1. 1
Emily Droge
Cici Liu
Shuhan Zhan
Yue Zhang
Equipment Evaluation Project
Part 1: An Overview of Clark Kerr’s Flat Top
The equipment our group used for the recipe adjustment was the flattop. A flattop is a
gas-fired appliance that uses a circulating heating technology under a piece of steel to create a
cooking surface with evenly distribute.The Flattops used in CKC is from Viking Equipment, but
we were unable to locate the model number since the flattop was bought 10 years ago and had
not been produced for years. The most similar one sold in market right now is from Vulcan with
a model number MSA48-1, and the current price is estimated to be around 2500 dollars.
Since our recipe is plant-based Marinated Tofu with Habanero Pineapple Salsa, we use
the flattop to produce seared tofu. The flattop is used very frequently. As for breakfasts, it is used
everyday for toasting and making omelettes. As for dinners, it is used every other day.
Hamburger, Pizza, steak and chicken are some of the examples prepared on the flattop during
dinner times. Through our recipe adjustment, only half of the flattop was used to sear the tofu.
We cooked two rounds on that half of the flattop, which in total contributed to 10 pounds of tofu.
As for the location of the flattops, there are four flattops in the kitchen and two flattops
right opposite to the countertop that displays the food. The ones near the countertop shorten the
transport distance for foods, thus promoting the efficiency in workflow.
Preventive maintenance such as cleaning with the magic stone, lubricating with the oil
and calibration are performed every time after use to avoid carbon accumulation, so the flattop
doesn’t easily go worn. It is not very environmentally friendly since it still produces smoke
during cooking. However, except for the steamer, all other equipments produce smokes. Our
group reaches the agreement that we are not changing flattops to other equipments, and detailed
reasons will be discussed later in the paper.
Part 2: A Critical Analysis of the Flat Top

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We decide to keep the current equipment, the flattop, instead of using any replacements
considering that flattop has lots of advantages over other choices. First of all, flattop is highly
versatile and allows chefs to cook with different approaches for different recipes, including
pan-frying, grilling, baking, sautéing, etc. Second, flattop is very efficient - it can create an
extremely hot and even cooking surface in a short time with a little fuel. The large surface area
can hold a large amount of food at one time, and thus chefs can cook with high quality and
quantity. When cooking for the dining hall, the production yields are often huge, and handling
loss during production can be significant. However, flattop avoids small or delicate food falling,
which can reduce many food wastes. In addition, flattop’s steel surface can be seasoned as cast
iron, and the seasoned surface can function as a natural non-stick one.
Flattop definitely provides much convenience and efficiency for a food service
organization like college dining hall, however, from the executive chef, Daniel Moreno, we
learned one downside of flattop, which was closely related with the age of the equipment. As
chefs used the flattop more and more times, there was inevitable carbon accumulation, which
affected the accuracy of flattop’s temperature. Due to the carbon buildup, every time chefs used
the flattop, they needed to calibrate the temperature carefully to make sure that they would not
scorch the food or cook without enough heat.
An ideal replacement of flattop would be equipment that functions similarly but does not
cause carbon accumulation. One possible replacement is steamer, which will not have the
problem since it does not produce smoke. However, steamer has limited capacity and
temperature range and thus will lead to a lower production efficiency. Besides, steamer is not as
versatile as flattop is. Chefs will require other cookwares for different cooking forms.
Currently, the flattop is located at the site right opposite to the countertop that displays
food to customers. This arrangement allows staff to transport cooked food from the production
area to the serving area quickly without walking far. The short distance assures the food quality
and safety. With a good ventilator, there is no much smoke released to any area outside the
production zone, so the serving area is not influenced. For dishes that are cooked with the flattop,
chefs will first collect all the required ingredients from different storage areas, place them on a
sanitized cart and pull the cart to the production area. The whole production flow requires a

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utility cart to transport all the ingredients to the flattop and keep things in an organized and
hygienic way. After chefs finishing cooking, all the used tools and left ingredients will be placed
back to the cart and be brought back in kitchen for cleaning, storing or dumping. Overall, we
think that the location of the flattop right now works well and any possible future upgrade of the
flattop can be placed in the same arrangement.
To making the flattop function properly, there are some needed utilities available at the
site. Since the flattop produce some smoke during cooking, a professional kitchen ventilation
system and hoods are necessary. The ventilation system can pull air from the edges of the hoods
and accelerate the movement of air. Any excess heat and strong cooking smells could be
removed by the system. Also, proper light brightness is provided over the flattop area. In
addition, utility carts are used for transport ingredients, tools and pans for production.
Part 3: Spec Sheets
After consulting with Chef Moreno, we were unable to locate the exact model number for
the flat top we used at Clark Kerr Campus due to the age of the product. The flat top is
approximately ten years old, and according to the Viking website, a lot of these older products
are no longer available for purchase. We looked up Spec Sheets for similar models with similar
functions from different companies and found that the one most similar to the one we used is the
Vulcan Model Number MSA48-1. We’ve compared this model with a similar one from Viking
and Wolf.
#1.
Royal Range Griddle 48" Griddle 2 Burners NAT - RMG-48OB2NAT
Price: $2,449.99
Mfr Product No: RMG-48OB2
Manufacturer: Royal Range
Product Code: RROCRMG-48OB2NAT
Description:

