Hi there,
I was thinking of starting something in the idea of a Subway type place, something that you can put in a small area where you don’t need allot of expensive upstart/drama… ie: hoods - a real restaurant.
Basically having a Table, with slicer for meats, coolers, prep area for salads & thats it.
Like some all the sub shops. Subway, Quizno’s, etc…
Question:
What Legally can I put in a place like this without Hoods?
- Electric Pizza Oven?
- Electric Flat Top? (How about a Gas Flat Top?)
- Electric Oven (subway - melting cheese/meat style)
- Can I put a Stove in??
- Can I put a Big Fryer everyone uses for fries, wings, chicken parm,etc in?
- Panani Press?
- Anymore Suggestions?
Can you reccomend (links) to nice solid but not a huge price for some of these things like Electric Ovens,Pizza Ovens,etc…
What is the minimum I need to sell food, if you were going to do it in this kind of way? Sink? Fire Extinguisher? If I put a Gas Line in do I then need… Hoods??
I’m In Ohio, if you don’t know the exact rules for Ohio - Let’s say “Generally”…
Thank You
Call your local Health Department and Fire Inspector. They will gladly assist you.
Where we are you would be able to put a Pizza oven without a hood. Most people will tell me i’m wrong but i have one. Those quick convection ovens (toasters) are def legal. Panini grills are def legal but a flat grill may not be. Honestly You dont want a flat grill without a hood, your store will be full of smoke if you use it alot. anything with grease (fryers, stoves) need a hood. I think they may make ventless fryers but you probably cant afford it.
PS. you can run a succesful business without major restaurant equiptment. I have seen tons of IQF products that blow your socks off. If your creative you can figure out ways to make a great product with what you got. For example, You dont have a grill? slice roast beef chop it up and run it through your toaster 1-2 time melt some cheese and you have a cheese steak. Bacon, Chicken Cutlets,Breaded Shrimp anything you can think of.
The new TurboChef ovens are great, but pricey - you can find a deal on ebay & that will increase your menu options…they take a bit of power, so make sure you have adequate space in the breaker box…
A similar flash bake oven is one formerly used by Little Caesar’s in some of the K-Mart installs - made by Peerless Ovens - has a ventless hood & a stone deck - had 2 a few yrs ago - makes a mean brick oven sub & a decent pizza…
Vulcan & Hobart make a similarf lash bake/ quartz oven, that a decent menu can be built around as well
also, I had a real nice ventless fryer - fries & chicken wings/tenders…these an be found on ebay for a few thousand $$$ as well…
all generally meet normal code requirements…
I have a MM pizza oven and no hood. You can make quite a bit of good food using one if you take the time to experiment.
Check with the local authorities for a real answer before you take what any of us have to say as holy writ.
With that said, in our area you can run a pretty substantial electric oven like the Lincoln Impinger II without a hood. Any type of gas oven or fryer will require a hood.
Thanks everyone for giving me suggestions… I did email the Heath & Fire yesturday and I’m waiting for a response… but I kinda put this up to for fun & knowledge! I know you guys & gals have done this business allot longer then me and it would help to hear from your experience what products work the best.
With some of these suggestions people gave above with these products for ovens, etc… all the different posts/suggestions - can you give me names of actual products are worked great!
Thanks everyone!
:mrgreen:
Any unit of equipment that raises the temperature of the product above 220 degrees is required to be placed under a hood.
Some Manufacturers claim their equipment is vent less and in some jurisdictions the authorities allow certain items to be vent less. The manufactures claims mean nothing as the local Health, Building and Fire inspectors can disapprove equipment at their discretion. Always check with your inspectors to determine their rules.
The notion that electric equipment need not be under a hood is false. The principle function of the ventilation system is to remove the cooking vapors, next is to remove much of the heat generated by the cooking equipment. Those two circumstances are present if the source of the heat is gas or electric.
George Mills
Thanks everyone 
Ok… Instead of starting a new topic,
Let’s say I install Hoods… I saw a site Hoodmart.com.
Let me ask, what is the hard part of installing them, can I install them myself, ok about me I work in construction and I have allot of friends that do allot in construction - they can basically build a house from the ground up. So couldn’t they help me install them? What is the big deal with them? What kinda knowledge do I need?
Thanks
Most/Many/All states/counties code enforcement folks may require you to be licensed to install & have hood certified…not a “do-it-yerself” project…too easy 4 them 2 shut u down…this case it pays 2 play by the rules…
Hi Locoarts:
Use caution when buying a ventilation system:
If you get a fairly cheep system chances are it will cost a lot to operate. Especially the make up air units.
All the air you take out through the hood must by code be brought back into the building at not more than 10 degrees below normal room temperature. That means heating the air in the cooler months. In addition, that air should be cooled in the warmer months or it will roast you out of the kitchen. Heating and cooling that air can cost a lot of money.
We design ventilation systems to keep the amount of make up air to a minimum and save the operator a lot of money.
George Mills