Dealer Locator
US
Select a continent
Select a country
Select a language
Unox

Convection Oven to Combi Oven: The Evolution of Commercial Ovens

Share on :

Convection ovens are tried and true cooking machines. Dependable, familiar and a powerful piece of cooking technology in its own right. In today’s rapidly evolving world of foodservice technology, convection ovens prove their staying power by remaining an industry fixture; however, as newer cooking innovations emerge, they are no longer the only choice for building a successful business.


Convection Ovens: are they still relevant in today’s commercial kitchens?


The short answer is yes. Convection ovens brought a much-needed element to the expanding needs for modern cooking processes. In a convection oven, a fan and exhaust system that circulates hot air within the cooking chamber, allows the food to cook more quickly when compared to a standard oven. This air circulation helps reduce “hot spots,” resulting in more consistent results. In addition, convection ovens are effective in reducing the amount of moisture in the cooking chamber, letting foods get crispy on the outside but staying moist or soft on the inside. Convection ovens were revolutionary machines for baking foods like muffins, cookies, pies, and pastries. They can also do a fine job of roasting meats and toasting breads. Furthermore, using a convection oven typically means foods cook faster when compared to a standard oven; and in today's foodservice climate, faster cooking times means faster service and higher profits. Therefore, it's no wonder the convection oven revolutionized the commercial kitchen process. But as effective as convection ovens are for certain cooking processes, they can be limited.


If a chef needs to expand their menu and include additional forms of cooking such as steaming, grilling, or frying, they must rely on separate pieces of equipment to achieve these techniques (a commercial steamer, grill and fry counter, for starters.) Additionally, cooking with a convection oven usually requires chefs to be mindful of recipe times and temperatures and adjust as needed, depending on the specific dish. So while a convection oven may be ideal for certain kitchen setups and foodservice operations, they may not offer the most effective solution for every operator.


Where there is a need, there is an opportunity.


The Combi Oven Arrives: several possibilities of cooking to enhance your cooking creativity.


As the name suggests, a combi oven combines multiple different cooking processes into one machine. A combi oven is capable of convection baking, but that’s not all. They can cook using convection, steam or a combination of both. With this added level of versatility, the cooking possibilities for a single oven expanded tremendously and reduce the need to purchase additional pieces of equipment such as commercial steamers, roasters or grills.


While combi oven technology is not “new” in the general sense (they’ve been the industry standard in different parts of the world for years), they are not as well-known to foodservice operators in the United States. However, this is beginning to change. Slowly but surely, combi ovens are becoming a more common fixture for commercial foodservice operators like caterers, restaurants and bakeries, as well as non-commercial foodservice outfits like school cafeterias or hospital dining.

Standard, convection and combi ovens. What's next?

Convection ovens were a natural improvement on the standard commercial oven. Combi ovens continued the evolution from the convection oven. All three types of ovens continue to occupy their respective spaces in the commerical and non commercial foodservice industries. So, where will the path lead from here?

Not only have combi ovens grown in popularity across the foodservice landscape, but they have also evolved beyond their humble beginnings. It’s no question that early combi ovens were an innovation and a natural evolution from the convection oven; however, today’s combis are totally revolutionized, utilizing Artificial Intelligence and high-tech enhancements to further advance and perfect cooking processes. But as the technology becomes more sophisticated, the need for simplified ease of use increases as well. Today's tech-forward commercial ovens may be evolving into more intricate machines, but with the right design, they can be more intuitive and reach new levels of automation, allowing people to utilize them to the fullest with ease.

So where do we see the evolution of commercial combi ovens going? We see it moving toward automation, intelligence and simplified ease of use for the end user. With these improvements, the commercial oven world can reach new heights, beyond what anyone may have thought possible before. If you are considering investing in a combi oven for your commercial kitchen, learn more about the benefits below.

Click the button below to discover the 5 main reasons to choose a professional Combi Oven to enhance your kitchen performance!

DISCOVER NOW

What’s Next?

The convection oven remains a longstanding pillar of the foodservice equipment world, but from an evolutionary perspective, it has paved the way for the next generation.


So…what will be next?


Whatever it is, we can assure you that Unox will be ready.

Newsletter
Stay up to date on projects, news and events.
SUBSCRIBE