I just returned from The NAFEM Show in Orlando. For those of you not familiar with the show, it is held once every two years and features the latest innovations in foodservice equipment and other items for the kitchen and restaurant. I will be writing a wrap-up article about the show in the next few days. Be sure to watch for it on the Green Lodging News website.
While at NAFEM I had an opportunity to attend a press event organized by Electrolux Professional. At the event, representatives of Electrolux Professional explained an experiment they conducted last year that put two teams of chefs up against one another. Both teams had to prepare the same menu consisting of four dishes. The red team was given standard appliances for professional kitchens. The blue team was given the Electrolux Cook&Chill, a system consisting of an air-o-steam Touchline combi oven and air-o-blast chiller. In other words, the blue team had a much better system to work with—one streamlining workflow and ensuring consistent food quality.
What Electrolux Professional was trying to see was whether both teams could produce the same quality of food. Chefs tend to be a proud group and they did indeed do that. What Electrolux Professional was also trying to do in this experiment, however, is compare the levels of stress between the two teams. Both teams wore watches with heart rate monitors and step-measuring devices. Interestingly, the red team spent more than twice as much time close to their maximum heart rate—151 minutes versus 72 minutes for the chefs on the blue team. The red team also took around 2,000 more steps per chef than the blue team.
The People/Equipment Connection
While watching the video about this kitchen experiment, it hit me how important having the right equipment can be to not only producing great food efficiently (and yes, maybe even saving some energy and water along the way) but also keeping employees less stressed—and ultimately happier and on your team for a longer period of time. Remember, the first “P” of the three “P’s” of sustainability? It is “People.”
Electrolux Professional recently worked with a business intelligence agency to conduct a survey among chefs and culinary professionals in the United States. The results showed that 79 percent experience negative stress at work at least once a week, making them feel irritable, distracted and anxious. Almost half (44 percent) stated that they have been on sick leave due to stress symptoms, and 55 percent have used prescription drugs to calm down after a stressful day at work.
Although small amounts of stress can sharpen your performance, excessive stress can take a toll on the body. Research shows that high levels of stress over a prolonged period of time can contribute to a number of health problems, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease.
Part of your sustainability story is how you treat your employees. No matter where they happen to work in your hotel, be sure to give them the tools they need to make their daily tasks less stressful. Especially in the kitchen, where turnover rate can be very high, it is the right—and smart—thing to do.
Green Lodging News Adds ClearWater Tech as Trends Report Sponsor
Green Lodging News welcomes ClearWater Tech as a Bronze level sponsor of the Green Lodging Trends Report. The Green Lodging Trends Report is the lodging industry’s annual exercise to assess and catalyze green innovation, best practices, and awareness regarding the state of sustainability across hotels worldwide. This year’s Green Lodging Trends Report will summarize the results of a second annual survey produced by Green Lodging News and Greenview.
Established in 1986, ClearWater Tech has served the global market as a leading designer, manufacturer, and marketer of ozone generation equipment and related components to serve a wide range of water and air purification applications and markets.
The EcoTex name reflects the advanced laundry oxidation systems designed, engineered, manufactured, and distributed by ClearWater Tech, LLC. EcoTex systems enable commercial laundry professionals to replace expensive multi-step wash programs that use excessive chemicals and hot water with cold-water programs that use the power of ozone for disinfection and detergent activation. EcoTex reduces environmental impact, improves laundry quality, saves money, energy and detergent, while providing superior disinfection. Call (800) 262-0203, (805) 549-9724, e-mail sales@cwtozone.com, or go to www.cwtozone.com.
Who is Your Sustainability Champion?
Green Lodging News is always looking to profile sustainability champions in our Personnel Profile section. If you would like to nominate someone for this section of Green Lodging News, contact me at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
Looking for Guest Columnists
Every two weeks Green Lodging News posts a new guest column on its website. (Click here for examples.) The guest column also appears in the weekly e-newsletter. Green Lodging News is currently in need of industry experts to contribute occasional guest columns. Experts may include consultants, architects, designers, suppliers and those who own or operate green lodging establishments. Columns may be articles that take a stance on a particular subject or be strictly educational in nature. Columnists benefit by having their photo included along with a one paragraph description of their company. Interested in writing a column? Contact Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
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