HSA Feb_Mar 18_Web
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Commercial kitchens a key investment<br />
One of the most important – and expensive – investment<br />
decisions a hotelier makes when planning a refurbishment is the<br />
hotel kitchen.<br />
In the early stages of South Australia’s hotel refurbishment<br />
boom, many venues renovated their hotel in anticipation of<br />
increased trade but did not upgrade their production capacity in<br />
the kitchen.<br />
Lessons have been learned and the commercial kitchen is now<br />
a prime focus, keeping in tune with community expectations of<br />
high quality meals from their ‘local’.<br />
Speak to any publican and they will agree that, per square<br />
metre, the kitchen is the most costly sector to refurbish – but the<br />
benefits are worth the investment.<br />
Much of the cost lies in the equipment. For example, a combi<br />
oven may require in the order of $20,000-$30,000. The benefit<br />
is that cooking times can be halved and multiple items can be<br />
cooked simultaneously.<br />
It has been interesting to read about Miso Robotics which has<br />
developed a new “robotic kitchen assistant” called Flippy, which<br />
recognises food on a hot plate and flips it when it is done.<br />
While this is novel for the general public, combi ovens have<br />
been using this technology for years, with the ability to program<br />
different areas of the oven, resulting in the ability to cook<br />
steaks on one rack and eggs on another.<br />
The ability to serve a large group, in a short period of time,<br />
and synchronise food delivery is extremely valuable to larger<br />
operations.<br />
The touch screen interface makes it easy to program and<br />
manage.<br />
Another critical factor during a hotel refurbishment is the ability<br />
to stay operational to keep cashflow going.<br />
That’s nearly impossible with a kitchen makeover of any<br />
substance, which has seen the rise of mobile kitchens. The<br />
‘caravan’ style operation means that a limited menu can be<br />
provided to keep patrons in the habit of frequenting your venue.<br />
This has been so successful that some chains have invested in<br />
their own unit, which then enables them to cater for outdoor<br />
functions and assist a particular hotel at peak times.<br />
Another growth area in kitchens in the arrival of smoking units.<br />
Texas-style burgers and sliders with a distinctive smoked<br />
flavour are very popular and this has seen increased sales of<br />
grills that incorporate ‘smoke’ pellets to impart that distinctive<br />
flavour to the food.<br />
Another reason to consider good quality kitchen equipment is<br />
the affect it has on staff.<br />
Good chefs are always in demand and kitchens with modern<br />
equipment will always win out over a kitchen where the chef is<br />
expected to work with antiquated ‘tools’.<br />
28 | Hotel SA | www.ahasa.asn.au