Saving space in the kitchen: put the refrigeration outside Williams says weatherproof coldrooms can help meet small kitchen ‘20:20 vision’
T
he drive to reduce the size of restaurant kitchens
thing, there are less likely to be access issues or any need
shows no sign of abating.
Williams says one
to disturb the kitchen operation. For another, there’s no
answer is to put some of the cold storage outside
need for long pipe runs to connect the coldroom to the
the kitchen – in fact, outside the building.
As more
operators consider the option, Williams is even offering outdoor coldrooms in a range of colours and finishes, so that they can blend into the environment more easily. “Operators want to make the most use of the space they have to serve more customers, so the dining room is being increased and the kitchen reduced,” says Malcolm
Harling,
sales
and
parts of the refrigeration system that are sited outside. They can simply be installed next to the coldroom itself. The one downside, of course, is that staff have to go outside to access the refrigerated or frozen storage. Some operators are getting round that by installing the coldroom on an exterior wall adjacent to the kitchen – and then knocking a door through, so that access is directly from the kitchen. Staff don’t even
marketing director of Williams.
realise they are going outside!
“That creates a dichotomy: how
As for the colour, Harling
do you serve more customers
says.
from a smaller kitchen?
option is brown, as it tends
“FEA
(the
“The most popular
Foodservice
to blend in better than, for
Equipment Association) calls
example, white. However,
this the small kitchen 20:20
there’s a varied choice, with the
vision: 20% more productivity
other most popular alternatives
from 20% less space. Equipment
being forest green, black and gun
upgrades can take you so far, but there comes a time when you need to think outside the box – or, in this case, outside the kitchen.”
metal grey.” Williams
exterior
coldrooms
are
built of modular panels featuring high performance insulation.
The panels comprising
More and more operators are taking advantage of
the floor, walls and roof have tongue and groove joints
the idea of having a coldroom outside the building in,
that are camlocked together to form a robust structure
for example, a back yard or the corner of a car park.
and a tight thermal envelope that ensures constant
When specifying an external coldroom, they should be
temperature control. The modular construction means
constructed on top of a purpose built concrete base that
they can be designed to fit a variety of sizes and shapes,
sits above ground, which allows water runoff, with internal
helping take maximum advantage of available space.
flooring also installed as standard. An important element
Dual temperature models, for, for example, both chilled
to external coldrooms is being completely weatherproof,
and frozen storage, are also available.
as models designed to be sited indoors won’t cope with the heat, cold, rain or snow.
variety of factors, including the size, ease of access,
Williams outdoor coldrooms have exteriors made from HPS plastisol coated galvanised steel, which is hardwearing and weatherproof.
The cost for an exterior coldroom will depend on a availability of services and the state of the site. Williams Refrigeration offers a comprehensive range of
Their flat ceiling is
commercial refrigeration including gastronorm cabinets
overclad with an angled sheet to provide run off to the
and counters, specialist bakery equipment, coldrooms,
guttering.
merchandisers and blast chillers.
An added bonus with outdoor coldrooms is that they are often easier to install than indoor versions. For one 47
Fastfood Professional • December and January 2021-22
To learn more about Williams extensive product range visit www.williams-refrigeration.co.uk December and January 2021-22 • Fastfood Professional
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