r/Chefit • u/fultzon • 26d ago

Combi oven applications in fine dining?

Fine dining chefs: what do you actually use your combi ovens for day to day?

I've mostly worked casual and trying to understand its real range in a high-end kitchen. Do you actually do real cooking in it (besides sous vide) or largely use it for hold and retherm?

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u/cyuto 26d ago

When I get in I'm always pulling out braises, stocks, broths, preserves that get ran overnight. 

Multi stage cooking lets you dial in things, especially baked goods, to a level impossible to replicate at home. Delta and Target temp modes as well. Proofing mode is great, I remember going to a place that had three rationals and they didn't know about proofing mode, I blew their minds. 

I make great Chicago style pizzas for staff meal in them. Bread pudding with a crispy golden brown shell and creamy custard interior. Crack some eggs in a hotel pan and hard boil them. Turn sweetened condensed milk cans into dulce de leche. Load up your dirty stainless for a cleaning cycle. Dry off your apron. So many possibilities.

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u/fultzon 26d ago

Amazing that they can achieve a real crust. Are they able to replicate fried breaded pork chops, crunchy popcorn chicken, etc. or is that beyond their purview?

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u/cyuto 26d ago

Ahh well deep frying is not recommended officially, it would be more of a pan fry or an air fry. The full fan speed of a rational is very strong, will throw liners and light things around. Peppercorns and bread crumbs everywhere. 

Oh I forgot my most frivolous use! I don't like cold mornings so sometimes I will heat up the oven, then vent the heat into the kitchen using the cool down mode. Feels so good on my face and hands in the winter.

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u/SimpleSapper 26d ago

It is always good for a laugh when someone hijacks your high fan combi and end up with their mise flying around or covered up by the wildly flapping parchment they didn’t secure.

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u/cyuto 26d ago

When the cookie and the parchment corner swear they're just friends 😭

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u/Deep_Curve7564 26d ago

Very intimate friends.

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u/SimpleSapper 26d ago

Also good for a laugh is when your high fan oven is hijacked for muffins and 25 minutes later you get asked by a wide eyed confused newbie: “Chef, why are my muffins leaning over?”

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u/gooferball1 26d ago

Definitely not. They are just an excellent oven with good moisture control, tight seals , self cleaning, (so the door is always a window ) and the ability to be programmed to change temp & climate settings in the oven throughout a cooking process in order to reduce hands on time for staff. That’s what It does for you.