When it comes to culinary arts, learning is an essential part of the process. For culinary students, being equipped with all the necessary tools is essential to achieving goals throughout the hospitality industry. One of these tools is the right kind of utility push cart. Lakeside Stainless Steel Utility Carts have been proven to be an exceptional choice for many culinary students. In this blog, we'll be discussing some of the features of these stainless steel utility push carts and how they can be utilized by culinary arts students.
Tools of the Trade
Lakeside 444 and 459 Stainless Steel Utility Carts:
All-Welded Angle Leg Design Provides Durability
One of the top features of Lakeside Stainless Steel Utility Carts is the all-welded angle leg design, which provides durability. With this design, future foodservice operators can be sure that the Lakeside cart can hold up heavy cooking equipment and utensils without breaking or wobbling. This is especially important at a busy convention center or resort, where everything is constantly moving.
Sound Deadening Material Under Shelves
Another impressive feature of Lakeside Stainless Steel Utility is the sound-deadening material underneath its shelves. This feature helps to restrict vibrations and reduce noise. As a culinary student, this is particularly important because you need to be able to work in a peaceful environment without any unnecessary distractions.
500-Lb. Weight Capacity for Medium Duty Loads
Lakeside Stainless Steel Utility Carts such as both the 444 and 459 are made of durable, heavy-gauge stainless steel that can withstand the rigors of a busy kitchen. This makes them perfect for carrying heavy pots, pans, and ingredients, as well as larger kitchen tools like mixers and food processors.
Lakeside 744 Stainless Steel Utility Cart:
Larger 8” Front Wheels
These wheels allow for transitions over uneven surfaces with ease. Lakeside Stainless Steel Utility Carts such as the 744 help students move food and supplies over bumps, cracks, and cords easily. This feature is especially helpful if culinary students transport across different surfaces such as carpets, thresholds, and even hard floors.
Fixed Front Wheels Help Guide Cart in Straight Line
This feature makes it easier for culinary students to navigate around corners. These students often need to maneuver stainless steel utility carts around corners and narrow aisles. The Lakeside 744 Stainless Steel Utility Cart steps up to the challenge with ease providing stability during transport.
700-Lb. Weight Capacity for Heavy Duty Loads
Some Lakeside Stainless Steel Utility Carts such as the 744 have a weight capacity of up to 700 pounds, making them ideal for heavy-duty tasks. Culinary students working with large volumes of food or equipment can benefit from this capacity, easily moving essential items from one station to another. The cart's sturdy construction ensures the safe transportation of various loads without the risk of the cart breaking or buckling under the weight.
The Do’s and Don'ts When Using Lakeside’s Utility Carts
For aspiring foodservice operators wanting to work in non-commercial hospitality, such as in resorts or convention centers, there are definitely some do's and don'ts for them to keep in mind, especially when it comes to handling equipment like stainless steel utility carts.
Do:
Keep Stainless Steel Carts Clean and Organized:
By not keeping a stainless steel utility cart clean and organized could lead to major health risks for consumers. Preventing any possibilities of contamination is pretty simple. Culinary students must make sure to wipe down the utility cart before and after every use. Customers will be thankful for this easy, but important step.
Secure It When Not in Use:
Imagine how chaotic and traumatic it would be if you had a utility cart full of food and supplies and it happened to lose control and injure someone. How can a student prevent something like this from ever happening? By securing it when it’s not in use! Lakeside offers optional brakes on its stainless steel utility carts to help keep everyone safe. It’s best for culinary students to not take any chances and remember to always secure their utility cart!
Don’t:
Overload Utility Carts Beyond Their Weight Limit:
Weight capacity is unique to each and every stainless steel utility cart. A culinary student should always check how much a utility cart can hold. For example, a Lakeside 444 would not be able to hold 700 pounds because its weight capacity is 500 pounds. Please see our past blog, ‘The 5 Levels of Durability In Lakeside’s Utility Carts’ to understand how much each type of cart can hold and for how long.
Be Rough:
Culinary students must be gentle with stainless steel utility carts as rough handling can cause damage and messy spills, which nobody wants to deal with. Keeping it smooth is key for future foodservice operators to relay to their staff as they navigate through the aisles of the back-of-the-house.
With a little bit of patience, attention to detail, and common sense, students can make working with these carts a breeze!
The Next-Generation of Chefs
Many colleges around the nation are wasting no time in training the next-generation of chefs in order to meet the demands of a thriving hospitality industry. Take for example, Florida Technical College (FTC) International School of Culinary Arts, who recently unveiled a new training kitchen equipped with new, industry-grade kitchen equipment such as burner stoves, ovens, prep counters, essential safety equipment, and more. By having real tools and equipment to work with, students will be fully prepared to enter this foodservice segment and see success right from the start.
Maximizing efficiency in foodservice begins with utilizing essential equipment like utility carts. Although they may not be as glamorous as stoves or ovens, they play a crucial role in saving time during transport and maintaining consistent organization of supplies. Despite this, many individuals overlook how to properly use these carts. Clear and straightforward guidelines in the form of helpful tips mentioned above can make a significant impact on the next-generation of chefs and their productivity.
The Choice For The Future
Lakeside carts are an excellent choice for culinary arts students due to their durability, sound-deadening material, and easy-to-clean stainless steel construction. For culinary students, having the right kind of equipment can be the difference between a successful and unsuccessful career in culinary arts. With a Lakeside cart, future foodservice operators will be well equipped to achieve their goals and enjoy the learning process without limitations. So, why not unlock the power of learning with Lakeside carts?
