Commercial kitchen induction adoption has been a gradual trend for over a decade, but the pace of transition has accelerated noticeably in 2024 and 2025. Multiple factors are converging simultaneously — regulatory, economic, and operational — in ways that are making the case for induction more compelling than it has ever been.
Regulatory Pressure on Gas Installations
Several jurisdictions have enacted or proposed restrictions on new gas appliance installations in commercial buildings. New York City implemented a ban on gas in most new buildings from 2024. Several California cities have similar policies. In Europe, the Netherlands has ended new gas grid connections in many areas, and other countries are following similar trajectories. Restaurant operators planning new openings or major kitchen renovations increasingly choose induction to future-proof their operations against evolving building codes and gas supply regulations.
Energy Economics Have Shifted
The energy price volatility that followed 2022 fundamentally changed how restaurant operators think about energy costs. When gas prices spike, the efficiency advantage of induction — converting 85–90% of input energy into cooking heat compared to 40–55% for gas — becomes immediately visible on the utility bill. Many operators who had previously dismissed induction on grounds of familiarity or upfront cost ran the numbers during the energy price crisis and found the payback period had shortened dramatically. In markets where gas prices remain elevated, this calculation continues to favour induction.
Net-Zero and Sustainability Commitments
Hotel groups, contract caterers, and restaurant chains with public sustainability commitments are working through their Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions reduction plans. Gas combustion in commercial kitchens is a significant Scope 1 emission source. Switching to induction — particularly where electricity grids are decarbonising — is one of the most straightforward levers available to foodservice operators targeting net-zero operations. This is driving induction adoption in institutional and contract catering particularly quickly.
Technology Has Caught Up
Early commercial induction units were criticised for insufficient power output and limited temperature control. High-wattage commercial induction units now available — some exceeding 8,000W per zone — can match the output of the most powerful commercial gas burners. Advances in IGBT technology have improved both power density and reliability over sustained operation. The remaining technical objections to induction in high-heat applications are increasingly difficult to support.
Staff Wellbeing and Recruitment
A factor that receives less attention but is increasingly cited by kitchen operators is working environment. Induction kitchens run at significantly lower ambient temperatures than equivalent gas kitchens — fewer heat sources, no combustion byproducts in the air, and cooler surfaces. In an industry where kitchen staff recruitment and retention is a persistent challenge, a cooler and safer working environment has become a meaningful operational benefit.
Golenda Appliances manufactures commercial induction cooktops for foodservice operators and kitchen equipment distributors worldwide. Contact us to explore the range or discuss your project requirements.