Summer is the perfect time to refresh your menu with flavorful, craveable items, but adding variety shouldn’t slow your kitchen down or complicate operations. With TurboChef’s high-speed ventless ovens and CookTek’s precise induction cooktops, seasonal additions become a simple and efficient process that provides a quick return to your bottom line.
Adding items to your menu should be an easy, profit-boosting opportunity—not an operational headache. Whether you’re introducing fresh bowls, toasted flatbreads, or summer comfort food, TurboChef ovens help you do it quickly, consistently, and without extra labor or equipment.
Festive Fan Favorite: Grilled Shrimp Tacos:
Let’s start with a summer classic that’s always a hit: Grilled Shrimp Tacos. Light, fresh, and packed with flavor, this menu item is perfect for warm-weather dining and can be prepped quickly during even the most demanding peak hours.
Using the Double Batch Impingement Oven, shrimp seasoned with a taco-style spice blend are sautéed to juicy perfection on a half sheet pan. Below are the suggested settings, which serve as a helpful starting point. Actual results may vary depending on portion size, product type, and your desired texture or doneness:
- Temperature: 500°F
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Air Impingement: 70%
While the shrimp cook, warm the tortillas in the HhC 1618 High-Speed Conveyor Oven by placing them directly on the conveyor belt. They toast in under a minute and deliver a slightly crispy, restaurant-quality bite.
To finish, top with fresh avocado, slaw, and a squeeze of lime. These tacos are a great addition to beach bars, lake marinas, or poolside snack bars. They offer quick prep, bold flavor, and strong customer appeal.
Counting Calories? Greek Chicken Salad:
Another summer standout is a Greek salad topped with grilled chicken—fresh, filling, and easy to execute. Finish pre-cooked sous vide chicken thighs in the HhC 1618 on a half sheet pan using the following settings:
- Temperature: 500°F
- Cook Time: 4 minutes
- Top Air: 100%
- Bottom Air: 80%
The sous vide chicken comes with light grill marks, but you can enhance the look and texture by finishing it on one of our grill pans for deeper sear marks and added visual appeal. Once heated through and lightly caramelized, serve the chicken over a bed of greens with seasonal vegetables and Greek dressing for a health-conscious option that keeps kitchen throughput high without adding stress to your team.
The same chicken can be used across multiple summer builds to streamline prep and reduce waste. Try it sliced onto flatbreads with feta and arugula, layered in a wrap with tzatziki and cucumbers, or served over couscous bowls with roasted vegetables. These variations allow for easy daypart expansion and limited-time features without adding complexity to your operation.
Elevate Your Appetizer Game: Burrata and Prosciutto Pizza
Another great seasonal idea: Burrata and Prosciutto Pizza. This shareable, elevated appetizer is baked on a pizza screen quickly in the HhC 1618 high-speed conveyor oven:
- Crust: Frozen 8-inch parbaked
- Temperature: 500°F
- Cook Time: 2 minutes 30 seconds
- Top Air: 70%
- Bottom Air: 75%
The crust is baked with mozzarella, then finished with arugula, prosciutto, fresh burrata, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. The result is a visually appealing, flavor-packed dish that’s easy to execute and perfect for seasonal menus or limited-time features. For an added layer of sophistication, consider topping with thinly sliced pear or fig to create a sweet-savory contrast guests will remember.
Sophisticated Side Dish Delight: Jalapeno Lobster Mac N Cheese
Looking for summer comfort food with a twist? Jalapeño Lobster Mac and Cheese is rich, indulgent, and easier than ever to execute using the i3 Rapid Cook Oven. This decadent dish delivers bold flavor and a premium feel, without slowing service.
The i3 oven maximizes throughput and versatility with its large cavity size and ability to hold up to a half-size sheet pan. We prepared this dish in a cast iron skillet, which held heat exceptionally well and created a golden, bubbly crust on top. The i3 is an ideal solution for hotels, banquets, or anywhere high-volume variety is key.
Here are the suggested settings for Jalapeño Lobster Mac and Cheese in the i3:
- Temperature: 500°F
- Cook Time: 2 minutes 30 seconds
- Top Air: 100%
- Bottom Air: 100%
- Microwave: 60%
The result is bubbling, creamy perfection in a compact, energy-efficient cooking solution. Whether served as an upscale entrée, a limited-time side, or a shareable appetizer, this lobster mac offers a big flavor payoff with minimal effort.
TurboChef’s rapid cook ovens allow operators to bring upscale seasonal dishes to the menu without complicated prep or long ticket times. Items like gourmet flatbreads, elevated appetizers, and indulgent limited-time features are easy to execute consistently, even during a rush.
Seasonal Options with Induction Power
Alongside our high-speed ovens, CookTek’s induction technology delivers fast, controlled cooking that works well for warm-weather menus.
Take the CookTek Double Hob Induction Cooktop for example. It is perfect for quick seasonal builds like seared ahi tuna over chilled Asian noodles. The consistent heat ensured a perfect sear, and we brought the noodles to a boil in under five minutes. With no open flame or added ventilation needed, it is a smart solution for snack bars, concession stands, and food trucks.
Flexible Equipment for Any Kitchen Setup
TurboChef ovens and CookTek induction cooktops make it easy to expand your menu, test seasonal items, and serve new dayparts without adding complexity. Designed for speed, consistency, and versatility, these ventless ovens and programmable cooking solutions help you deliver high-quality food in any commercial kitchen equipment setup. They are ideal for fast casual kitchens, quick-service restaurants (QSR), ghost kitchens, coffee shops, and convenience stores.
Whether you’re navigating summer food trends or planning a limited-time menu, TurboChef’s countertop ovens and CookTek’s induction technology offer labor-saving solutions that help reduce wait times in foodservice, eliminate the need for a hood, and boost profits with limited space. From back-of-house solutions to new menu launch tips, these commercial cooking technologies are designed to maximize ROI in small kitchens and support holiday service prep and kitchen efficiency upgrades.