Upgrade your business to induction cooking

Upgrading to induction cooking can offer many benefits for restaurants and cafes, offering several advantages over traditional gas or electric cooktops.

Benefits of upgrading to induction

Efficiency and speed

Induction cooktops heat up faster and provide precise temperature control, which can significantly reduce cooking times and improve kitchen efficiency.

Energy savings

Induction cooking is more energy-efficient, with about 85-90% of the energy used directly heating the food, compared to 40-50% for gas and standard electric. This can lead to substantial savings on energy bills.

Safety

Induction cooktops remain cool to the touch, reducing the risk of burns and kitchen fires. They can also have automatic shut-off features and pan-sensing technology.

Improved air quality

There are real health benefits from removing gas from your kitchen, with improved air quality and less heat.

Ease of cleaning

The smooth, flat surface of induction cooktops makes them easy to clean, saving time and labour.

Potential concerns upgrading to induction

Initial cost

The upfront cost of induction cooktops and compatible cookware can be higher than traditional options. However, the long-term savings on energy and maintenance can offset this initial investment.

Electrical upgrades

Restaurants may need to upgrade their electrical systems to support the high power requirements of commercial induction units.

Changes of cookware

Most steel and iron cookware will work with induction, but glass, aluminium and copper cookware are not suitable. You can test your existing cookware with a magnet – if it is attracted to the magnet, it will work on an induction cooktop.

Learning curve

Staff may need training to adapt to the new cooking technology, which can initially slow down kitchen operations.

Overall, while the transition to induction cooking involves some initial costs and adjustments, the long-term benefits in efficiency, safety, and sustainability make it a worthwhile investment.

Resources

While there are many local articles on tips to convert from gas to an electric induction stove, there is more discussion and data around professional kitchens and specialist items like woks coming from overseas at this stage. This article from the ABC discusses some of the benefits and difficulties in changing to induction cooking, for both domestic and commercial cooking.

Here is an Induction Cooking in Commercial Kitchens video covering many common questions about commercial induction and electric kitchens. There are many other examples available that may be more relevant to your individual situation.

Many busy restaurants are making the change to induction cooking, including the RACV City Club. Smaller venues can easily make the change to induction with plug-in cooktops, like our own local businesses Rat the Café and Moon Rabbit.

More information

If you have any questions or want to find out more, please contact us at sustainable.business@darebin.vic.gov.au

Sustainable business registration

Visit our Local business electric heroes page to learn more from others who are transitioning to all electric businesses.