Let machines take the strain

Operators know that the right equipment is essential for maximising

profit or earning extra cash. Graham Ridout looks at what's on offer

for key areas of your business

The hospitality industry has a vast array of equipment at its beck and call. The latest equipment can save time and labour as well as earning profits. As the cost of labour is the biggest single outgoing for many licensees, it makes sense to let machines take the strain whenever possible.

The biggest investment facing many hosts occurs when they enter the food market from scratch or update existing kitchen equipment. So you should plan carefully before rushing

in to buying items such as a bain- marie, combi-oven, fryer, microwave, griddle or salamander.

The type of catering equipment required depends on many factors, including the cuisine, number of covers, kitchen size, catering staff numbers and operating style. To help those setting up a catering operation, as well as those modernising or replacing equipment, Lincat offers this advice on issues to consider before parting with cash:

l Buy from a reputable manufacturer to ensure ongoing service and spare parts availability and compliance with relevant regulations. Check warranty details, such as whether parts and labour are covered - not just parts. Find out about the terms of breakdown service cover, such as whether nationwide, seven-days-a-week service is offered and whether the manufacturer uses its own engineers or subcontractors.

l Ensure your chosen model provides the necessary output. Cooking times vary considerably between fresh, chilled and frozen produce - remember to check that the manufacturer's figures relate to your food operation.

l Consider present and future requirements and always buy the appropriate size. It might be better to buy two smaller appliances, rather than a larger one, as they offer more flexibility to cope with varying demand and different foods as well as providing a safety net when breakdowns occur.

l Choose a product with power to spare, rather than running the unit flat-out to achieve the heat and output you need.

l Consider the relative merits of gas and electrical appliances. Electrical products are generally cheaper to buy, but more expensive to run; gas appliances require interlocked extraction systems that can tip total expenditure in favour of electricity. Lincat says this led to the sales success of its Silverlink 600 and Opus 700 series of all-electric, six-ring ranges.

l Find an independent dealer to advise on products to suit your individual needs.

l Remember that modular appliances allow more flexibility than built-in or purpose-made units. They can be replaced without disrupting the existing work area and moved around easily if the kitchen layout is altered.

l Visit dealer showrooms or trade shows to

assess the design-and-build quality of different brands.

l Take into account how easy the equipment is to clean.

l Consider ease of operation and safety features, such as temperature-limited surfaces.

l Don't just look at the asking price; consider the whole-life cost of the equipment. Check out the price of essential accessories. Spares, maintenance, running costs and lower life-expectancy can turn apparently cheap appliances into expensive liabilities.

l Think about equipment that could expand your food offering, such as Lincat's Opus combi-oven, which is capable of cooking a vast range of different foods.

In a lava

The smoking ban has certainly galvanised quite a few pubs into introducing food or upping their offering. But with it comes the risk of many pubs becoming a "me too" by having the same dishes on the menu.

Black Rock Grill managing director Peter Hatter says: "Pubs up and down the country pretty well serve the same food, whether it's scampi and chips or baguettes."

Hatter says pubs need to make an effort to differentiate from their competitors. This guiding principle has persuaded him to turn his attention away from running a pubco, Starfish Hospitality, to focus on setting up Black Rock Grill, selling an unusual dining concept. It consists of volcanic lava stones heated to 440°C in an oven and placed on porcelain plates to allow diners to cook their own fish or meat dish at the table.

Hatter explains: "The searing heat traps all the natural juices and flavours and allows the meat to remain moist and succulent, unlike a chargrill, where the juices run out."

He adds: "We sell Black Rock Grills as a dining experience - not a piece of equipment. They give pubs an edge over the competition, and customers love the theatre of cooking their own food."

Hatter says licensees using the grills report uptake in revenue, and quotes one pub in the Scilly Isles where the average spend rose from £7.82 to £13 after the equipment was installed.

Combi-nation

With good reason, one item that is becoming increasingly popular in catering kitchens is the combi-oven. These fast, compact, energy-efficient ovens and can cook different dishes simultaneously, with a capacity to reduce drastically the amount of catering equipment needed.

Rational, which claims to have captured more than 50% of the combi-oven market, says its SelfCooking Center can replace conventional and convection ovens, fryers, stoves, boiling and tilt pans, right through to grills, rotisseries and pizza ovens.

The Luton-based company says a typical combi-equipped kitchen requires at least 25% less floor space than one kitted out with traditional catering equipment. The footprint of a SelfCooking Center is less than one square metre - potentially a real bonus for a small pub kitchen.

Rational's combi can cook up to 200 types of food, including bread, rolls, vegetables,

and desserts such as cakes and soufflés. Meals can be cooked slowly overnight.

The company estimates a 60% cut in energy consumption compared with traditional cooking methods.

The SelfCooking Control monitors and optimises the cooking process constantly by supplying the correct amount of dry heat, steam or a combination of both.

Rational says its combis should pay for themselves in little over a year because of other savings. These include lower energy

and water bills and less food wastage, especially in relation to roasts, as shrinkage is reduced by up to 20% compared with traditional cooking methods.

The machines can also monitor limescale build-up and automatically warn when it is necessary to descale - a simple operation involving adding a decalcifier and letting the machine do the rest.

An optional extra is a CombiFry that produces fried foods with a lower fat content than deep-fat fryers.

To help licensees, Rational is holding free seminars across the country to demonstrate how to improve their food offering.

Chips with everything

Britain's love affair with chips shows no signs of abating. Chips are the second most popular food purchased in pubs and bars. And when people go out, 59% choose meals for pleasure, while only 7% choose healthy options.

So it's a brave pub caterer who doesn't feature chips somewhere on the menu, unless their specialisation dictates otherwise.

One of the top names in fryer manufacturing is California-based Imperial Catering Equipment. Its Elite range uses a unique three-tube system that generates more BTUs of heating than other fryers, offering greater efficiency as well as producing better-quality chips as they spend less time absorbing oil.

The tubes create a large heating surface that brings oil up to temperature more quickly and with a faster recovery time than open-pot fryers. Every fryer has a large "cool zone" to capture food particles and prevent carbonisation in the frying zone, ensuring oil stays fresh longer.

The equipment has been designed with

effective filtering systems to prolong the life of oil and simplify draining, filtering and replenishing the fryers.

Maximum capacities in the range are 25lb, 40lb, 50lb a