Refurb and Interiors: Kit out the kitchen

Thinking of improving your kitchen or even installing a new one?

Plenty are, according to catering equipment supplier Hobart ­ especially with food becoming ever more important in pulling in punters now that the smoking ban is in place.

Hobart has lots of advice to offer on the fundamentals that should be found in a modern kitchen.

"Kitchen space is always at a premium and a refurb gives publicans a rare chance to really make the most of the space they have available," says David Riley, commercial director at Hobart UK. A kitchen refurb is a great opportunity for publicans to invest in their long-term success, but they need to make sure they choose the right equipment to give customers what they want," he says. "The design of a new kitchen should match the food they want to serve and a pub that¹s going to be aiming to serve lots of meals will need a really comprehensive range of equipment. A kitchen refurb is a financial commitment ­ but if done in the right way it can secure long-term profits for publicans."

Pete Evans, product development manager for Hobart UK, recommends these essential pieces of kit for pub kitchens:

• Six to 10-grid convection steamer
• Salamander or charbroiler
• Refrigeration units
• Warewashing system.

Pete says: ³Since the smoking ban, more pubs are focusing on food to attract new customers and publicans need to make sure they have the right equipment to deliver.

"Most pubs will probably need a range of medium-duty equipment but a gastropub may want to invest in heavy-duty equipment, which is robust enough to cope with the demands put on it during a busy service." The following Hobart products, for example, match these requirements:

Premier Pro 900​

• A comprehensive range of gas and electric hobs with either gas or electric ovens
• Modular format allows it to be fitted in a range of formations to suit the layout of your kitchen
• Customers can customise the range with everything from griddles and bain-maries to work-tops and hobs.

FXP Warewasher​

• The under-counter Hobart FXP provides pubs with sparkling cutlery and crockery at the touch of a button
• It is the only commercial front-loading washer that can wash and dry and its unique drying cycle means crockery and cutlery can be used straight away. This gives customers the right impression and saves staff time.

Making the most of kitchen space

Hobart UK's Pete Evans stresses the importance of carefully arranging appliances in a kitchen, saying: "Space is an issue in 99 per cent of pub kitchens and so equipment that makes the most of the space is an absolute must." With this in mind, Pete's top space-saving ideas include:

• Refrigerated base units with a highly insulated top layer so a charbroiler can be placed on top ­ making the space work twice as hard
• Making sure you maximise wall space ­ an often underused area
• The Hobart Salamander SAE540, for example, can be wall mounted and has an adjustable burner height and an adjustable grill. It grills a wide range of food and is a real kitchen staple ­ particularly given the current demand for healthily cooked food
• Magnetic knife racks are another great way of saving space by using the wall ­ plus they help keep a kitchen looking smart and clutter-free.