PJ-
I used to get some proof and bake stuff at my own restaurant. Sysco has a couple of good options/lines---but mostly there is nothing to write home about. I would ask your food reps for samples or get samples from the company. Get samples of everything you can and experiment.
I am wondering...you say you want to bake you own breads....what exactly are you talking about? Like how many different kinds are you wanting to do?
If you're buying a steam injector, it would seem you are going into the bakery biz....breads with a little food....as opposed to the restaurant biz with good bread.
I worked for a brand spankin' new bakery with all new equipement. Walk-in steam injector, roller, special mixers, proofers, ----high dollar stuff. I think it was way over kill. Prior to that, I worked for a small inn in a tourist town in NC and all I had there was a single door vulcan and squirt bottle, a 20 qt mixer, a marble counter-top, and a wood fired brick oven for rustics. Much better products than the high dollar place. We focused on a few things and did them very well. Baguette/white and wheat, croissants, foccacia, 2 desserts and sweet dough that can have several different fillings.
You can make alot of stuff ahead and freeze and just pull and reheat. Croissants, for example, freeze really really well, as does sweet dough that you can add several different fillings.
ALSO, I would suggest going ALL OUT in the beginning. Wear yourself out in the start and then see what kind of reaction you get. You may find that par baked is ok...or that you can totally handle it and in fact you are doing so well that you can hire a baker for the early shift!  |