eat.
Keep it efficient Whether it is a warewasher or an oven you’re buying, look out for the features that will help your business save on energy. Some things to look out for are: The volume that needs to be washed at peak periods Choose a warewasher with a capacity that meets the demands of your business.
The PT Warewasher from Winterhalter
Energy and watersaving features that will help lower running costs. Models with sophisticated filtration systems will keep the washwater “cleaner” for longer, so there’s less need to replenish it.
How will a new warewasher impact on the extraction / ventilation system? These days there are virtually steamfree models that require little or no extraction.
Easy, user-friendly operation will save time and help avoid staff error, especially if you employ temporary staff or those whose first language is not English.
The choice of detergents and rinse aids has a big impact on the quality of the wash results – for example, specialist formulae can help plastics dry more quickly
Don’t just stick to what you know Mark Hogan, marketing and sales manager of Foodservice Equipment Marketing (FEM) says: “If you’re buying replacement equipment it’s tempting to go for like-for-like, just for convenience. But it’s always worth considering what else is available. Modern equipment is often easier to use, safer, more energy-efficient and more reliable.” Go on, try something new.
Multifunctional appliances Why buy four pieces of equipment when you could buy one? Graham Kille, managing director of Frima UK, says: “It means a smaller kitchen footprint and savings on extraction systems and overall running costs.”
My kitchen equipment John Calton, The Staith House, North Shields What do you look for in a dishwasher? A dishwasher has to be a good, solid, chunky piece of kit, something that’s sturdy and can take a daily battering. At our place we have a Hobart. It cost £4k but it has never broken down yet, touch wood. What is the biggest kitchen equipment disaster you’ve had? I’ve had it all — explosions, total loss of power... But it has to be during my time as a commis chef in Jersey learning my trade. I worked in a large hotel and boiled over a large pan of cream — it set the sprinkler system off and 250 guests were evacuated into the street, some in dressing gowns, with curlers in their hair. Needless to say I wasn’t popular with my head chef at the time. If you could invent a piece of kitchen equipment to solve your problems, what would it be? Something which peels walnuts — a totally laborious task
p37-38 kitchen equip.indd 37
— and picks shell out of crab meat, it’s so time-consuming and painstakingly boring. Do you have a favourite knife? Mac Santoku — very versatile. It’s like a loyal labrador, it never lets me down. What piece of equipment could your kitchen not do without? A walk-in fridge — somewhere to hide the dead bodies of kitchen porters who weren’t fast, clean and organised but also, as our kitchen is very small with limited storage, the fridge gives essential storage to our fresh meat and fish. Oh, and our chef de partie Victor. The lad’s a machine, we couldn’t do without him.
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