Heat Up Sales with Combi Ovens

The ability to cook many types of foods in many different ways makes combi ovens one of the most useful pieces of kitchen equipment.

Foodservice Equipment & Supplies - April 2005

Toby Weber
Associate Editor

Named because of its ability to cook with dry heat, steam and a combination of both, the combi oven is perhaps the most versatile piece of professional cooking equipment.

Combi ovens typically have three different settings: steam, convection and combination. In steam mode, they use fan-forced pressureless steam to cook items such as fish and vegetables. This mode is also ideal for reheating previously cooked items, since it does not dry them out in the process.

The second setting is convection. In this mode, the oven uses dry heat to cook items such as pizza, cookies and cakes.

Combi mode is the third setting and, as the name infers, uses both steam and dry heat. The cooking method is ideal for roasting meats, since it helps them retain moisture, thereby increasing their yield. It is also recommended for baking crusty breads and other pastries. When using this mode, combis offer significantly faster cooking times than conventional ovens.

Some combi ovens feature variations of these three settings, such as high- and low-speed convection, and high- and low-temperature steam. In addition, when set at low temperatures, combis can serve as holding units, proofers or slow cookers.

While combi ovens have high price tags relative to other pieces of equipment, their utility justifies their purchase. Because they fulfill so many functions, certain operations use a single combi to take the place of two or more pieces of equipment, which leads to a lower total cost for an equipment package. When operators make such a purchase for a new construction or renovation, it gives them the additional benefit of reducing their kitchens’ overall space requirement.

Operators considering using a combi for multiple functions should be sure that it will not have to perform those functions simultaneously. While a combi oven can steam vegetables, roast meats and bake breads, it can’t do all three at the same time.

Of course, in certain situations, proper planning can avert such problems and allow an operation to take full advantage of the versatility of combis. DSRs should stress this fact when dealing with caterers and other foodservice operators who produce food in advance of serving. Marshall Orton, executive chef at the Sofitel New York City, described his combi as “the most valuable piece of equipment in our banquet kitchen because of its great versatility in preparing various banquet offerings with high-quality results.”

Operators can use combi ovens in conjunction with blast chillers to great benefit. Larger combis cook food on a roll-in rack, which allows for an easy transfer to a blast chiller. Similarly, operators can roll racks of plated, chilled food into a combi oven for heating in minutes. The Baptist Health Medical Center in Little Rock, Ark., uses such a system to serve up to 450 guests at catered events in 20 minutes.

Some operators use smaller combi ovens in the front of the house. For example, at Purdue University’s Earhart Dining Court, a marketplace-style servery, the Hartland Classics station relies on a tabletop combi to produce foods such as baked fish and chicken and dumplings. This is in addition to the larger, floor-model units Purdue uses in the back-of-the-house kitchen and at the operation’s The Pastry Shop station, where a combi cooks breads, cakes, cookies and other desserts.

As with traditional steamers, operators must be sure to clean combi ovens of mineral deposits on the walls of their steam generators, heating elements and water probes. To reduce the frequency of such cleanings, DSRs should recommend operators purchase a water filtration system, which will remove minerals, bacteria and other substances from the water before it reaches the combi oven. To assist in cleaning the inside of the cooking cavity, many combi ovens now come equipped with a spray nozzle.