Equipment trial: North Pole pie express

Related tags North pole Chef Pastry

The North Pole is a long way to go to make a sale - but equipment supplier Taylor UK decided it was worth it.The company has given Andy Evans, head...

The North Pole is a long way to go to make a sale - but equipment supplier Taylor UK decided it was worth it.

The company has given Andy Evans, head chef of the North Pole pub in West London, the chance to test out the new Turbochef i5 rapid cook oven.

To give pubs the chance to find out a bit more about the capabilities of the new breed of kitchen equipment such as the Turbochef range, The Publican will be covering Andy's progress over the next few months.

Taylor's development chef, David Rees, has been working closely with Andy and his team to enhance the current menu. The TurboChef i5 has allowed the pub to add items to the menu that Andy would have generally avoided due to the long cooking times normally needed with conventional ovens.

The analysis of the test will assess the appeal of additional menu items, as well as average spend, repeat sales and any increase in profitability.

Two weeks into the trial, Andy says: "When I was first approached by David, I was sceptical as to how the oven would perform, as it sounded like any other microwave browning convection thingy - but now it's here, the i5 is something altogether different. I've only had it for two weeks but the first immediate change I made was to ditch the puff pastry lids and bowls for pies. We make proper pastry pies by hand now and the customers can see the effort that has gone into them and love them.

"I've also introduced a new lunch time 'Dine & Dash' menu, giving us the opportunity to improve our lunchtime trade by guaranteeing that the customer will get their food within 12 minutes of ordering.

"The i5 lets us cook fish and shepherd's pies in just three minutes, where they would normally take us at least 15 minutes."

Hot ciabatta sandwiches and baguettes are another new product line - one which is proving particularly popular at busy times, when they can be loaded up with filling and ready to eat in 90 seconds.

Andy continues: "Next we're looking to add a range of whole meal concepts for families - or whoever - to enjoy in a more sociable way; such as a large lasagne for six or eight served at the table so everyone can dig in. I have some great ideas and I have no doubt, based on current experience, that we will get them all to work."

The trial will look at how the oven affects service times, menu expansion and additional trade. For more information on the TurboChef i5 call 0800 838 896 or visit www.taylor-company.co.uk.

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