All the advantages of kitchen 4.0

The day is almost over, and the brigade is cleaning the kitchen. In the meantime, the kitchen leader is checking Sirman’s web App for new notifications. This App manages the appliances connected to the cloud (SRCS - Sirman Remote Control System). The Alpine cheese left to cure in the curing refrigerator is now ready. Tomorrow, they can taste it, and if they’re happy with the result, the kitchen leader can save the new recipe - temperature, humidity, and curing period - so it can be used again in the future. The app now suggests that the vacuum packing machine has completed the maximum number of cycles, and it’s time to replace the oil. The kitchen leader can replace it on their day off without interrupting the device’s workflow, avoiding the risk of an unexpected failure.

That’s how kitchen 4.0 works. Every appliance is connected to the cloud, recording and sending data, and is managed remotely via computer or smartphone (read “the cloud in the kitchen”).

In the past few years, digitisation has become part of the kitchen, bringing some excellent advantages. Let’s see them in detail.

Why use data and digital technologies in the kitchen?

Today, digitisation has become essential in many sectors. Digitisation also means collecting data concerning your business and equipment and using them efficiently.

Therefore, the technologies that allow us to use these data help promote intuition, talent, and entrepreneurial skills. And this applies to professional kitchens as well. Let’s see why.

Data help keep the appliances’ operation always under control. How is the appliance working? Does it have worn out components? How much energy is it consuming? Knowing this information helps kitchen owners with preventive maintenance. By setting proper alarms on the app, you can be notified when a component is worn out, and thus prevent failures and downtime. This way, you can replace the component when the restaurant is closed without stopping the device’s operation.

For example, if you know that the grater roll must be replaced after 500 operating hours, you can set the alarm on the app to be notified when this threshold is reached. This way, you can check whether the roll needs to be replaced for yourself.

Setting alarms and thresholds for cloud-connected appliances can make your life in the kitchen much easier. You can automate many operations, block the appliance automatically to prevent damage or promptly signal a failure. For example, if water remains in the softcooker once the food is ready and you don’t prepare anything else afterwards, the appliance emits a long beep. This signal allows you to promptly remove the water and prevent damage or blocking the dough mixer if the motor is overheating.

Having as much data as possible is essential even when you have to ask for remote assistance. Sirman’s operators analyse the data collected by the appliances’ sensors to understand whether the problem depends on their usage or a technical issue. This way, they can help you find a solution.

Moreover, monitoring an appliance’s energy consumption allows the kitchen leader to quantify the related costs.

In brief, smart kitchen appliances help the brigade:

As the appliance gets easier to control, interaction becomes more immediate. Sirman devices can be connected to Amazon smart speakers, which allow the kitchen leader to give voice commands to the appliance through Alexa.

Why should a professional kitchen be connected to the cloud?

The cloud is where all these data are stored. It’s an agile infrastructure with a high storage capacity. Sirman’s appliances rely on Amazon Web Service, Amazon’s spin-off dedicated to all-things data and IoT.

Remember! The cloud is the shared data storage of your professional kitchen. Let’s see a few examples.

Sirman’s SRCS catering appliances are connected to the cloud, which kitchen leaders can access through the app. Therefore, you only need one device (a smartphone, tablet, or computer) to control all kitchen appliances. That’s what we call a huge advantage.

This means that one recipe can be shared by several appliances. For example, a curing recipe can be launched on several curing refrigerators simultaneously. Sirman’s appliances can save thousands of recipes in the cloud, unlike traditional kitchen appliances, which can save only a few. Moreover, you can start a recipe remotely or delay its launch. Therefore, the owner of several restaurants can have one digital place to store the most successful recipes.

In addition, our online community of chefs shares the best recipes for Sirman appliances. Are you tempted to try some?