Equipment advantages energy-saving and skill- enhancing solutions.

Equipment advantage

The recent Casual Dining and Commercial Kitchen exhibitions were the places to come up to speed with some of the latest catering equipment, the priority for most in hospitality now being on saving energy, optimising skillsets and delivering a consistent end-product to their customers.

GREENEST SOLUTIONS

At the recent Commercial Kitchen Show (CKS), catering equipment distributor, Jestic Foodservice Solutions showcased some of the greenest solutions in their portfolio by quite literally taking a stand against rising oil, energy and food prices.

Featuring key brands and products such as the MKN Grease Collection System, the Henny Penny Evolution Elite Fryer and the Frontline Oil Management System, the company’s ‘green corner’ highlighted how venues can reduce energy consumption, lower utility bills and cut sundry costs, including cooking oil, by installing the right equipment and adopting the correct processes.

The company is also helping operators to tackle grease issues with the launch of MKN’s latest fully automatic, Grease Collection System. Available as an option on MKN FlexiCombi models, the brand’s impressive new Grease Collection System allows operators to achieve 100% separation of recyclable cooking liquids and waste water, claim the company, thanks to a fully integrated system which actively pumps the excess oil, fats and liquids out of the FlexiCombi into a separate container. As such, any waste water is near completely clean, thereby eradicating issues around clogged pipes, whilst the residue cooked liquids can be safely and appropriately disposed.

“How to eradicate fats, oils and grease disappearing down drains and waste systems has been a major issue in the UK for quite some time now, with blocked sewers and fatbergs making headlines across the media,” says Lee Cogger, brand manager for MKN, Jestic Foodservice Solutions.

“With MKN’s latest Grease Collection System, operators can rest assured all excess fats, oils and grease will automatically be removed from the waste water allowing for it to be disposed of in a safe and environmentally-friendly way. What’s more, as this system cleverly provides 100% clean wastewater, this water can then be re-used during cooking and cleaning processes meaning the small amount of water used by the FlexiCombi is further reduced.”

On another of their stands could be found Xpresschef accelerated ovens, the Sveba Dahlen Beyond Black P402 pizza oven and an Icetro Soft Serve Ice Cream Machines, and with a live cooking area, visitors were able to sample and taste a range of delicious hot and cold foods.

“As energy costs continue to rise, and staff shortages becomes a more common issue, we expected that stand visitors would want to learn about the latest innovations that can counteract these issues – all whilst delivering exceptional foods results, fast,” said Michael Eyre, product director for Jestic Foodservice.

“In fact, our stands at CKS have become a place for advising and demonstrating how operators can counteract these very issues at the same time as meeting increasingly high customer expectations.

“When it comes to deciding which kitchen equipment to invest in, operators must fi rst consider the type of menu they wish to off er. This is particularly true with a pizza menu given that diff erent regions in Italy each have a diff erent take on what an ‘authentic’ Italian pizza is. That said, when most people in the UK talk about authentic Italian pizza they are generally referring to a Napoli-style pizza made from high hydration dough, which cooks quickly, in a very high temperature oven and results in the distinctive cornicione pillowy, chewy crust.

“You will need a good quality stone

hearth pizza oven to cook Napoli-style pizza, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be wood-fired as gas and electric pizza ovens can achieve the temperatures you will need to achieve a Neapolitan-style crust. The key is cooking great quality produce, at the right temperature for the right amount of time.

“The latest Sveba Dahlen P601 High Temp is a good example of an oven that ticks these very boxes having incorporated genuine Neapolitan pizza stone whilst also having the ability to achieve temperatures of up to 500˚C, meaning it can bake pizzas in 60 to 120 seconds.

“Its highly efficient heating system distributes heat in three zones resulting in uniform baking, whilst the high level of insulation and exclusive ceramic glass in the doors mean the oven chamber retains heat more effectively and ensures a comfortable working environment. The exceptionally user-friendly control panel on the P601 also allows the user to easily regulate upper and lower heating separately and includes Turbo and Power-saving functions in order to boost energy savings at a time where operators have this at the forefront of their minds.”

