Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: New Pizza Oven inquiry

This is topic New Pizza Oven inquiry in forum Ground Level at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Justin West (Member # 920) on 12-26-2004, 12:04 AM:

My brother told me about a new food-service pizza oven that allegedly cooks a frozen pizza in a minute-and-a-half (1:30) and he thinks the name had "chef" in it but he could not remember. Has anyone seen anything in the concessions market lately on this OR, if you've had any experiences with such a machine, would you care to share them? Thanks!

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 12-26-2004, 12:08 AM:

They are TurboChef ovens and they kick ass. I've seen them in place in both walk-in theaters and drive-ins and they're used for all kinds of food, not just pizzas.

http://www.selectappliance.com/exec/ce-product/tc_c3

Posted by Kurt Zupin (Member # 2751) on 12-26-2004, 12:29 AM:

If you go to your closest SubWay you can get your sub toasted in one of these. It actually makes your hot subs taste much better. But you can see them in action. They work wonders.

Kurt

Posted by Justin West (Member # 920) on 12-26-2004, 11:56 AM:

THAT'S IT! Thanks, both of you...I will check 'em out! [thumbsup]

Posted by Chase Hanson (Member # 2779) on 12-26-2004, 03:18 PM:

A little bit o' advice from someone who has jused them extensively to cook Pizza's.

TurboChefs have a "Ceramic" heating plate (as stated in the link)...they break relatively easy and the enamel coating on the plate cracks/chips after repeated use. It would be WELL adviced to take into account (expense wise) having a spare heating plate or two in the building.

M

Posted by David Yauch (Member # 2754) on 12-27-2004, 03:05 AM:

We've cooked hundreds of pizzas in a day on these things, and they perform remarkably well. Make sure you get plenty of turbochef oven cleaner and excercize caution when removing the ceramic plate for cleaning. You will have to clean it in the morning, as it wont be cool enough to clean at closing time. If you have to, you can run it with a broken ceramic plate in it, but an extra isn't a bad idea.

Also, you are going to want to make sure you take the time to get your temperature and cook times adjusted to perfection when you first install the machine. We had to have the temperature adjusted a few times within the first few months. Also, if the staff doesn't clean it well enough, or if its been through heavy use in a day, sometimes the extra junk will insulate it and it will not cook as well, when it was cooking fine a few hours before. We usually just put it in for an additional 30 seconds or so to ensure that we don't end up with any damaged product.

Posted by Justin West (Member # 920) on 12-29-2004, 11:03 PM:

Wow, I've checked it out...even on www.turbochef.com and it is a very interesting sounding piece of equipment...but ye-ow [Eek!]

the price for a new unit is pretty steep for a little guy like me...I'd have to sell a LOT of pizzas to make it balance out! [Frown]

I'll add it to my search list in the used market!

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 12-29-2004, 11:42 PM:

Just use your stardard "247 Stroke 19-J" requisition form but write in "Pizza" where it says "Machine Gun".

[Big Grin]

Posted by Barry Floyd (Member # 385) on 12-30-2004, 08:48 PM:

Justin...
Check out the Lincoln Impinger Conveyor Ovens.

I've got a two deck MKE Pizza Oven, and I would not recommend that oven to anyone. It has circular electric heating elements, which cause the outside of the pizza to be good and crispy, but the center is raw and doughy. We tried 3 different crust before we were satisfied with the taste, eveness of cooking, and the time of cooking. We're cranking out two 12" pizzas every 4 minutes, but we are using a thin style "par-baked" crust.

Posted by Justin West (Member # 920) on 12-30-2004, 09:51 PM:

quote: Barry Floyd
Justin...
Check out the Lincoln Impinger Conveyor Ovens.

Barry: Is this something a pizza supplier/wholesaler would provide for free or nominal charge? I don't have a conveyor oven but I do have a Bakers Pride...just expect it to take several minutes to cook and I am not anticipating that! [Frown]

Posted by Barry Floyd (Member # 385) on 01-02-2005, 05:22 PM:

Justin,
The only place I know of with a "pizza oven "program" is "Buffet Pizza". It's a franchise type of thing for independents like us. We have them in convenience stores, and some mom and pop resturaunts around here. The franchises are zip-code protected by territory, so you'd be the only one in your area with that specific brand of pizza. We thought about it, but there is another mom and pop diner in Watertown that has the Watertown fanchise. Chris Irwin at the Judy Drive-In in Mt. Sterling, KY has "Buffet Pizza". Might want to give him a call, or see if he might be coming to the drive-in owners convention in Orlando next month.

So far, we've had the best luck with "Gold Medal" as far as providing "freebie" equipment. It's not really free though. The mark-up on the product is TWICE of what we'd normally pay.
We have in our theatre...(all provided by GM)
1 - Two Barrell "Frusheez" freezer/dispenser(slushie - type frozen drink
1 - Nacho Cheese Dispenser
1 - 3 Flavor Hot Chocolate/Capuccino Machine

Our food service vendor got us a Heated Pretzel Display Cabinet from J&J Pretzels, and they do sell very well, and a really nice Bunn Coffee maker. There's NO mark-up from the food service vendor for there products though.

Posted by Justin West (Member # 920) on 01-03-2005, 12:32 AM:

Barry: I have spoken with Chris about the "Buffet Pizza" program...and I have bought a cotton candy maker from Gold Medal so, I just might check into the "freebies" you mentioned. Thanks.