Residential fridges are very efficient. My 10 cubic foot fridge only runs at 1 amp and it only runs for 20-30 minutes total each hour. It could take a few more surge amps to start the compressor, but that only happens for a second or two.
With that said, I don't think that you have a residential fridge. You probably have an absorbion fridge. They have can draw about 3 amps on electric because they are heating the ball of ammonia by using an electric rod. A small pilot flame is much more efficient at doing to this.
Use the gas mode. It uses very little gas.