CONSISTENCY

“We appreciate that restaurants need uncompromised, consistent quality results from the equipment they use. That is Why Blue Seal Pizza ovens use accurate thermostatic temperature control, ecocompatible material for thermal insulation and high quality refractory stones which provide excellent heat retention,” says David Chesshire, national accounts manager at over supplier, Blue Seal.

“Each chamber has top and bottom temperature control, so the pizza chef can adjust the performance of the chamber to suit baking pizza either in pizza pans, or traditionally straight onto the stone. These ovens compliment the rest of the Blue Seal product range very nicely, maintaining the power/performance and reliability expected from our brand.

“Our commercial pizza ovens are traditional Italian style, stone base deck ovens, perfect for cooking delicious deepbase or thin based pizzas. Designed for everyday professional use, these powerful electric ovens cook at high temperatures to ensure fast service and great cooking results. The Blue Seal pizza electric ovens are a fantastic alternative too wood burner stoves or gas ovens, which are higher maintenance and require more specialist and costly extraction systems to take away smoke and fumes. Our ovens accommodate 4 x 12” pizzas per deck, they are compact, versatile and very operator friendly. These fast efficient ovens are ideal for restaurants with outdoor seating areas, wanting to offer quick but delicious pizzas for alfresco dining to their guests. Especially when the warmer summer months come and the trend for eating outdoors becomes ever more popular.

“We offer single deck and twin deck ovens, which operate up to 400°C giving optimum cooking temperatures for decks of their size. The single deck can be stacked onto the twin deck very easily creating a triple deck, maximising the output from the floor space. The oven chambers all function independently allowing the pizza chef to control temperatures and bake more types/ sizes of pizzas at once, therefore reducing serving times for busy restaurants.

“The fact these ovens are only singlephase power supply makes them very versatile and suitable for dark kitchen takeaway sites and certain mobile kitchen operations, that may have limited power supplies. Due to the electric power supply, the ease of installation is simplified as there are no complex regulations regarding interlocks/ ventilation and extraction requirements, as associated with gas powered or solid fuel type ovens.

“The ovens can be used in professional temporary and portable kitchens, as long as there is adequate air circulation and any vented heat/steam can be dissipated into the atmosphere or directed outside, to maintain healthy and comfortable HSE working environment tolerances. These portable kitchens can conveniently accommodate catering contractor needs, for supplying rapid efficient food offerings at a multitude of outdoor events.”

QSR APPEAL

New to the UK, MKN’s Counter SL series of appliances offers a front of house cooking suite solution for QSR and small a-la-carte operations - freely and easily combined cookware, with a hygienic levelling connection system that enables operators to move products to suit changing menus.

A complete range of more than 70 electric and gas appliances are available in fully integrated suites with easy to clean drain channel and wall installation for enhanced hygiene. Combined with under construction, it can provide a flexible, lower cost solution to MKN’s modular and bespoke cooking solutions, without compromising on build quality, claim MKN.

Electric options comprise the majority of appliances to reflect current trends for lower running costs, with choices including Vitro hobs, induction hobs, deep fat fryers, griddle plates, bain maries, food warmers and grills (gas appliances include gas burners, griddle plate and lava stone grill).

The 270mm high Counter SL appliances also suit with MKN’s Hotline modular series of appliances in one line, enabling easy integration of under counter refrigeration, say the company, with the unique joining technique ensuring hygiene and cleanliness.

“The Counter SL Series has been proven in the European market and is already adding value for QSR chains across the continent, so we are delighted to be bringing it to the UK market for the first time,” said Wayne Bennett, MKN’s VP sales and marketing UK and Ireland.

“It includes a full range of appliances to suit all requirements, compatible with the Hotline series for under counter refrigeration too. Counter SL a flexible alternative to our traditional modular or bespoke horizontal cooking solutions, without compromising on the hygiene standards, build quality and personalisation touches for which MKN is known.”

