Real Talk: Is Moving to Electric Really Worth It?
21 January 2025
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Photo Credit: The Sustainable Restaurant Association (TSRA)
SWITCHING TO AN ALL-ELECTRIC KITCHEN POWERED BY RENEWABLE ENERGY MIGHT SEEM DAUNTING, BUT AS HAWKSMOOR’S HEAD OF OPERATIONS PATRICK UREY EXPLAINS, IT’S MORE ACHIEVABLE THAN YOU MIGHT THINK. WITH BENEFITS LIKE LOWER BILLS, IMPROVED EFFICIENCY AND REDUCED EMISSIONS, MAKING THE SWITCH IS A SMART MOVE FOR BOTH THE PLANET AND YOUR BUSINESS.
Why should restaurants make the switch to electric?
“Ethically, it’s a no-brainer,” says Patrick Urey, Head of Operation at Hawksmoor. “The way we all consume energy is just not sustainable anymore. Look at how many extreme weather issues we’ve had already this year. Something needs to change. The technology and systems available have developed massively in response to these issues.”
But it’s not just about ethics. Patrick highlights the financial case: “If your energy costs have tripled, reducing your usage by 30% isn’t just good — it’s essential. At Hawksmoor, it’s helped us reinvest in things that matter, like staff training, new restaurants and guest experiences.”
For kitchens already using some electric appliances, Patrick suggests switching to a renewable energy provider to ensure the electricity is clean. For those still relying on gas, starting small is key. “Introduce induction hobs — they’re quicker and more precise, and they keep the kitchen cooler. It’s not about doing everything at once. Start where you can, and you’ll see the benefits.”
What are the challenges Involved?
Retrofitting older sites has been one of Hawksmoor’s biggest hurdles. “Retrofitting kitchens in listed and heritage buildings isn’t simple. It takes time, planning and investment,” Patrick explains. “All our new restaurants since 2022 are fully electric, but upgrading older sites is a longer and more complex process.”
Hawksmoor’s experience at their Liverpool site illustrates this. Their first fully-electric induction kitchen required adjustments. “The cooler environment meant plated food didn’t stay warm for as long because the kitchen was generally cooler, so we had to respond to how quickly dishes got to the table. These are minor challenges, though, compared to the longer-term benefits.”
Patrick also points out that it’s easier and cheaper when a site’s power supply can handle the extra load. “Starting sooner rather than later is key,” he says. “We’re also exploring leasing options for equipment to manage upfront costs.”
What are the wins?
Despite the challenges, the benefits of going electric have been significant. Hawksmoor has achieved major milestones across their restaurants:
- Better ability to track energy use: “One of the biggest impacts of appliance-level energy monitoring has been reducing energy use during overnight hours. Timers and sensors on systems like extract fans, overdoor heaters, and toilet cisterns ensure they run at reduced levels during quiet periods, cutting overnight usage from 30 kWh to as low as 5 kWh in some cases. The monitoring also alerts teams if equipment is left on outside trading hours or if water consumption exceeds the previous four-week average, allowing managers to quickly address issues like leaks, running taps, or overflowing systems.”
- Improved kitchen working experience: Patrick highlights the impact of induction hobs and electric ovens. “They give us pinpoint control of cooking temperatures, are safer and easier to clean, and make kitchens cooler and more comfortable. This has also allowed us to reduce extraction power, cutting energy use and noise.”
- Stacking systems for better efficiency: “Hawksmoor Liverpool was our first restaurant to install an air-to-water heating system that repurposes heat from our kitchen extraction to warm the water feeding the restaurant’s cylinders. Instead of relying on costly immersion heaters to heat incoming water to 50 degrees, this system does it more efficiently by using energy already generated from the hot charcoal grill cooking our steaks. In technical terms, this system has a co-efficient of performance (COP) of 4:1, compared to gas boilers with a 1:1 COP. That makes it four times as efficient — and it runs on electricity rather than gas. A double win!”
- Trialling new solutions: “Over the past year, we have been testing new technologies to complement behaviour change initiatives. One such technology is Voltage Optimisation equipment, which reduces the voltage entering the building and, in turn, lowers overall energy consumption. At our trial site, this has already resulted in a 7% reduction in energy use. We will continue to monitor progress closely to determine whether similar savings can be achieved across the entire estate.”
How does this impact the customer experience?
“Do people sitting eating steak and chips and sipping on a Martini notice these changes? Honestly, probably not,” Patrick admits. “At best, it’s an absence of a negative — like sitting next to noisy extraction.”
But he stresses the bigger picture. “Fitting out restaurants sustainably is a key part of what makes our teams happy to work at Hawksmoor – 98% of our employees have told us that it’s important for them to work somewhere that takes environmental issues seriously. Customers have a better time when the people cooking and serving their food are happy, engaged and experienced.”
Patrick also notes that savings from reduced energy costs are reinvested back into the business. “That money gets used for training, refurbishments, new restaurants and product development. It’s a cycle that benefits everyone.”
How to get started
Patrick’s advice for restaurants looking to make the switch is straightforward: start with data. “Smart meters and monitoring are the best first step. Once you know where your energy is going, you can make informed decisions about where to focus your attention to have the biggest impact.”
Here are some simple first steps:
- If you’re already using electric appliances, start by switching to a renewable energy provider so that your kitchen is powered by clean energy.
- For kitchens relying on gas, begin introducing electric alternatives like induction hobs, which heat faster, offer precise control and keep kitchens cooler. Electric water heaters — which heat water only when needed — conserve energy and reduce water waste.
- For long-term savings, consider solar panels and battery storage to generate and store your own electricity, cutting reliance on the grid and avoiding peak energy costs.
- Smart meters can also track energy use, helping you identify waste and make targeted changes to improve efficiency.
- Stacking solutions is key to optimising your operation. Smart water heaters can store hot water when electricity is cheapest, while battery systems paired with solar panels ensure you’re using clean energy at the most cost-effective times. Even electric delivery vehicles with bidirectional charging can share stored energy back to your restaurant.
Why act now?
Gas prices are rising, and kitchens powered by fossil fuels are a major contributor to global emissions. Patrick highlights this urgency. “Hypothetically, if our energy bills have tripled from £100k/year to £300k/year, the financial saving from reducing consumption by 30% increases from £30k/year to £90k/year. The size of the prize is now worth the energy (pun intended) and focus needed to make a difference. Alongside that financial benefit comes a significant environmental benefit as well.”
Ready to take the next step?
Since 2022, all newly built Hawksmoor restaurants have been fully electric, using no gas at all. Combined with a green energy tariff, this significantly lowers their carbon emissions, excluding Scope 3 emissions, which the team is actively working to reduce.
As Patrick shares about Hawksmoor’s future, “The next big challenge is retrofitting older restaurants with electric kitchens, a costly and complex process that requires careful planning and coordination – especially while staying open for service seven days a week.”
If you’re looking to reduce your reliance on fossil fuels by transitioning to electric kitchens powered by renewable energy, now’s the time to start. For practical advice, check out the Renewable Energy Solutions Toolkit, which we co-created with Integrate to Zero to help you get started.
Patrick Urey, Head of Operation at Hawksmoor
Source: The Sustainable Restaurant Association
