Chef's Tips

Chrome griddle cleaning guide

Tips

• Only well trained and qualified person/s should operate commercial cooking devices, including griddles.
• It is a requirement to read the user owner manual and familiarize yourself fully with the information pertained in this documentation. 
• Attendance to the product compliance training after commissioning is highly recommended.
• If any doubt, contact the manufacturer, installer, technical support, or service provider.
• Prior to switching the unit on for cooking, it is important to thoroughly clean the unit food contact surfaces with hot soapy water and then complete dry.
• The panels, controls and other non-food contact surfaces, can be cleaned with multi-purpose kitchen cleaning / sanitizing spray and micro-fibre towel.
• Before cooking commences, ensure that the griddle is thoroughly pre-heated at desired temperature.
• This can take from 15 minutes to 30 minutes, depending on settings, and or external and site-specific factors.
• Where possible, bring your food item towards room temperature, as this optimizes the cooking process allowing for enhanced colour profile and presentation. 
• For delicate items, such as flaky fish, it is advised to form a thin barrier between food product and griddle, which usually refers to lightly dusting the food item with seasoned flour prior to making contact with surface.
• It is not necessary to use lots of oil on the griddle, and it is advisable to sparingly oil only the griddle area where the cooking process is planned. 
• Allow the food item, as per pan cooking, to build a good sear and colour, before turning over, which will benefit from lightly oiling the top side before turning to encourage further non sticking.
• Cook at the correct and preferred setting. Often highest temperatures do not produce the best seared products necessarily.
• Regularly clear the cooking surface from food debris and or any carbonisation build up, using a suitable steel griddle scraper, or if possible, a high heat scraper.
• It is also possible, to clear the affected area from debris and carbonisation, by adding a few drops of room temperature water here, to lift the debris, which can then be moved away to the troughs and grease / debris collection cup.
• Prior to adding water, it is important to clear any amounts of hot oil or fats from the area where water will be applied to.
• Check the grease collection cup regularly and empty accordingly. 
• It is important to ensure this cup / jug is always in place during cooking and cleaning, including regularly checking and cleaning accordingly.

Cleaning during cooking

• As often as possible and required, it is important to remove food debris and carbon build up on the cooking surfaces. 
• Not doing so, will affect the cooking performance, heat transfer to food, further caking, affect the appearance and flavour of the food.
• Intermediate cleaning can be done by using a steel blade griddle scraper by push and pull motions over the affected areas, and then removing the carbonised debris at once.
• Ensure correct PPE is worn, whilst cooking and during cleaning. 
• Additional protective clothing and equipment should be used, to protect oneself from steam build up, especially with the addition of water.
• It is also possible, and indeed recommended, to clear the troughs to the side and rear of the cooking plate of the unit. This can be done using a metal spatula or heat resistant spoon.
   

Cleaning after cooking
 

Tools needed

• Griddle scraper
• Palmyra brush
• Water
• Mild sink dishwash detergent
• Soft green scourer sponge
• Microfibre cloth
• Food safe griddle polish (optional)
• Long PPE approved gloves
• PPE as per kitchen
   

Cleaning

• Turn the down and switch the unit off.
• Allow to cool to roughly around 100 - 140°C
• Mix a little soap detergent with room temperature water
• Carefully pour onto the affected areas
• Follow with scraper and remove food debris and carbonisation
• Repeat this process until all debris is removed.
• Be careful and check the fat jug / cup as often as possible and empty when needed.
• Channel the soapy water also into the troughs and remove the debris collected here.
• Then, with clean towel, ensure the unit is thoroughly dried.
• Then, with clean microfibre towel, the food safe griddle polish can be applied, following the instructions as per manufacturer information and safety data sheet / label, for that particular product. 

The unit is now ready for the next session

It is recommended to follow this cleaning routine between each service.