SMART MOVES

OperaPrima, the pizza shaper that has been designed to replicate the handcrafted work of a true pizzaiolo, has been garnering some good feedback from its customers both in Italy and further afield.

“This Pizza Shaper is fantastic, it makes the job so much easier and you don’t need to be an expert pizza maker to use it. OperaPrima opens the dough in a few seconds,” says Michael, owner of Pizza Tuvia in Israel.

Luciano (pictured below) and his brother who run a pizzeria in Marchi Beach in Sottomarina (Venice, Italy) chose OperaPrima because they had trouble finding a pizzaiolo and were impressed by its speed of execution. “In past years, customers waited an hour before eating their pizza. This year, thanks to our OperaPrima Pizza Shaper, the maximum waiting time is 20 minutes,” reports Luciano.

“I love this pizza shaper. OperaPrima is user-friendly and has a very intuitive display. I am not a professional pizza chef and thanks to OperaPrima opening pizza dough is not a problem anymore,” says Ingrid (pictured top right) at Martin Food Equipment in Dundalk, Ireland.

Conceived, designed, and produced by Ecor International S.p.A., OperaPrima was created to meet the needs of every entrepreneur in the pizza industry; namely, to improve the efficiency of their pizzeria and solve the problem of labour shortages. In fact, it has been designed to be easily used even by an inexperienced pizzaiolo, claim the company.

Thanks to OperaPrima’s patented cold processing technology, in a short time operators can get a perfect and good Italian pizza that’s light, tasty, fragrant and with a defined edge according to the parameters specified. Simply open the drawer, place the dough on the disc, set the parameters, close the drawer and in just 20 seconds you will have a perfect pizza base ready for seasoning, say Ecor.

Meantime, you can check the cooking, season other pizzas, answer the phone, prepare the ingredients etc, in no hurry, the company suggest. Like all equipment, some practice is necessary, they add, but it takes very little time to reach a good level of confidence, both for a qualified pizzaiolo as well for an inexperienced one, the company feel.

What is surprising about OperaPrima is the ease and speed with which it works, with a gentle movement that does not stress the dough, thus recreating the work of the hands of an expert pizzaiolo. The result is high quality because it does not damage the glutinous lattice and makes a perfect pizza base, claim Ecor, and thanks to a touchscreen display, you can adjust features such as the diameter and size of the edge.

OperaPrima is not a press, the company also point out, but rather a pizza shaper, differing for two main reasons - it is based on patented cold processing technology and the dough is not pressed but opened just as a pizzaiolo’s hands would do. It is also possible to process different types of flour and to get a perfect Neapolitan, Roman, or classic pizza, Ecor add. In summary, Ecor say that OperaPrima is a pizza shaper designed for everyone, at the same tome being an intelligent solution to the lack of manpower.

It can roll out up to 200 pizzas per hour, giving the pizzaiolo the opportunity to optimise his/her working time. It also solves the problem of finding and training qualified personnel, reducing the related fixed costs. It is equipped with a realtime monitoring system of the working conditions connected to software, installed in the user’s computer system.

Periodically, it is possible to obtain information regarding the number of doughs laid and the size of the pizza base up to the opening parameters set (thickness, extension, extension time). With this data at your disposal, you can therefore optimise the process to make your business more efficient, Ecor point out.

With a simple, compact and modern design that can fit well into the space of a venue too - placed on the counter or on a practical stainless steel trolley for ease of movement. Thanks to the choice of materials, it has also been designed to be easily washable, ensuring simple maintenance and maximum hygiene.

KEEPING IT COOL

Aquilo’s pizza fridge range comprises four models, all offering a generous capacity for holding pizza dough and all with a cool, rimmed, granite top that’s ideal for preparation, and they’re all equally suitable for bread making and pastry work too.