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Royal Range - Griddle/Hotplate Combo, 48" Griddle, 2 Open Burners - Nat.. Gas -
RMG-48OB2NAT
● NEW 11” Low Profile
● NEW large 11/2 gallon capacity stainless steel grease can
● Compact heavy gauge chassis for long life
● Stainless steel sides, front valve cover and ledge
● Double wall panels for cooler sides
● 48" GRIDDLE:
● Aeration panels between the burners for added efficiency
● (4) Steel “U” shaped 30,000 BTU/hr burner, one every 12”
● 3/4” thick griddle plate with polished cooking surface for even heating
● Manual infinite control for each burner
● 4” wide S/S grease trough with large drain opening for easy cleaning
● 2 OPEN BURNERS:
● (2) Cast iron lift off head burners rated at 30,000BTU/hr
● Manual infinite control for each burner
● Heavy duty individual cast iron top grates connect to form a easy cookware sliding
surface
● Stainless steel tubing for pilots
● 4” high adjustable heavy duty legs included
● Overall Dimensions; 60" wide x 32 1/2" deep x 11" high to griddle surface
● Nat. Gas is standard. 3/4" NPT gas connection at right rear of unit
● Please specify if installing above 2000 ft elevation when ordering!
● NSF, ETL, cETL, ETL Sanitation listed
● One year parts and labor warranty
● Made in the USA
http://www.chefsfirst.com/Griddle-Hotplate-Combo-48-Griddle-2-Burners-NG-p/rrocrmg-48ob2
nat.htm

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#2.
Wolf Griddle, 48" Manual Control - Nat. Gas - AGM48-1
Price: $2,979.90
Mfr Product No: AGM48-1
Manufacturer: Wolf
Product Code: WFRAGM48-1
Description:
Wolf - Griddle, 48" Manual Control - Nat. Gas - AGM48-1
● Heavy duty gas griddle with stainless steel front, sides, front top ledge
● Fully welded frame
● (4) 27,000 BTU/Hr 'U' shaped tubular burners, one every 12" for even heating
● 1" thick polished steel griddle plate reduces hot spots and takes hard use
● Front grease trough and pull-out grease can
● 4" back & tapered side splashes
● Infinite control manual valves
● Standing pilot burners for fast ignition
● Bottom heat shields
● 4" adjustable legs
● Overall 48" wide x 31 1/2" deep x 15 1/4" high
● Cooking area 48" x 24"
● Nat. Gas standard. 3/4" NPT rear connection. Please specify if installing above 2,000 ft
elevation when ordering
● One year parts and labor warranty
● CSA, NSF

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http://www.chefsfirst.com/Griddle-48-Manual-Control-NG-p/wfragm48-1.htm
#3
Vulcan - Griddle 48" 1" Thick, Thermostatic Controls - NAT - MSA48-1
Price: $5,237.35
Mfr Product No: MSA48
Manufacturer: Vulcan
Product Code: VHCMSA48-1
Description:
Vulcan - Griddle, 48" Wide, 1" Thick, Thermostatic Controls - Nat. Gas - MSA48-1
● Heavy duty 1" thick polished steel griddle plate is durable and will heat evenly
● Compact heavy gauge chassis for long life
● Stainless steel sides and front and top ledge
● 4" stainless steel back and tapered side splashes
● 27,000 BTU/hr 'U' shaped burners, one for every 12" of griddle surface
● One pilot safety valve for every two burners. Safety will completely shut gas off to pilot
and burners if pilot extinguishes. Manual ignition
● Snap action thermostat control per burner. Temperature range of 200° to 550° F.
Guard in front of knob to help prevent accidental setting changes
● 3 1/2” wide grease trough with large drain opening for easy cleaning
● Large 1-1/2 gallon capacity pull-out grease can
● Bottom heat shields maintain cooler zone below burners
● 4” high adjustable heavy duty legs included
● Cooking area: 48" x 24"
● Overall Dimensions; 48" wide x 31 1/2" deep x 11" high to griddle surface

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● Nat. Gas is standard. 3/4" NPT gas connection at right rear of unit
● Please specify if installing above 2000 ft elevation when ordering!
● NSF, CSA listed
● One year parts and labor warranty
http://www.chefsfirst.com/Griddle-48-Wide-1-Thick-Thermostatic-Controls-NG-p/vhcmsa48-1.
htm