Remember when gas stoves became a political issue last year? While all that public debate was happening, there were chefs around the world embracing the concept of all-electric kitchens and getting past the learning curve to induction cooking.

We don’t hear about gas stoves in the news as much as we used to, but kitchen electrification will always be a hot topic here at Buildings + Beyond! In this episode, we invited Chef Christopher Galarza back to the podcast to talk about the progress being made to transform more commercial kitchens into efficient, safe, and climate-friendly spaces. Chris brought Duke Gastiger, who built a net zero, all-electric commercial kitchen at his farm restaurant, to join the conversation.

Keep listening: Our previous episode with Chef Christopher Galarza, It’s Time to 86 Fossil Fuels in Commercial Kitchens, is available here.

Coming soon: Look out for part two of this episode all about the EcoChef electric kitchen rating system and certification.

Chef Christopher Galarza

Christopher is a pioneering force in the culinary world, known for his unwavering commitment to sustainability and innovation in kitchen design. As the founder of Forward Dining Solutions LLC and co-founder of EcoChef, Chef Galarza has become a leading advocate for decarbonizing commercial kitchens and championing the Green Industrial Revolution within the foodservice industry. His work is driven by a deep passion for environmental stewardship, and he is widely recognized for his efforts in educating and empowering chefs, culinary professionals, and designers to adopt sustainable practices. Read more

Chef Duke Gastiger (pictured with Monica Gastiger)

Duke and Monica bring specialized talents and passion to RE Farm Café at Windswept (1000 S Fillmore Rd, State College, PA). Duke’s prior corporate life with Sheraton and Hyatt Hotels embraced training with master chefs from around the world, learning the essence and nuances of each of their cuisines. With a strong entrepreneurial drive, Duke returned to his college town in 1985 to acquire The All-American Rathskeller. In 1987, Duke opened Spats Café and Speakeasy, a themed “prohibition era” eatery. Read more

Host: Kelly Westby

Kelly leads the Building Operations, Decarbonization, and Efficiency (BODE) team at SWA. She has a wide range of experience in building science, commissioning, and energy efficiency retrofitting.Kelly’s commissioning, energy code, and efficiency projects cover millions of square feet of commercial buildings along the East Coast. She also speaks at events and conferences, sharing her expertise on industry best practices.

From Christopher’s Bio:

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• Forward Dining Solutions
  
• EcoChef – the first electric kitchen rating system and certification
  
• American Culinary Federation Pittsburgh Chapter
  
• Understanding the Green Industrial Revolution: An Interdisciplinary Look at the Hospitality Industry
  

From Duke’s Bio:

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• RE Farm Café at Windswept
  
• RElearn Cooking Class: Pepper Condiments – Sunday, Sep 22, 2024 at RE Farm Café
  

Induction Cooking:

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• Martin Yan Talks Wok Induction Cooking – The Switch Is On YouTube Channel
  

Gas Stoves & Our Health:

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• Population Attributable Fraction of Gas Stoves and Childhood Asthma in the United States – RMI
  
• Asthma in the Black Community – National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
  
• Study finds combustion from gas stoves can raise indoor levels of chemical linked to a higher risk of blood cell cancers – Stanford Report
  

Pennsylvania CHECK Program:

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• Sizzling News for Commercial Kitchens: Get Up to $8,500 to Learn About Sustainability and Electrify Your Cooking – Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
  

Passive House Accelerator

Thank you to our episode sponsor, Passive House Accelerator!

Passive House Accelerator is an online community and media company dedicated to accelerating the transition to clean, resilient, zero-carbon buildings.

Every week, Passive House Accelerator produces new original content, including Passive House Accelerator LIVE! online educational events, Passive House Podcast episodes, articles about low-carbon building, video content, and a newsletter. In addition, it also publishes a magazine twice a year and hosts the acclaimed Reimagine Buildings online conference series.

Visit passivehouseaccelerator.com to subscribe to the newsletter, register for an upcoming event, and browse the latest podcast episodes, articles, and videos.

Send your feedback and questions to podcast@swinter.com.

Buildings and Beyond is the podcast that explores how we can create a more sustainable built environment by focusing on efficiency, accessibility, and health.

Buildings and Beyond is a production of Steven Winter Associates. We provide energy, green building, and accessibility consulting services to improve the built environment. For more information, visit swinter.com.

Hosts: Robb Aldrich | Kelly Westby

Production Team: Heather Breslin | Dylan Martello | Tricia Carr | Ian Slakas