[veronporter]

Do you resurface the countertops at your restaurant? If so, what do you use (grill screen, green scrubbie), what is your technique, how often do you do it?

Do you think it's worth it? Do you hate it? Do you love it? Let's chat up this under discussed kitchen work!

 

[chefbuba]

What type of countertops? Everywhere I have ever worked everything was stainless.

 

[veronporter]

Stainless.

 

[chefbuba]

If you might need a grill screen to clean your stainless counters something's wrong. Should be being wiped as needed throughout the day.

 

[halb]

The only thing you want to use on stainless is warm soapy water and a kitchen towel. Quaternary cleaners (sanitizer) and anything with chlorides like bleach and even salt will cause rust as will aggressive cleaning with abrasive cleaning pads. However if you do have some light rust, lightly scrub it with with the grain (if any) with a 3M green scrubbie sponge. Then it should "heal", that is the chromium in the steel will return to the surface and re-form the protective film. Stainless steel cleaners can be useful but I never had to go that route. I've also heard recommendations for Bar Keeper's Friend.

 

[veronporter]

If you might need a grill screen to clean your stainless counters something's wrong. Should be being wiped as needed throughout the day.

It's not to clean the counters, it's to remove any scratches/keep them smooth and give the tables a mirror polish. It's standard practice in 2/3 Michelin star restaurants (and the like).

Where I work, we start with a grill screen, go over it with a green scrubbie and then wipe it down with steel polish for the finish. Twice a day. It makes for gorgeous countertops.

 

[halb]

Hell, why don't you hit them with a floor sander too.

It's standard practice in 2/3 Michelin star restaurants (and the like).

They can afford to replace the tables and countertops when they get through butchering them. What you are doing is NOT the way SS is supposed to be maintained. Me, I couldn't care less what they look like as long as they are kept clean and sanitary. Quite frankly, we have better things to do than obsess about countertops.

 

[veronporter]

Hell, why don't you hit them with a floor sander too.

They can afford to replace the tables and countertops when they get through butchering them. What you are doing is NOT the way SS is supposed to be maintained. Me, I couldn't care less what they look like as long as they are kept clean and sanitary. Quite frankly, we have better things to do than obsess about countertops.

You seem to be very hostile about the fact that other people run their kitchens differently than you... to each their own, I guess.

As for "being able to afford new countertops". It's not necessarily true. I work in a two star restaurant and profit/business, pleasing our guests and creating a sustainable workplace for employees comes first. Accolades and stars come second. We literally don't do something if it's not profitable and/or we think our employees/guests won't enjoy it. Not all Michelin star restaurants are stuck in the culinary stone age.

 

[halb]

Well, you did ask "do you think it's worth it" and "do you love or hate it". To me what you do defeats the whole purpose of stainless steel.

 

[TheSaladGuy]

my question is, what are you doing on those countertops (and not a cuttingboard) that causes you to scratch it to the point you need to resurface twice a day

 

[foodpump]

I don't understand....
"To remove scratches" would entail removing the entire surface of the countertop PAST the bottom of the scratches. Depending on how deep the scratches are, the guage if the s/s skin, and the frequency of the process, you wouldn't have much of a s/s countertop left..... Besides, this would be a very messy, labourious, and time consuming process. I did say messy, right?

Griddle screens remove burnt on oil, carbon and general crud by abrasion, I have no idea on how well they would remove a layer of s/s from, say, a 30"× 72" countertop.

On the other hand, I have shined up numerous countertops with baking soda, coca cola, and elbow grease, sinks too. For small wares like dteam table inserts, bowls, utensils, I fill up the pot sink with 1/3 water, 1/6 bleach, and 1/6 dishwashing liquid soap. A 3 hr soak, and they look brand new, and the sink too.

Does this help?

 

[scott livesey]

It's not to clean the counters, it's to remove any scratches/keep them smooth and give the tables a mirror polish. It's standard practice in 2/3 Michelin star restaurants (and the like).
Where I work, we start with a grill screen, go over it with a green scrubbie and then wipe it down with steel polish for the finish. Twice a day. It makes for gorgeous countertops.

how many man-hours does this take? has anyone sat back and watched how the countertops are getting damaged so bad they need this treatment twice a day? part of the selling point of stainless countertops is low maintenance

 

[raibeaux]

Use #1000 wet or dry sandpaper along with fairly heavy WD40. Wipe in one direction only.
It's the black sandpaper, I think it is also used for cars.
I've done this once...26 years ago. The tables are still in decent shape.
Seems like twice a day with grill screens would be a bit much, but to each their own. My main concern with the tables is making sure the disinfectant is applied after each use, and getting rid of anyone that consistently mistakes the tables for cutting boards or enjoy taking out their frustrations by slamming cleavers on it.