Most food service operations depend very heavily on the versatility of ovens. Staff is able to cook a wide variety of food in large quantities with just one appliance. Ovens are the most widely used appliance in the commercial kitchens as a result of this versatility. Commonly found commercial ovens are conventional ovens, convection ovens, rotisseries, combi (oven/steamer) and deck pizza oven / conveyor.
Conventional ovens:
Conventional ovens are essentially a hot box with little to no management of the heat other than general temperature control. This is the most familiar type of oven as it is what is normally found in residential applications. The burner or element inside heats the air and the walls of the interior causing currents of hot air to rise and transfer heat to the food. These ovens do not mechanically circulate hot air and as such the arrangement of pans, and even the texture of food, can change the flow of air and affect the cooking time and uniformity of heat distribution. Standard ovens are the cheapest to buy but also have a lower production capacity compared to convection ovens.
Convection ovens:
Convection ovens were a significant development in oven technology. It started out as a way to move heat in larger ovens to increase production capacity, bigger ovens = more food cooked. Forced air convection operates on a simple premise. As food is cooking in a conventional oven there is a layer of cooler insulating air around the food. A convection oven forces the heated air to move around the inside of the oven and strips the cold air away from the surface of the food. The result is faster and more even cooking compared to standard ovens.
Combi ovens:
A combination, or ‘combi’ oven as it is often called, is a convection oven that adds a steam generator. They generally offer the ability to function in several modes allowing the proofing of dough, baking bread, steaming vegetables, reheating pre-plated meals or broiling steaks. Combi ovens are among the most versatile of all ovens.
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