Welcome to the W.D. Colledge Blog

Blast chillers are some of the most versatile units in Canada’s commercial kitchens. There are many reasons you should use a blast chiller. Including how they can help reduce food costs, food waste, and labor.  Have you ever wondered how to maximize the use of a blast chiller to get more benefits for your foodservice business?  Achieving the next level of sustainability and performance is easy when using an Irinox MultiFresh Next blast chiller. 

The intensity of commercial kitchen operations can be overwhelming. Orders are flying in as fast as prepared meals are leaving. The staff is moving as if in a full-contact ballet, and chefs are literally playing with fire.  And while this magical chaos is in full swing, the foodservice industry has to keep mindful of some very important rules regarding safety. Hot and sharp are quick to come to most people’s minds. Kitchen cleanliness and food safety, including foodborne illness, are also vital concerns. 

Cleanliness and safety have always been cornerstones of restaurant operations, but as we've seen over the past few years and will certainly see in the future, customers and consumers are paying closer attention to safety and sanitation practices. In today's Canadian restaurant industry, it's almost as impactful as the food.

If you could pick any attribute of commercial foodservice equipment that you'd want to have in your Canadian kitchen, one of the first things to come to mind would likely be versatility.

Hockey is an entertaining sport to watch and even more so to play, but the costs can be high when it comes to keeping up with a league. While there are many ways to fundraise money and offset the costs, one of the most efficient ideas is upgrading your concession stand equipment, as everyone loves a good rink-side snack bar.

In any restaurant, you want to perfect your countertop menu to the point that people have a little bit of a hard time choosing between all of the amazing options. You want them to come back time and time again just to try every recipe you make, including the items that may seem simple to create such as sandwiches.

Did you know that ice that's being used for consumption in drinks or meal prep is considered food and must be treated as such? It's important that government regulations on ice are followed to avoid bacterial growth and customer illness. Therefore, keeping your ice machine and storage unit spotless must be a major consideration to ensure ice remains safe. 

According to Waste Reduction Week, around 58% of food produced in Canada is wasted or lost every year. This percentage equates to 35.5 million tonnes lost, which costs the Canadian economy $49 billion per year. Food waste is defined as food that is prepared, manufactured, processed, harvested, or grown for human consumption, but never eaten. Since food waste in Canada occurs at all supply chain stages in all countries around the world, it results in an overuse of natural resources, an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, and the inability to feed the hungry. This is a major problem considering one in seven Canadians suffer from food insecurity, according to Impact Canada.

When our chefs aren't in the W.D. Colledge test kitchen experimenting with new flavour combinations, or dressing up in silly costumes, they are preparing incredible meals at home. During the holiday season, these dishes are more than just a dinner, they bring family together to celebrate traditions. Our chefs were nice enough to share some of their favourite holiday recipes. We hope you'll try a few of these next holiday season!

Did you know that 90% of all dishes found on commercial foodservice industry menus globally can be prepared using a combi oven? Combi ovens are widely used to cook millions of meals every day. Whether it’s a school cafeteria, hotel, or resort banqueting service, these three-in-one ovens are some of the most versatile pieces of equipment in any commercial kitchen setup.  Let’s look at how a combi oven works, why you might need it, and why now is the right time to use it.