How to Boost Service Speed with a Commercial Rice Warmer and Rice Cooker

When you first opened your Malaysian café, business was slow. Then the five-star reviews started stacking up, and customers flooded in. Every night, you’re routinely dishing out hundreds of servings of fried rice, coconut rice, and plain jasmine rice.

Time to buy another rice cooker—right?

No. You need a commercial rice warmer instead.

Why does my restaurant need a rice warmer?

When paired with our 60-cup/14 L rice cooker, a Proctor Silex? Commercial rice warmer can double your rice production while streamlining kitchen operations.

Let’s say you’re serving 180 rice servings during peak dinner hours. To keep up with demand, you have two options.

Two rice cookers: Both are holding rice on warm at the start of the dinner hour. As soon as rice cooker #1 is empty, you rush to refill it and hit the cook button. If you forget, or if you end up serving everything from rice cooker #2 before #1 has completed its cycle, you’ll have a delay in service.

A rice cooker + rice warmer: Start with two warm pots of rice at the start of the dinner hour. Once the rice warmer is empty, simply move over the pot from the rice cooker and start another cook cycle. With this system, you’re never playing catch-up! Instead, you stay ahead of demand, so that customers never go hungry. Plus, you can save money by purchasing a commercial rice warmer instead of another rice cooker.

Do I really need a commercial rice warmer?

Some smaller restaurants opt to save money by purchasing a consumer-grade rice cooker and warmer. This solution works well… until it doesn’t. Consumer rice cookers/warmers aren’t designed to be used multiple times per day. As a result, their nonstick finish wears out, they don’t hold a consistent temperature, and often they break after a short time.

Also, they’re inefficient! We’ve seen more than a few restaurants with three, four, or more small rice cookers all steaming away in the kitchen. This isn’t good for consistency or counter space, and the tangle of cords can be a tripping hazard. Time to upgrade to commercial equipment.

Commercial-quality rice cookers and warmers have been rigorously tested to prove they’ll last under the toughest conditions. In our lab, we life tested over 1,000 cooking/warming cycles. High-quality heating elements on the bottom, sides, and lid ensure food is kept at a safe temperature, with no cold or hot spots.

Does a rice warmer work for fried rice?

We’re so glad you asked! Yes, you can use a commercial rice warmer to warm fried rice without changing its texture. Just add a small amount of water to the rice warmer to keep the rice from losing moisture.

Beyond keeping varieties of rice warm, a Proctor Silex Commercial rice warmer can even keep grits, oatmeal, and macaroni and cheese dish at a food-safe, ready-to-serve temperature.

Can’t I just cook a full pot of rice and set it aside until I need it?

Keeping cooked rice outside of a rice cooker or rice warmer — even for a short time — is a dangerous gamble. The threat is Bacillus cereus, a bacteria found in grain-based foods such as rice, quinoa, couscous, and pasta.

This bacteria forms heat-resistant spores that can survive cooking. When cooked rice or grains cool to below 140°F/60°C, those spores begin to germinate and the bacteria multiplies. Bacillus cereus produces toxins that can cause stomach issues such as vomiting and diarrhea. It’s an unpleasant and potentially serious condition some call “fried rice syndrome” or “rice poisoning.” Reheating the rice or other food doesn’t destroy the toxins. Keep your customers safe — and your rice perfectly delicious — with a high-quality commercial rice cooker and rice warmer.

Hamilton Beach Commercial supports foodservice businesses worldwide with commercial kitchen equipment that’s compact, cost-effective, and built with the legendary durability we’re known for. Shop our full line of commercial foodservice equipment solutions.