with high heat to sear, sauté and pan fry quickly.

One main benefit of induction cooktops is their flexibility for presentation cooking. They can be easily moved around and plugged into traditional outlets, unlike larger, cooking units, which require a higher-voltage outlet.

"Tabletop butane burners have been the workhorse [of presentation cooking] but today, the way to go is with induction," says Michael Moskwa, dean of culinary education at Johnson & Wales University, North Miami, Fla. "It's beautiful to use, whether a facility is making omelets in the morning or a stir fry at night. The big hotels, the cruise lines, your Sunday brunches, induction is big now."

Johnson & Wales North Miami campus recently completed a $4 million renovation of its foodservice center, which now boasts banks of induction cooktops. "We put in multiple stations, we have these induction cooktops banked four across so at every meal, you can get a different concept. The flexibility is extraordinary," says Moskwa.

Moskwa also points out the safety attributes of induction cooking. "There's always a concern with any kind of open flame [such as a butane burner]. You can get a bonfire right in the middle of the table if the flame jumps. There are a lot of rigid laws [on butane] from counties, municipalities, fire departments. You don't have that problem with induction."

One of the initial complaints about induction cooking is that it requires induction-ready pots and pans. Aluminum or copper-clad cookware won't work. Cast iron or porcelain over iron or magnetic stainless steel cookware however, allow the induced current to flow through them and are compatible. Several different lines are available and they often also may be also used with gas and electric cooktops.

There are two types of induction ranges available here: the Cadco BIR-1C 1400W Induction Range and the Vollrath 59500 1800W Induction Range. The BIR-1C has 1400 W and has a glass-ceramic cooking surface that actually recognizes the circumference of the pot or pan placed on it, and only heats within that area for maximum heat efficiency. The BIR-1C can only be used with induction ready cookware, such as cast iron, enameled steel, or magnetized stainless steel pots and pans from 3 1/8" to 10 1/4" in circumference. The BIR-1C has controls with an audible acknowledgement system that tells you they're on or off, a residual heat safety light for temps over 160 degrees F, and it has a 1-99 minute timer. It also has a temperature range of 160 - 450 degrees F, and is capable of cooking at either a temperature or a power level. The BIR-1C comes in at 12"W x 3"H x 16 1/4"D.

Shop for a BIR-1C Induction Range here

The 59500 has a bit more wattage than the standard duty version, coming in at 1800 W of cooking power. Much like the BIR-1C, this one should only be used with induction-ready cookware and can cook at either a temperature or a power level. The 59500 does have differences, however, including the sloped, push-button controls for spill runoff and easy cleaning, the easy to use rotary knob and the all-ceramic cooking surface. The 59500 also has an easy-to-read, LED digital readout to indicate power level, is NSF listed, and has rubber feet to prevent slippage on the countertop. The 59500 is slightly bigger, measuring in at 14"W x 3"H x 15 1/4"D.

Shop for a 59500 Induction Range here

One chef was recently quoted as saying that induction is the future of cooking, that gas or electric cooktops will one day seem as archaic as coal-burning stoves. While that remains to be seen, induction certainly is attracting fans. "It was a hard sell for a while," Moskwa says. "There's always that fear of the unknown. But induction cooking is on its way now."

View our Selection of Induction Ranges and Compatible Accessories

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