I am opening a baked potato bar. I have purchased an Alto shaam combi oven and a 3 drawer food warmer. I plan to wash/brush, pierce w jaquard meat tenderizer, quickly brine in heavily salted water. These will be 40ct Idaho russet potatoes. After they are cooked to (185? F) they will be transferred to warming drawer. They need to remain above 155F to keep the health department happy. Do you have any more tips for me? Thank you!

Your process for preparing and holding the potatoes seems well thought out. Here are some additional tips to enhance quality and ensure smooth operations at your baked potato bar:

Prepping & Cooking Tips:

1. Brining: A quick brine is great, but be mindful not to over-brine as it can make the potatoes too salty. Since you’re using Idaho russet potatoes, a 10-15 minute brine in heavily salted water should be enough to season the skins without affecting the texture too much.
2. Poking with Jaquard Meat Tenderizer: Ensure the holes are evenly distributed around the potato to allow for even cooking and prevent the skins from tearing.
3. Cooking Temperature: 185°F is a good target internal temperature, but you might want to check for the perfect texture by also testing for doneness using a fork or skewer. The potato should feel tender all the way through.
4. Use Steam in the Combi Oven: Adding steam to the cooking process can help keep the potatoes moist, especially if you are cooking large batches.
5. Coating the Skins (Optional): You can brush the potatoes with oil or melted butter before cooking for crispy and flavorful skins. This can enhance their appeal for customers who like to eat the skins. 

Holding & Serving:

1. Warming Drawers: Since you need to maintain an internal temperature of at least 155°F, avoid overcrowding the warming drawer, as this could prevent even heat distribution. Monitor the temperature with a thermometer, especially during peak hours.
2. Humidity Control: If your warming drawer has humidity control, keep it on a low to medium setting. This will help maintain the potatoes' texture without drying them out or making them too soggy.
3. Pre-Labeling: Consider batch cooking and pre-labeling with timestamps to ensure potatoes are served within a specific time frame, ideally within 2-3 hours of cooking, to maintain the best texture and flavor.
4. Serving Variety: Offering a range of toppings, like shredded cheese, sour cream, butter, bacon bits, green onions, or even some unique options like chili, broccoli, or sautéed mushrooms, will keep the bar fun and diverse for customers.

Extra Touches:

1. Presentation: Keep your toppings well organized, labeled, and in attractive serving containers to make the presentation visually appealing to customers.
2. Customer Feedback: After launching, gathering customer feedback on the potatoes' taste, texture, and presentation can help you adjust and improve your process over time.

You can download a helpful poster on baked potato bars here.