Warewashing machines: Size matters

15 June 2006
Warewashing machines: Size matters

As well as being more efficient, modern warewashing machines have to fit the space available - and sometimes they have to look good too

One size fits all at Harvey Nicholls
Lower running costs have become crucial issues influencing warewasher specification, but size and external appearance also entered the picture for Maison Brillant when it installed a new artisan bakery and eaterie on the fifth floor of the Harvey Nichols department store in London this year. Alongside retail sales, Maison Brillant has added a 16-cover eat-in area, and serves drinks and a variety of boulangerie, pâtisserie, viennoiserie and traiteur from 8am till 8pm, Monday to Saturday, and 12 noon till 6pm on Sunday.

There was insufficient room for three separate dish and utensil washers, so Maison Brillant co-owner Nick Williams opted for a single Winterhalter GS302 undercounter dishwasher able to deal with all three requirements at a rate of 60 500mm x 500mm racks an hour.

"It's also good looking," Williams adds. "That's very important because it is front of house and in full view of customers and has to hold its own alongside designer food displays and smart undercounter fridges."

In terms of running costs, the machine uses just 2.9 litres of water per wash so relies on built-in filters and integral water softener to ensure constant optimum water quality consistent with the mixed loading.

*Winterhalter 01908 359000* Space-saver for a gastropub Dishwashing was a manual operation at Chiswick's Hole in the Wall when Lucy Southgate and Jason Hunt took over two years ago. At that point the pub had a basic food offering prepared in a miniscule upstairs kitchen. However, the new owners were determined to transform it into a gastropub befitting its location, tucked away in a pretty side street just a stone's throw from Chiswick High Road. With a new downstairs kitchen and dishwash area in mind, they sought out their warewashing supplier, Nelson Dish and Glasswashing, by visiting trade shows. "We had had problems with dishwashers in the past and wanted someone who would help us make a decision, supply a good product and be able to provide aftercare," Southgate says. Taking into account the planned Modern British-style menu and anticipated covers, Nelson recommended its SW1300 pass-through machine with integrated sink and rack storage area. This complete system provides very effective use of space and brings order to the busiest kitchen.

The dirty dishes are placed in a rack over the sink and sprayed to remove excess debris, then slid into the dishwasher. When the cycle is complete they are removed and stored at the other end, ready for service.

"Food now accounts for almost 50% of turnover and with up to 110 covers a day, we do have some busy times in the kitchen, especially the evening," says Southgate. "It's great to have a dedicated, organised area."

*Nelson Dish & Glasswashing 0800 592 833* High throughput and good economy The Regency on Brighton's seafront has been a restaurant since the 1930s and has maintained its classic look and traditions. Outside and in the dining room, it still feels like Edwardian Brighton. Yet while front of house has a traditional look, the kitchen is state-of-the-art and produces up to 2,000 meals a day of locally caught fish, freshly landed and freshly cooked. To maintain the volume of daily customers the warewashing operation has to be fast and high performance. The restaurant recently took delivery of a new Classeq Alto 100 conveyor rack warewasher with a throughput of up to 100 racks per hour. Head chef Manuel Costa says that since installing the Classeq Alto 100 he has had no hold-ups on throughput of tableware. "The new dishwasher can cope with the busiest of times in the restaurant. It is very fast and plates always come out sparkling clean," he says. "We've found it totally reliable, which is what a busy restaurant like the Regency must have." While Costa's first demand was for wash performance, another factor in selecting a machine was energy consumption as it's an issue the restaurant has been focusing on in the past year. Double-skinned construction on the Alto reduces heat loss, which saves on running costs and helps in keeping the kitchen cool. Heat escaping into the kitchen from a dishwasher is not just wasted energy - it needs more energy to vent away. "The Alto uses two-thirds less energy than our last dishwasher," he says. "That's a big cost saving to our business." *Classeq 0870 224 7280*
The Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email

Start the working day with The Caterer’s free breakfast briefing email

Sign Up and manage your preferences below

Check mark icon
Thank you

You have successfully signed up for the Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email and will hear from us soon!

Jacobs Media is honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The highest official awards for UK businesses since being established by royal warrant in 1965. Read more.

close

Ad Blocker detected

We have noticed you are using an adblocker and – although we support freedom of choice – we would like to ask you to enable ads on our site. They are an important revenue source which supports free access of our website's content, especially during the COVID-19 crisis.

trade tracker pixel tracking