How to Buy Stainless Steel for your Commercial Kitchen
MAY 2024
CONTRIBUTING EXPERT: EDWARD QIAN | COMMERCIAL GENERAL MANAGER (ASIA-PACIFIC)
Why is it important to use high-quality, food-grade stainless steel in your commercial kitchen? And what constitutes “high quality” when it comes to stainless steel?
“High-quality stainless steel resists extreme temperatures, acid, salt, and alkali – all the harsh elements commonly encountered in a commercial kitchen,” said Edward Qian, Commercial General Manager, Elkay Interior Systems. “It won’t suffer damage that causes chemicals to leech from the steel into the food. The finish is flat, too, so cleaning is easy.”
Stainless steel that is graded 304 (SS304, SUS 304, S30400, or others, depending on the grading agency) or 316 is high-quality, food-grade stainless steel. So, what makes these grades of stainless steel appropriate for commercial kitchens while other grades of stainless steel – 200-series and 400-series stainless steel, for example – are not?
According to Qian, there are four essential qualities to look for when outfitting your commercial kitchen:
Food Safety
Durability
Easy Cleaning
Appearance
Let’s take a closer look at each of those four qualities.
Food safety
In the kitchen, food safety is the top priority.
There are several different types of stainless steel, and using the wrong kind could cause chemicals to leak into food. Some of these chemicals are carcinogenic and harmful when ingested. Exposing non-food grade stainless steel to high temperatures, salt, acid, and alkali can also cause food to absorb these chemicals.
The stainless steel in most commercial kitchens must endure all of those elements. That’s why it’s important to use only high-quality, food-grade stainless steel.
“With any stainless steel other than SUS 304 or SUS 316, when food touches the surface of the equipment such as the cabinet, the sinks, and the shelves, there is a great risk of harmful ingredients leaking from the steel into the food,” Qian said.
Durability
Replacing stainless steel takes time and interrupts the customer experience, eating into your bottom line.
Because it’s made to withstand the rigors of a commercial kitchen, high-quality stainless steel will last longer than stainless steel of a lower quality. With no rusting or breakdowns in the metal, you'll have fewer interruptions to your kitchen operations. The kitchen drives your profit as a commercial food business, so you want as few interruptions to your kitchen’s operations as possible.
Easy cleaning
Cleaning is key to food safety and is a constant task in a commercial kitchen. The easier it is to properly clean and disinfect the surfaces in the kitchen, the better it is for business. Your staff will be able to spend less time cleaning and more time on other things that can lead to a great customer experience.
High-quality stainless steel can handle constant exposure to even the harshest cleaning chemicals. And with the right smooth finish, cleaning high-quality stainless steel is fast and easy.
Appearance
A common trend among modern restaurant patrons is the assurance that their food is cooked somewhere clean. In response, many restaurants are making their kitchens visible to customers.
High-quality stainless steel is not only easy to clean quickly but also maintains its shine well, so when patrons look in your kitchen, they see sparkling surfaces and are reassured their food is being prepared in a hygienic and safe kitchen.
Your supplier is important
Choosing from whom you will purchase your stainless steel kitchen equipment is vital to get right. That’s because when new, most stainless steel looks the same.
“You cannot tell the difference between restaurant-grade, high-quality stainless steel and other kinds of stainless steel just by looking at them,” Qian said. “That’s why you need to work with someone you trust to deliver what they say they will deliver.”
200-series stainless steel and 400-series stainless steel are not food-grade, but they look exactly like food-grade stainless steel to start with.
However, after about a year of daily commercial kitchen use, the 400-series stainless steel will start to rust. The 200 series, after a year of commercial kitchen use, might still look good from a distance, but if you look closely, you’ll notice some light discoloration, which means the surface has been damaged and chemicals are likely leeching into the food you serve your patrons.
Who you choose to partner with for your stainless steel solutions is also important because you need quality manufacturing. It’s not just about getting equipment made from the proper material. The equipment should come from a partner with expertise in manufacturing equipment that is durable and won’t need to be replaced often.
About Elkay Interior Systems
Elkay Interior Systems (EIS) is a tight-knit team of industry-leading designers, commercial-grade manufacturers, innovative engineers, resourceful project managers, and sourcing experts committed to every stage of your project by guaranteeing quality and reliability. We stand out from the crowd with our 40+ years of global experience in the restaurant, hospitality, retail, and education markets. We believe in simplifying the complicated.