For independent coffee shops, speed and consistency are key. Customers want their drinks and food served quickly, while operators need equipment that can keep up with demand without compromising quality. A Merrychef commercial oven provides just that.
By combining convection, impingement, and microwave technologies, a high-speed Merrchef oven can cook food up to 20 times faster than a conventional oven. Compact, easy to use and available in ventless models, these ovens allow cafés to broaden their menus without adding pressure to staff, kitchen space or costly ventilation systems.
So, what can you cook in a Merrychef? Here are some ideas to inspire your coffee shop menu.
Breakfast Options
The breakfast trade is a vital revenue driver for most cafés. With a Merrychef, popular items can be served in under a minute, keeping queues moving during the morning rush.
- Toasted Breakfast Sandwiches: Ready in about 40 seconds at 240°C with 100% microwave power.
- Croissants: Bake in 40 seconds at 250°C with 50% fan and 100% microwave power.
These short cooking times mean you can serve warm, freshly prepared items alongside coffee without slowing service.
Lunch Staples
At lunchtime, speed is just as important as taste. The Merrychef helps deliver hot, consistent results that keep customers coming back.
- Gourmet Paninis: Cook in 1 minute 20 seconds at 250°C with 100% microwave power.
- Grilled Cheese: Golden and gooey in 1 minute 15 seconds using similar settings.
- Quesadillas: A quick, versatile option at 250°C with 100% microwave power for 1 minute 15 seconds.
With these timings, cafés can offer filling lunch options without needing a full kitchen setup.
Sweet Treats
Adding freshly baked sweet items can increase average spend per customer. A Merrychef commercial oven makes this easy to achieve, even during busy service.
- Cookies: Bake in 1 minute 10 seconds at 250°C with 50% fan and 100% microwave power.
- Brownies: Take slightly longer at the same profile, perfect for a rich, indulgent treat.
- Mini Cakes and Pastries: Cook in around 1 minute 10 seconds at 250°C with 50% fan and 100% microwave power.
By offering quick-baked treats, cafés can upsell alongside hot drinks and encourage impulse purchases.
Experimenting With Recipes
One of the strengths of the Merrychef range is flexibility. Operators can start with built-in cooking profiles and ready recipes, then adjust to suit their own ingredients. These pre-programmed guides reduce trial and error, giving busy café owners confidence to expand their menus.
Very popular additions to cafe menus are thin-crust pizzas, jacket potatoes and thick-cut chips, but why stop there? More adventurous cafe chefs have gone as far as making Korean bang bang cauliflower, goat-cheese-roasted-figs, spicy dim sum ramen and Singapore noodles!
When you purchase a new high-speed oven from the brand Merrychef from Kitchen Solutions, we arrange for a demo chef to visit and show you how to use it. This ensures you and your staff get the most out of your oven from day one.
Why This Matters For Coffee Shops
For independent coffee shop owners, introducing hot food doesn’t have to mean extra staff or costly kitchen refits. A Merrychef provides:
- Cooking up to 20 times faster than standard ovens
- Consistent results every time
- Simple touchscreen controls suitable for all staff
- Compact designs, often with ventless options
- The ability to expand your menu and increase margins
In short, programming and using a Merrychef helps you compete with larger operators while keeping service smooth and efficient.
Next Steps
If you’re considering adding a Merrychef commercial oven to your café, explore our full range of high-speed ovens.
For tailored advice, training, or support, please contact us. We have Merrychef experts on hand to help you identify the perfect oven for your cooking needs and budget.
