It’s electric! 6 lessons from our largest electric kitchen

We recently opened our all-electric Bay View campus, which also marked the debut of our largest electric kitchen. As our biggest blueprint for fully carbon-free cafes and kitchens yet, Bay View will help advance our commitment to operate on 24/7 carbon-free energy across all of our campuses by 2030.

Still, any big change comes with a learning curve. So whether you’re a professional chef or an at-home cook, here are six lessons we’ve learned to help you make the switch to electric:

Electric is way faster. The benefits of electric kitchens go beyond climate impact, starting with speed. The first time I ever cooked on induction (electric) equipment, the biggest surprise was just how incredibly fast it is. In fact, induction boils water twice as fast as traditional gas equipment and is far more efficient — because unlike a flame, electric heat has nowhere to escape. At Bay View, our training programs help Google chefs appreciate and adjust to the new pace of induction. The speed truly opens up whole new ways of cooking.

It’s also safer, simpler and cooler. Compared to traditional gas equipment, induction equipment is safer because there’s very little heat transfer after you remove a vessel, reducing burn risk. Cleanup is a simple wipe-down versus removing stainless steel grates that stay at hundreds of degrees for hours. We also think — and we’re collecting data at Bay View to confirm — that electric kitchens will be more comfortable to work in, because they’re potentially cooler (you don’t need to leave the heat on high) and quieter (you don’t need the hood fans as often).

The end result is delicious. You can cook world-class food with induction equipment, and many Michelin 3-star restaurants already do. At Bay View, we did a full recipe review to match our same great flavor profiles using induction equipment. Turns out if you have the right brines, marinades, seasoning and technique, you can easily adapt recipes to electric equipment without compromising taste. For example, you can achieve the smoky taste of grilled asparagus on induction simply by giving it time in a smoker or adding smoked salt.

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