CNSRV Inc. (pronounced “conserve”) has announced nationwide availability of the DC:02 Defrost & Chill System. For decades, commercial kitchens have thawed frozen food under a running faucet. The practice sends thousands of gallons of potable water down the drain with every thaw, leaves food floating partially exposed, and gives operators no control over water temperature.
The DC:02 was built to replace it. The system keeps food fully submerged in a basin of temperature-regulated water, circulating at roughly 130 gallons per minute – about 18 times the water movement of a running faucet. Food thaws up to twice as fast, and 98% of the water is conserved. A hardware-enforced 66°F cap keeps the bath safely below the FDA Food Code’s 70°F limit. The same unit also rapidly chills hot food back through the temperature danger zone. Setup is plug-and-play: the DC:02 rests on an existing prep sink or over external containers and plugs into a standard outlet — no installation or plumbing required.
Health authorities in California, Washington, Virginia, Ohio, Colorado, and Southern Nevada have all reviewed the DC:02 and reached the same conclusion: no regulatory variance is required. Dr. Eric Schulze, PhD, a former FDA food-safety regulator, independently confirmed the system is consistent with FDA requirements for safe thawing. Operators typically save $7,000– $20,000 per kitchen per year in water and sewer cost.
The DC:02 ships alongside a full accessory line: the CNSRV Wall Mount Storage Bracket for counter-free storage between shifts, the CNSRV:Counter adapter that turns any sink or container station into a stable defrost station, and 60-count CNSRV Disposable Filters that capture loose particles during thawing.
What operators are saying
“We’ve grown to completely rely on CNSRV for defrosting here. Within the first month we saved over $2,000 on water bills and we are defrosting in less than half the time.”
BOH manager, Nobu Malibu
“In a high-volume hotel kitchen, defrosting doesn’t get much attention – until you realize how much water and time it consumes. CNSRV significantly reduced water use while speeding up the process and maintaining the quality of our products.”
Executive chef, Ritz-Carlton Maui
Running the kitchens at Dodger Stadium means every minute counts. On game day there’s no margin for error – prep has to happen fast and it has to be right. CNSRV changed how our teams approach defrosting entirely.”
Executive chef, Dodger Stadium
“In a healthcare environment, food safety and consistency are critical. CNSRV replaced running-faucet thawing with a controlled compliant system that significantly reduced water use and thaw time.”
Executive chef, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
“Scientifically speaking, cold water is the best method for defrosting. It produces the highest yield and the best quality,” says Dylan Wolff, founder and CEO of CNSRV. “The problem is the running faucet uses that cold water poorly: a ton of waste, poor surface contact, no temperature control. We built the DC:02 to fix that. It uses 98% less water, defrosts in half the time, and you’re actually in control. We want to help kitchens save five billion gallons a year.”
For more information visit: www.cnsrv.com
