Does your commercial kitchen have a chef base? If not, chef bases can help you do a lot more in less space. We're going to review several chef bases, explain what they are, and why you may want to order one for your commercial kitchen.
What is a Chef Base?
A chef base is a "base," and it's a refrigerated unit on wheels that may come with a chef base cooler or freezer. However, depending on the model you choose, your base may have:
- Griddles
- Fryers
- Refrigerated drawers
What Is a Restaurant Chef Base Used For?
Utilizing your space properly can help streamline your kitchen. A chef base refrigerator can be used to:
- Store prepped foods
- Cook food on the top
Due to the unit being on wheels, offering cooling, and also having the potential to cook on top of it, many top-end restaurants have a chef base.
How to Use a Chef Base Refrigerator
Depending on the unit, you may use it for cooking or prep. But in most cases, you'll do one of two things when using the base:
- Prepare ingredients on top
- Store ingredients in the storage compartments
Or you may decide to:
- Store all prepped ingredients in the compartments
- Cook the ingredients on topВ
You can make a fast meal on the griddle or fryer, or you may do light cooking. Many restaurants will use light cooking to their advantage. For example, you may lightly cook meats, and then when someone orders, you'll finish the cooking process.
In busy commercial kitchens, light cooking is extremely popular and empowers you to serve guests food faster.
If you find that you have a long wait time and guests are getting restless, you may want to consider a chef base. You can perform a lot of the prep and light cooking work on the base, helping the kitchen remain fluid and fast-paced as a result.
Top 5 Best Chef Bases This Year
1. Atosa MGF8448GR 36-Inch 2 Drawer Refrigerated Extended Top Chef Base
Atosa is one of the leading manufacturers of chef bases, and this unit boasts an extended base for more surface area for prep. The unit allows you to set compartment temperatures between 34В°F and 40В°F.
Boasting a fully stainless steel design, you can easily clean the base without worry of bacteria or rust.
The unit boasts:
- Dimensions of 36" W x 33" D x 26.6" H
- 4.7 cubic feet interior capacity
- Self-closing drawers
- Food pans included
- Dixell temperature controller
Drawers come with rollers built into them, so it's easy to remove and clean the drawers.
Click here to view the Atosa MGF8448GR.
2. Omcan RE-CN-0072-C, 72-inch Stainless Steel Refrigerated Chef Base, 47
Omcan is the manufacturer of our next two models, and the main difference between this model and the last is that the RE-CN-0072-C is twice the size at 72" in length. The unit is built to be efficient and effective, with four drawers to store all of your food.
Stainless steel is used as the main material in this chef base, so you can easily wipe it down after prep.
In total, the appliance offers 47 cubic feet of space and boasts:
- Dimensions of 32" L x 72" W x 25" H
- Slide and roller drawers
- Gravity-fed self-closing drawers
If you need a larger chef base that has four drawers and a massive prep top, this model is a great choice for you.
Click here to view the Omcan RE-CN-0072-C.
3. Omcan RE-CN-0052-C, 52-inch Stainless Steel Refrigerated Chef Base, 34
If the previous model was too big or expensive, the RE-CN-0052-C might be a good alternative. This unit has 34 cubic feet and a 52" stainless steel base to allow for over four feet of storage and prep space.
With a weight of 272 pounds, the chef base is on wheels to make it easy to place even in tight kitchen corners.
The chef base has two drawers with rollers and slides, and it has the following dimensions and features:
- Dimensions of 32" L x 52" W x 25" H
- Self-closing, refrigerated drawers
- 34 cubic feet of total space
The 304 stainless steel design and V edge help make prep easy. Heavy-duty casters make it easy to move the unit, and the temperature range of the refrigeration unit is 33В°F - 41В°F.
Click here to view the Omcan RE-CN-0052-C.
4. Admiral Craft USCB-72, 72-inch 4 Drawers Refrigerated Chef Base
Admiral Craft's chef base offers four-drawer storage in a 72" wide base that offers massive amounts of room to prep all of your food items. The stainless steel top with the V-edge design allows you to prep without worry that food will fall off the edges of the unit.
Rollers and slides make pulling out the drawers effortless, and the surface has enough space to fit eight full-size pans on the top.
Heavy-duty casters make it easy to maneuver the unit, and the unit boasts:
- Dimensions of 32" L x 72" W x 25" H
- 1-year parts warranty
- 5-year compressor warranty
The Admiral is a massive chef base with a powerful compressor that will keep your ingredients cold.
Click here to view the Admiral Craft USCB-72.
5. Blue Air BACB96M-HC, 96-inch 4 Drawers Marine Edge Refrigerated Chef Base, 21.4 Cu. Ft.
Blue Air makes the largest model on this list, and it has a 96" width, although it has a lot less cubic feet than many models on our list. The base has a built-in condensation system designed to eliminate the typical drainage design.
Additionally, the unit offers 25% greater efficiency thanks to the Hydrocarbon refrigerant used in the design.
Casters are pre-installed, and all interior and exterior surfaces are stainless steel, making them incredibly easy to clean. The unit boasts:
- Dimensions of 31" L x 96" W x 25.3" H
- 25% greater energy efficiency
Blue Air's advanced cooling and evaporation system ensures that foods stay fresh, while the unit's dimensions offer superb coverage space for prepping food.
Click here to view the Blue Air BACB96M-HC.
What is a chef base used for? Streamlining your commercial kitchen. The models above will provide you with the utmost functionality and features. If you don't find a model on our list that you like or fits into your budget, click here to view all of our chef bases.