Crepes are the ultimate flexible food for the restaurant trade. They can be made on a street stall and sold as take-away street food. Or they can feature as part of the menu in venues as diverse as brasseries and tea-shops.
Because they can be either savoury or sweet, they can be adapted to fit many kinds of menus. And their enduring popularity with young and old, trendy and traditional eaters, means that they make a great addition to any catering business.
Adding freshly made crepes to an existing business is simple and cost-effective. Professional crepe makers come with various options that can be selected to suit the way that crepes will be offered in the eating venue. So the first step in choosing a crepe maker is to think about how you will use it.
How long will the crepe maker be used each day?
If crepes are going to be offered for a period of four hours or more a day, both gas and electric crepe makers are suitable. The electric versions can give more precision in the cooking temperature and may be more effective where you are making a large volume of crepes.
For example, Krampouz has professional crepe makers with thermostats which provide an even temperature across the whole surface – very important, to prevent the crepes sticking or cooking unevenly.
Krampouz is a French company which has specialised in crepe makers for nearly seventy years – the name actually means “pancake” in Breton. So they really know what makes a good pancake.
If you think that you’ll be offering crepes for fewer than four hours a day, look at electric crepe makers with either a round or square grilling surface and a compact but robust build.
Safety
If you want to use the crepe maker outdoors, for example on the street, or at a market, you can get a machine without a safety cap. But if you want to use it indoors, you’ll need a safety cap. The Krampouz machines feature indicator lights to show that the machine may be hot which is an important safety feature.
For high-volume, professional operations
The crepe maker of choice for high-volume commercial operations has to be the Krampouz Electric Confort. This professional machine will maintain an even temperature over hours of use, and the thermostat can be set to any temperature between 50° to 300° Celsius. The machine features both a power indicator and a heating indicator.
This model has been designed with real-world conditions in mind and features a stainless steel band that will catch spills, so that the machine can be cleaned quickly and effectively between servings. There’s a choice of two different diameters – 40 cm or 48 cm and the hob is cast iron.
For outside events
There’s also a double hob version of the crepe maker which can run on a butane or propane and be used indoors or outdoors – ideal for music festivals, fetes and outdoor events in the summer.
