How Vollrath Equipment helps Wooden City restaurants execute their vision

Known for serving familiar foods with an elevated twist, Wooden City restaurants have been popular from the moment they opened. Their unique menu, sophisticated style and upscale guest experience helped them quickly establish a reputation as the cool place in town. 

Keeping up with this high level of demand can be a challenge, which is why Wooden City kitchens are stocked with Vollrath products. 

Co-owner and executive chef Jon Green explains, when "you have highly-skilled chefs, executing at a super high level, it only makes sense that you have really great products to help you execute that."

With locations in Tacoma and Spokane, Washington, Green is always busy. He's dedicated to perfecting his craft and delivering a modern, refined experience, and he needs kitchen equipment that can consistently deliver. 

We sat down with him to learn more about how Vollrath equipment helps him execute his unique recipes and serve them in style.

Exceptional Accuracy

When it comes to his kitchen equipment, Green says accuracy is key. He relies on accurate tools, ranges, ovens, and more to create appetizing dishes that anyone on his staff can execute with precision. 

He explains, "Those are the things that I like because then you can control your equipment, control the recipes, control the consistency."

One Vollrath product that Green has come to love is the induction range. He says the precise heating and simple operation make it easy to execute high-quality, repeatable results from anywhere. 

"To be able to just dial in a recipe, know exactly how long you need to cook something at exactly the right level, all you have to do is plug it into a wall and you can create a high-end product." 

The easy-to-use controls and powerful heat make the induction range a perfect choice for a wide variety of applications, so anyone at Wooden City can use them to ensure consistent, repeatable results. And, the efficient operation of these sleek ranges helps Wooden City cut operating costs, which is the icing on the cake for Green.

Another Vollrath product Wooden City depends on is the immersion circulator, which Green says is an easy way to make sure meat products are cooked to safe temperatures.  

The immersion circulator allows you to program cook settings in advance and then leave the food to cook unattended for worry-free preparation. The digital controls offer 0.1-degree accuracy, and cook and hold food at precise temperatures to maintain safety and quality. It's simple, convenient, and reliable. 

This level of consistency is vital, not only in terms of food safety and quality, but also in maintaining Wooden City's reputation. Guests of Wooden City expect a high-quality meal, which Green wants to deliver, every time. 

Stress-Free Prep

Not only do immersion circulators ensure food safety, but they also streamline and simplify food preparation.

"If we can cook a steak or a porkchop to the perfect temperature beforehand, then it takes a little bit of pressure off that cook during service, to be able to focus more on making sure that everything they're doing is delicious." 

With food cooking to perfect temperatures in the immersion circulator, chefs can spend more time on the finer details. "Ultimately, the guest ends up winning," says Green. 

The immersion circulator also frees up kitchen staff members and reduces the overall workload. With fewer cooks in the kitchen, Wooden City can cut labor costs without sacrificing quality. 

Green also explains that Vollrath products outlast others, which is a huge benefit for busy kitchens that don't have time to worry about items breaking.

"You get what you pay for. When you go with Vollrath, you're never really worried about tongs breaking after a couple weeks of use, or this pot breaking down. These pieces that we've had from Vollrath, we'll take with us for years and years." 

Thanks to these long-lasting items, Wooden City restaurants have drastically reduced their equipment replacement budgets. This not only helps them save money, but also means their kitchens experience fewer interruptions. 

With reliable, durable Vollrath equipment, Wooden City chefs are able to focus on the task at hand: creating top-notch meals for their guests.

Smoother Serving

When serving larger groups in a buffet-style setting, Wooden City restaurants rely on another Vollrath induction product to ensure sleek service: induction warmers. 

The compact designs, streamlined controls, and easy operation create a modern look and offer a more refined experience than traditional steam tables. And, the efficient heating and precise temperature control prevent scorching, for a more appetizing appearance and food waste reduction, resulting in a higher profit margin. 

For an upscale restaurant like Wooden City, this sleek presentation is very on-brand, and matches the quality and sophistication of their food. According to Green, these warmers "changed the game for our private style dining." 

Vollrath strives to create accurate, reliable and sleek equipment to support chefs like Green. We're glad our products help him and his team at Wooden City accomplish their goals with ease and style.