Panda Express head chef Jimmy Wang came to the NAFEM (North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers) conference in Orlando with one major goal in mind: to find kitchen equipment that will help the company be more efficient and consistent as they grow.
The Chinese-American chain already began rolling out automated woks that do most of the stir frying for you to select restaurants where it’s most needed. Not only does this type of equipment help create consistency food quality across their store portfolio, but it also makes the job a lot easier for kitchen workers. In turn, automation equipment will hopefully slow down labor turnover rates, which have been a thorn in the industry’s side for years.
Wang discussed his opinions on investing in automated kitchen equipment, as well as new menu categories like tea and refreshers in this exclusive interview on the NAFEM show floor.