What is a Fry-Top?
A Fry-Top can be defined as a grill for commercial cookers with great features that can be used in any hospitality sector, whether for restaurants, bakeries, hotels, country houses, pastry shops, bars, pizzerias, etc.
It is true that the Fry-Top can also be called a grill for professional cookers as there is no clear differentiating element.
It is clear that both Fry-Top and commercial grills are one and the same. The differentiating aspect refers more to the trade name than to a difference in the elements.
When a commercial kitchen chooses a Fry-Top, they know that they are choosing a professional grill with special features and a large capacity.
Fry-top: commercial hobs for a professional cooker:
Fry-Top grills are a professional type of grill with increased power and thickness. Thanks to these features, faster and more even cooking is achieved, allowing more food to be cooked in less time than with a conventional commercial grill. This is what makes the Fry-Top grill an indispensable tool on a cooker that prepares a lot of grilled dishes.
Differences between a grill for a commercial cooker and a Fry-Top
The biggest difference between the Fry-Top and the normal cooker grill is usually in its useful work surface, as a Fry-Top or commercial grill has a larger capacity and the ability to be embedded in the worktop.
The commercial grill is used to grill all types of food, whether it is vegetables, meat or fish, bringing out better flavour and aroma in the food thanks to a high temperature of up to 380° C.
Fry-top features and differences from a grill cooker:
The defining features of a fry-top grill are as follows:
Thick plate: the thickness of the plate on which the food is cooked is between 12 mm and 20 mm. As it is thicker than a conventional professional grill, it takes longer to heat up, but loses much less heat, achieving an even temperature over the entire surface.
Higher Power: compared to a conventional grill, its power is even higher and it reaches higher temperatures to reduce food preparation time.
Larger: the surface of the fry-top grill is larger than that of other grills to increase the number of dishes that can be cooked at the same time.
Types of commercial grills or Fry-Top:
Electric and Gas Fry-Tops:
The manufacturer will always provide us with a machine for the hospitality industry that really works and works for us. Industry therefore offers us both possibilities.
Gas Fry-Tops or professional gas grills are more powerful, faster and less expensive.
Electric Fry-Tops are used in commercial kitchens where there is no gas, or when you want to combine both commercial grills.
How to clean a Fry-Top?
Cleaning the exterior:
We already know that this element, as in all commercial cookers, is made of stainless steel and must be cleaned with specific products recommended by Fagor Professional.
When it comes to cleaning the grill on which you are going to cook, you should take into account its type and finish.
This surface of the commercial grill is the one that is worked the hardest and suffers the most and gets the dirtiest. It is very important to maintain it on a daily basis, preventing food waste from accumulating, both for hygiene and for the maintenance of the machine.
Cleaning with ice:
On a commercial grill it is necessary to remove adhering debris and this can be done very easily with ice.
We can pour ice on the surface of the professional grill, causing a thermal shock and thus separating the remains of cooked food that have stuck to the grill. As it is made of stainless steel, the ice does not damage the grill.
Cleaning of debris:
Apply ice to the grill and scrape off any food that has become encrusted on the grill. Avoid using a scraper, which could cause the surface to become dull. There are special squeegees for this type of grill.
It is vitally important to clean the grill of the commercial cooker thoroughly to avoid leaving small debris, and then apply a recommended product to leave it in perfect condition for the next use.
To remove any residue, use hot water and a sponge to finish drying the surface. Daily cleaning is essential to prevent the surface from staining and rapid deterioration.
Cleaning the inside of the Fry-Top:
It is best not to touch the inside of the grill for commercial cookers, but rather to have a technician specialised in this type of cooker do it. Maintenance and cleaning should be done every six months or so, so that it is in perfect condition and lasts for a long time.
It is recommended to clean both exterior and interior for any Fry-Top in any hospitality sector: restaurants, bakeries, hotels, country houses, for pastry shops, bars, pizzerias, etc.