Convenience food in food service: quality without preservatives
Convenience food has a mixed reputation in professional kitchens – unfairly, if you know what to look for. The levels that exist, how to spot good products and when fully cooked dishes pay off.
What convenience food means in a professional kitchen
Part of the work is done before the product reaches your kitchen. That ranges from peeled vegetables to a finished dish. Many operations have outsourced such steps for years, not least because of staff shortages (Tiroler Tageszeitung, 20 Aug 2019 (German)).
The levels at a glance
| Level | Example | Work in your kitchen |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen-ready | peeled, cut vegetables | cook, season, plate |
| Cook-ready | breaded schnitzel, prepared cuts | cook, plate |
| Ready-to-heat | cooked soups, ragouts, sides | heat, season, plate |
| Ready-to-eat | salads, desserts | plate |
Metis Food mainly supplies ready-to-heat dishes, plus cook-ready products such as breaded dishes and sous-vide meat.
How to spot good products
- Ingredients: short and understandable, no preservatives. Our dishes are cooked without preservatives and tested by an accredited laboratory.
- Shelf life: chilled long enough to absorb swings in guest numbers – at Metis at least 30 days – or frozen.
- Pack sizes: packs that match your service, for example 2.5 kg or 1 kg.
- Documentation: product specifications with allergen information under EU Regulation 1169/2011.
- Regional taste: Austrian and Central European recipes, not one-size-fits-all products.
When fully cooked dishes pay off
- when skilled staff are missing or the season is short
- when guest numbers swing and leftovers get expensive
- when several sites should cook equally well
- when storage space and energy are tight
Count not only the price per kilo, but also labour, waste and energy. Our net list prices per kg are shown directly in the product range.
Regenerating properly
Regenerating is not reheating: temperature, time and core temperature are printed on every label, and short videos show each step in our quick guides. A herb, a little butter or a dash of acid at the end turns a good dish into your dish.