With two static cooled and two ventilated models, internal capacities range from 302 litres to 635 litres, and all models are gastronorm compatible and each can accommodate a sizeable number of full or half size pizza dough boxes.

Their durable, AIS 304 stainless steel construction, both externally and internally, enables them to withstand the rigours of the busiest kitchens, claim the company, and their temperature range can be set between +2C° and +8C° with a digital display constantly showing the current internal temperature. Meanwhile, the auto-defrost and auto-evaporation of condensation water feature guarantees that dough is held at the perfect level of humidity. Also, the two ventilated models have the additional feature of self-closing doors to ensure there’s no chance of them accidentally being left ajar.

Aquilo’s pizza fridges utilise R290 hydrocarbon refrigerant which is considered to be the most eco-friendly option currently available with no ozone depleting effect and a negligible GWP. Also, because R290 absorbs residual heat very efficiently, temperature recovery time is faster meaning that the demand for energy is reduced.

Salvi’s has become a staple element of Manchester’s thriving restaurant scene. Over the years, its popularity has enabled owners Maurizio and Claire Cecco to expand into three locations, the most recent of which is in the city’s newest landmark, Deansgate Square. Customer response has been phenomenal, they report, and only months after opening, the restaurant became a winner of the 2022 Open Table Diners’ Choice Awards.

Maurizio Cecco hails from Naples where he learned to cook - and it shows - customers love the sheer authenticity of

SPEEDY COOKING

Hot on the heels of the Merrychef conneX® 12 launch earlier this year, Merrychef says that it is set to transform the high speed oven sector again with its conneX 16. Boasting a large 16” cavity in just an 18” wide footprint, the larger sibling in the conneX range comes fully connected, with a state of the art 7” high definition screen and cook times 80% faster than traditional methods. With its his food. Ingredients are super-fresh while cooking methods are steeped deeply in Neapolitan tradition. One of the Salvi’s favourite menu items is pizza, accounting for close to half of all meals served there.

“Our pizzas are known for being very airy and soft and the secret is to allow them to prove for a full 36 hours. To achieve this we have a dedicated, Aquilo three-door pizza fridge which can hold several full-size proving trays,” says Maurizio Cecco.

“Accurate temperature is very important in achieving the end result we need and we can rely on the fridge to maintain a consistent 4°C. The granite top is important too, allowing us time to stretch and build the pizzas while keeping them cool.”

Maurizio Cecco went on to buy five more Aquilo fridges and a freezer. “We are meticulous about storing our refrigerated ingredients separately so we can identify the best temperature for each specific category. Also, although virtually all our dishes are made from scratch, there are certain items, like our ragu, which we make ahead and refrigerate, so it’s important to have a generous amount of available

larger internal cavity, the new conneX 16 has the flexibility to ‘batch’ cook to hold popular food items, helping operators to handle busy trading periods with ease speeding up order delivery and reducing queues, claim the company.

“The conneX 16 once again breaks new ground in the high speed oven sector,” says Colin Lacey, VP and managing director of Merrychef, who sees this oven opening up high speed cooking to even more venues. “Addressing sector demands for space, speed and ease of use, its game changing size and out of the box connectivity, sets the conneX 16 apart from any other equipment available. To have a 16”x16” cavity in an oven that is just 18” wide and which can sit on a 700mm countertop is an industry first and opens up significant new opportunities for space,” he says.

A further bonus has been that because three of the new fridges are large counter models, they effectively create extra workstations.

“I’m delighted with my Aquilo refrigeration. It was the right choice on several levels. It’s reliable, well-specified, not overly priced and, I am pleased to report, energy-efficient too,” concludes Maurizio Cecco, who went on to buy additional Aquilo fridges for his other sites.

operators across many sectors.”

With Wi-fi and ethernet connectivity as standard, uploading menus can now be done simply at the touch of button. A 12-month free subscription to the powerful and market leading Welbilt KitchenConnect® ecosystem also provides operators with a full range of monitoring and diagnostic information, and the ability to remotely push menus to their ovens. Easy to install, with energy saving efficiencies, the conneX 16 features quick pre-heat and cool down times and reduced energy in standby.

