Two-in-one combinations
Integrating two different appliances can be a neat way of gaining greater equipment utilisation, saving space and reducing double handling. Hobart's TowerPlus pairs a high-speed pressure steamer (made in the UK) with a 6 or 10 grid combi-steamer (made in France) in a single, neatly styled, space-saving stack.
Zanussi's Fry Marie works as a non-tilting bratt pan, griddle and heated holding unit, with a pressed seamless cooking well and a bi-metallic base with drain outlet suited to shallow frying, deep frying and stew-type meals.
The Kohler banqueting trolley, shown by Grundy Catering, both chills and heats. Holding up to 75 plated meals, the wheeled unit can chill food down to 3¼C within 90 minutes, store it, regenerate and then hold it at serving temperature for up to two hours. The price of £8,500 compares with £5,500 for a blast chiller on its own.
The Hallde CombiCutter (also Hobart) works both as a veg prepper and a vertical cutter/mixer; when one function is in use, the other is automatically switched off.
Pass-through combi-steamers
Re-engineering combis with doors and separate control systems on each side requires some layout re-thinking. Four stands had examples:
BKI International, which has been supplying models to UK supermarket chains as an alternative to its rotary grills
Bourgeois UK, which won a Gold Award in the New Product Awards for its extensively re-thought combi
Hobart, which sources its combi-steamers from Bourgeois, but incorporates some differences
Welbilt UK, with the Danish-made Houno; features include a double locking device on each door.
