Catering & Nutrition The counter point of school servery units Energy efficiency G
ary Allen, Sales Director at E & R Moffat, supplier of catering equipment to schools and winner of the LACA Supplier of the Year award, discusses school servery counters, both bespoke and ‘off-the-peg’.
“There is a strong demand for flexible food counters in schools, especially ones that can be wheeled out of the way so the space can be used for lessons, assemblies or gym at other times. Some caterers specify both fixed and mobile units, to give added versatility for when menus change, because the traffic flow may well change with them and the mobile units can be adjusted to match. It’s essential to consider the space you have available and how students will access the counters, to ensure the layout will not create bottlenecks.
Energy saving continues to be a hot topic. With refrigerated or heated counters, buyers should ensure that the counter is well insulated – this may sound obvious but it’s something that can be compromised in style-led designs. Good insulation can make a huge difference to energy consumption, offering considerable cost savings and boosting the overall ‘green’ credentials of an operation. Low energy lighting saves energy in foodservice counters and displays and increases performance (for example, by using 'cool' light for refrigerated wells, so the refrigeration system isn't having to fight against heat from the lights). LED lights save about 85% compared to conventional lighting and the bulbs last much longer.
A counter revolution
Bryanston in Dorset recently invested in a major upgrade of the school’s catering facilities, which combine the latest food servery technology and modern design concepts with a sympathetic, yet strikingly modern refurbishment of the Grade One listed building’s historic architectural features. “The old catering facility had five different entries and four different server positions,” explains Jon Mortimer, Estates Bursar at
Bryanston. “We could seat just over 300 but it was cramped. Mealtimes felt like being in the middle of Waterloo station in rush hour!” Since the restaurant caters for 670 pupils and 400 staff and there’s limited time to serve most of them lunch, things had to change. The new facility has one entrance, one servery area and seats over 400 in comfort. It gives much better control and throughput is fast.
Static or mobile
Central to the whole project is a series of highly versatile servery counters, both static and mobile.
The static counters are sited around the outside of the servery area, designed to accept a variety of drop-in units – hot wells, cold wells and cooking stations – which can easily be changed to match the menu’s requirements. Meanwhile the various mobile units can be quickly moved to whatever position best suits the menu’s traffic flow. If required, they can be wheeled away and stored elsewhere. “The design of the counters is critical to the success of the scheme,” says Jon Mortimer. The servery area’s layout, and the ability to change it, by opening or shutting different serving points, means the school can manage traffic flow, speeding up throughput and cutting out bottle necks.“
Don’t get steamed up about energy prices
I
n response to an expected rise in energy prices, Winterhalter has developed the UC Energy undercounter dishwasher and glasswasher. Not only does it offer users substantial energy savings, but it also improves the working environment around the warewasher, through its innovative use of heat exchange technology.
The only undercounter machine to offer such a mini heat exchange recovery system, the UC Energy extracts the heat from vapour within the machine and uses it to pre-heat the incoming cold fill. If the machine is put through 80 cycles per day, it can save up to £320 per year, if prices rise by the expected 8%.
In addition, almost no hot, damp water vapour escapes from the machine when the door is opened.
The UC Energy is easy to operate, checking itself while in use, and identifying any problems through visual and acoustic alerts. A fourfold filtration system keeps the wash water constantly clean so there is no need to change the water during the working day. The degree of wash can be adjusted for different types of glasses and dishes, while still achieving clean and hygienic results.
u01908 359000
uwww.winterhalter-scout.biz
February 2013
School CookingLive! T
he need to reduce running costs, combined with the demand for healthier, better tasting menus has led to many schools considering investment in combi steamers. Their energy efficiency and ability to reduce shrinkage, resulting in more portions per kilo of raw food, can make a real difference to the budget.
Rational, the market leader in combi steamers, has launched a series of demonstrations to show school caterers how the latest combi- technology works, speeding up cooking times and intensifying the flavour of the food, whilst maintaining natural vitamin, mineral and nutritional values.
At a Rational CookingLive, caterers can see and taste the results, as well as getting hands-on experience of using Rational’s award-winning SelfCookingCenter Whitefficiency Combi Steamer for themselves. Tracy Hindry, School Chef at Aldborough Primary School in Norfolk, went to a Rational CookingLive demonstration in Norwhich: “I was astonished by how much the Rational combi steamer can do,” she said. “After the event we installed one and now we hardly ever use anything else for cooking.”
Rational is running CookingLive demonstrations at over 100 venues around the UK. Those involved in school catering can book free tickets by calling Rational UK.
u0800 389 2944
uwww.rational-UK.com
www.education-today.co.uk 19
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