Steve Hemsil, sales director, UK & Ireland at Welbilt, believes the larger model expands the capabilities of the high-speed ovens category. “The new conneX 16 allows the operator to cook more food at the same time. Whether that’s four paninis in a minute, fish fingers and fries in 110 seconds or a 16” pizza in just 90 seconds, the greater capacity and rapid cooking times makes the conneX 16 a ‘must have’ piece of equipment for operators looking to speed up serving times, reduce queues and maximise profit,” he says.

1000 free pizzas with unlimited toppings up for grabs!

The unlimited-topping sourdough pizza brand, Pizza Punks, has announced that it will open the doors to its seventh UK restaurant in Liverpool, on Friday, 14 October 2022.

Opening in the heart of the city on Bold Street, Pizza Punks Liverpool will join the brand’s other restaurant locations across the UK, including Glasgow, Belfast, Newcastle, Leeds, Leicester, and the newly opened Durham.

To celebrate the opening, Pizza Punks are giving away 1000 free Punk’d up Pizzas at the Liverpool restaurant, to the first 1000 Pizza Punks fans who sign up on their web site. There will also be hundreds of QR codes around the city to scan for sign-up, say the company, with the lucky winners to be notified and emailed their voucher for the pizza on us, once open.

The new 150-cover restaurant will be the largest Pizza Punks site in the UK, with a new grab and go kiosk at the rear of the building and an additional 30-covers of outdoor seating on Bold Street. The restaurant will also feature regular DJs and live music, neon lights, cool artwork, monochrome brick tiles and a stripped back aesthetic; it’s the ultimate cool pizza experience.

Sevenrooms partners with blinq to enhance customer experience

Sevenrooms, a guest engagement and retention platform for the hospitality industry, has announced its partnership with restaurant point-of-sale software provider, blinq, paving the way for a new class of frictionless guest experience by streamlining operations across SevenRooms’ extensive restaurant portfolio, claim the company.

The partnership will provide operators with greater insights into guest habits, affording them the opportunity to enhance the dining experience. The integration of blinq’s iOS cloud-based products makes harnessing and taking ownership of customer data simple, say the duo, with these features allowing operators to focus on providing guests with outstanding service by catering to their unique preferences.

As innovative technologies continue to transform the industry, key features such as the communication of customer data will provide staff with the knowledge required to serve customers in a more personalised manner, the two companies feel. Information on order histories and average spend per customer, for example, allows operators to tailor guest profiles by adding notes to indicate high tippers or VIP status. This will also appear on the blinq POS, facilitating instant access to information as soon as a waiter opens the table. More efficient communication helps with improving the customer experience, resulting in increasing revenue, driven by happier guests that come back more often.

Danilo Mangano, managing director, international at SevenRooms, said: “As consumers continue to feel the pinch, visiting a restaurant for a meal out must not only deliver excellent food, but an outstanding customer experience. Investment in the latest technology will help operators ensure that they are doing everything they can to provide diners with a first-class service that is tailored to their individual needs and preferences. As SevenRooms continues to pave the way for customer-driven dining, we are thrilled to be partnering with blinq, a brand which aligns with our values and is as committed to delivering a highly personalised, top-notch hospitality experience for our guests as we are.”

Aksel Levi, chief executive officer at blinq, added: “As the world gravitates itself towards data and information, knowing your customer has become imperative for success. To excel as a business, restaurants are not only judged on the quality of food, but also on the level of service they provide, which adds greater weight and sets a high bar for restaurants to deliver. blinq strives to disrupt the point-of-sale industry by combining simplicity with functionality. Our integration with SevenRooms allows us to be at the forefront of a new transformation into the era of data-driven enhancement to the customer experience. Knowing your customers preferences and their spending patterns changes the playing field once and for all. For so long, restaurants have been operating in the dark - it’s time we switched on the light.”