New Guide Shows Electrifying Kitchens Can Save Restaurants up to 20% a Year on Energy

We’re happy to announce the launch of a new, free-to-download guide to electrifying your kitchen, produced in a partnership between our team at The SRA, the Global Cooksafe Coalition (GCC) and Hospitality Energy Saving and Sustainability (HESS). 

Published today, Making the Switch: Why and How to Electrify Your Commercial Kitchen includes step-by-step instructions for going electric, as well as testimonials from chefs and restaurants who have already made the switch — as well as the results of real-world modelling by HESS, which shows financial, energy and carbon savings. This research reveals that simply switching kitchen equipment from gas to electric can save restaurants up to 20% on energy costs, cutting energy use by up to 64%. 

Making the Switch is a major resource for the hospitality industry, and in particular for restaurants, pubs and contract caterers looking to make their commercial kitchens more sustainable and cost efficient.  

DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE

The modelling also showed a return on investment for a gastropub retrofit by year three, taking into consideration the cost of new electrical equipment, with over £65,000 in potential savings over a 10-year period.  

The findings emphasise the potential long-term savings from switching to electric cooking, positioning electrification as a key strategy for helping hospitality businesses stay afloat in economically unpredictable times — while also future-proofing themselves against regulatory requirements and energy market volatility.  

Benefits beyond financial savings 

The guide also explores further benefits beyond cost reduction, including the elimination of dangerous gas-linked chemicals like nitrogen dioxide and benzene – both associated with respiratory diseases and cancer — as well as reducing emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Induction hobs are also vastly more efficient for both cooking and cleaning. Chef-Owner of Scholé restaurant in Tasmania, Australia, Luke Burgess, shares that switching to induction hobs reduced cleaning time from 24 minutes to just 21 seconds. This has saved his restaurant over AU$30,000 in wages a year in cleaning alone. 

As Chet Sharma, Chef-Patron at Food Made Good-certified restaurant BiBi, said, “Induction gives you far better temperature control, a much easier clean-down, and a noticeably cooler kitchen for the team. There’s a bit of upfront investment in better cookware, but you can really feel the difference — plus it will still be cheaper than running a kitchen on gas. I hope this guide can help chefs or restaurateurs who are currently on the fence to make a more informed decision on switching over — at least for future projects, if not existing operations." 

Our CEO, Juliane Caillouette Noble, said of the Guide, "We're thrilled to launch this guide in partnership with Global Cooksafe Coalition and HESS. Being able to show real, significant cost savings alongside the environmental and social impacts of kitchen electrification proves that this should be a no-brainer for hospitality businesses, and we look forward to seeing more operators adopt these changes in the coming years.”  

Hospitality Energy Savings and Sustainability Director, Dr Sam Mudie, said, “Up until now, without publicly available data, operators have often been asked to electrify without clear evidence of the financial impact. Our aim was to show, with real numbers, what electrification actually looks like for different types of kitchens. We found that diverse businesses would make substantial savings on operations costs by going electric. Transitioning would also allow businesses to replace several pieces of equipment with a single, more efficient appliance, resulting in even greater savings outside of just energy, such as maintenance, space, cleaning and labour.”  

Global Cooksafe Coalition Director, Monica Burns, said, “With governments around the world introducing new electrification regulations, now is the time for businesses to learn about the many benefits of going electric — from cost savings and staff wellbeing to sustainability. We hope this new guide will mark a turning point for the hospitality industry and serve as a vital tool for those thinking about making the switch.” 

DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE 

ABOUT THE GLOBAL COOKSAFE COALITION

The Global Cooksafe Coalition (GCC) exists to promote universal access to safe and sustainable cooking. That means affordable, fossil-fuel-free cooking, using energy-efficient appliances, powered by rapidly decarbonising grids or distributed renewable energy. The GCC’s member organisations are leaders in the spheres of public health; property and the built environment; aid and development; renewable energy; and climate-change science and advocacy. Learn more on their website and follow them on Instagram. 
 

ABOUT HOSPITALITY ENERGY SAVINGS AND SUSTAINABILITY 

Hospitality Energy Saving & Sustainability (HESS) is the UK’s leading strategic partner for energy reduction and decarbonisation in the hospitality sector. With deep operational expertise, HESS helps operators cut costs, emissions and complexity through data-driven insight, behaviour change, equipment replacement, technology and practical implementation. From pubs and restaurants to hotels and leisure venues, HESS delivers measurable savings and long-term resilience, turning sustainability ambition into action. Learn more at their website. 

Did you know that businesses in our Food Made Good network have access to our Knowledge Library, a growing collection of practical resources just like this one? If you're interested in joining this global movement for building a better, stronger hospitality sector, drop us a line at hello@thesra.org.

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