Among many diners, there is a belief that fresh food tastes better and is better for you. In watching many of the popular food shows, you will find that fresh or frozen pros and cons are not presented in a balanced manner. There are certain types of foods where only fresh will do, but ruling out frozen foods may seriously limit the menus in some locations.
Availability is a key element. Not every restaurant has access to a fish market within reasonable distance. Nor can every cook go to the docks to pick up the day's catch to serve to customers. When it comes to seasonal foods, some are simply not available in either fresh or frozen form during certain times of the year. The availability of salad greens in northern climates during cold weather may be limited, and the lettuce itself may be several days old by the time it reaches your restaurant.
The cost may make the different between choosing fresh food or frozen food. On the one hand, purchasing frozen food is usually more expensive than purchasing the same food fresh, because there is additional processing costs. This has to be balanced against the probability of more loss when fresh food is used. However, this equation assumes that there are no shipping costs involved.
Taste is another factor that is often used in favor of fresh food over frozen food. For most food items, fresh is better, particularly if it is not bruised or mishandled during the trek from farm, market, processing plant to the restaurant. If the correct freezing methods are used, there are steps taken to preserve flavor and avoid deterioration before freezing.
A restaurant must have the proper facilities for storage of the food items, regardless of whether it is frozen or fresh. Freezer burn is a risk even when the items are properly processed. In taste tests, diners rated fresh or quickly frozen items over those which had been frozen for more than a few days. There is also a need to thaw frozen foods properly in order to preserve flavor, without posing a health risk.
Looking over the fresh or frozen food choices, each owner or restaurant manager must review the elements of taste, cost and availability. It is assumed that the storage equipment will be adequate for either or both types of products. The sophistication of the customer palates may also be an element in making the choice.
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