Gas Target Tops

A target top gives you an entire cooking surface instead of a set of fixed burner positions. A single large burner heats a heavy solid plate from underneath, and the concentric rings on top — the "target" the name refers to — lift out to expose more or less direct flame. Slide a pot toward the centre for hard heat, out to the edge to hold or simmer. Nothing needs to be lifted onto a specific burner.

For sauce sections, stockpots, braising and any kitchen running a lot of pans at different temperatures at once, that flexibility is why target tops stay in the specification decades after open burners became the default. They also hold heat: the mass of the plate evens out fluctuation and keeps working through a service without cycling.

Hospitality Connect supplies commercial gas target tops to restaurants, hotels, clubs, aged care and institutional kitchens across Australia.

H2: Configurations

• Bench-mounted target tops — sit on an existing bench or stand. Suits modular suites where the top needs to line up with adjacent equipment
• Target top with oven under — the most common freestanding configuration, combining the solid top with a static gas oven below. Maximum capability in minimum footprint
• Leg stand and cabinet base models — freestanding with storage or open under-shelf
• Combination tops — a target top section alongside open burners, giving you both cooking styles on one line

Widths generally run 600 mm, 900 mm and 1200 mm, matching standard modular suite dimensions.

H2: Specifying a target top

Gas input — rated in MJ/h. A target top plus oven-under unit typically sits in the 60–70 MJ range. Confirm your available gas supply and metering can carry it alongside everything else on the line.

Natural gas or LPG — units are configured for one or the other. Conversion kits exist for many models but this must be specified at order, not assumed.

Ventilation — target tops throw significant radiant heat. Canopy capacity and make-up air need to account for the full cook line load, not just this unit.

Installation — commercial gas appliances must be installed and commissioned by a licensed gas fitter, with the appliance certified for use in Australia. Factor connection, testing and certification into your budget and timeline alongside the equipment cost.