My New Kitchen – Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

29 June 2011
My New Kitchen – Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

You'd expect the kitchens at Heston Blumenthal's London restaurant to be precisely designed and very advanced technically - and so it has proved. Diane Lane took a look around

Occupying the space previously home to the Foliage kitchen at London's Mandarin Oriental hotel, the new kitchen serving Dinner by Heston Blumethal is described on the design plan as a show kitchen and it certainly lives up to the name.

During each service diners are treated to a performance from behind the glass wall as flames shoot from the Josper oven, pineapples turn slowly on the rôtisserie and the brigade conjures up its historically-inspired creations.

"I wanted a dark, open, uncluttered kitchen for the atmosphere it would create and with no barrier between kitchen and dining room," explains executive chef Ashley Palmer-Watts, who worked alongside Gareth Sefton of FCSI member SeftonHornWinch to come up with the ultimate design, which was installed by CEDA member Vision Commercial Kitchens. "Some customers wander in to say thank you."

The 130-cover restaurant's concept was the starting point, the idea being to recreate historical recipe ideas - although Palmer-Watts points out it's about inspiration, not replication. "The dishes don't look like historical dishes, they pay homage to them," he says. "We use very similar cooking techniques as at the Fat Duck and the ethos is the same. The food is simple but there's a lot of technique - its elegance is simplicity. Dinner isn't fine dining or a brasserie, but a fine-dining version of a brasserie." Workflow was key to the design. "I had to run through service in my head and get Gareth to understand it," says Palmer-Watts. "Consistency is the hardest thing in any kitchen especially when you're doing bigger numbers. We put systems in place that don't allow the quality to slip and to keep consistency. It's based around a system and everyone works to that system so the margin for error is taken out." Bespoke range At the heart of the kitchen is a bespoke Rorgue range with coloured panels and polished framework in the classic French style, supplied by Exclusive Ranges. By its very nature a bespoke cooking suite is tailored to the exact requirements of the individual chef who will be at its helm. However, on this occasion, Sefton was challenged with a rather unusual request. In a departure from the traditional double-sided range, this one has been split in two so there is a gap down the middle giving access to each half from both sides and, in effect, resulting in two suites. The design supports a workflow pattern where the chefs stay put on their various stations around the outside of the suite while "runners" ferry the cooked food from each station down the gap between the suites to the pass for plating up. "It's not something I've done before but it really lends itself to a very efficient way of producing food," says Sefton. "The chefs are always on section." Palmer-Watts says: "I am really happy with the way the workflow is set up. The gap between the suites gives great access, workable from both sides if support is needed and they bring an uncluttered feel to the kitchen." Although, prior to opening Dinner, Palmer-Watts's experience of induction was limited to portable single hobs at the Fat Duck, it was the power source chosen for the suite. "I chose induction for its control and efficiency," he says. "It's not bellowing out heat and is more precise and so easy to keep clean." Each suite has two four-zone Menu System induction hobs - 6kW rated per ring - which for service are set to low, medium-low, medium, and high temperatures. Each section is further dual-zoned to cater for large or small pans. In between the hobs are two Steelform Italia planchas consisting of electrically heated chrome plated surfaces which can reach 300ºC. "We usually vary the temperature of the planchas depending on the section," says Palmer-Watts. Each range also has an Alto Shaam electric oven and holding drawers. Vying for the title of biggest spectacle is the rôtisserie, manufactured by Beech Ovens, based in Australia. Sefton's task in designing it was to replicate an old fireplace-based rôtisserie from centuries ago, where various counterbalanced weights determined cooking times. "A lot of time went into the design of the rôtisserie," he says. "With a heat range of 50-350ºC it was essential to build in an element of control." Its competitor for diners' attention is the Josper charcoal oven, imported by Jestic Foodservice Equipment, which Palmer-Watts says "can be used for lots of things". The Black Foot pork chop is finished in there after being cooked sous-vide in one of seven built-in water baths and both the sirloin and the wing rib of Black Angus cook in the top chamber. The oven is used at 350-400ºC during service but can go up to 500°C. Refrigeration is all undercounter with a total of six Iglu Gastronomy refrigerated draw units strategically placed so that each section has its own, including one on the pass. It runs on a central pack system, whereby the condensing unit is sited remotely. There is also a blast chiller by Irinox. Besides the refrigerated drawers, the pass houses a Multivac vacuum-packing machine. Above is a ceiling-hung shelf on which sits a Hatco Quick Therm salamander equipped with a plate detection switch that automatically activates the heating elements. The stainless steel fabrication is by Counterline. A rail containing marbles to hold checks was chosen above the more usual check grabber because it "gives a nicer finish" and is testament to any Blumenthal establishment's characteristic attention to detail. Deep-fat frying is done in a built-in twin-pan fryer, one of three supplied by Valentine and chosen for their impressive heat-up and recovery times. A ventilated ceiling by Halton Foodservice required the ceiling level to be dropped but provides a neater alternative to canopies over the cooking equipment Sited opposite is the cold larder section, which has its own pass. The small space has been maximised by packing in another Hatco salamander, Valentine fryer and more Iglu refrigeration besides an Elro 4-zone induction hob, an MKN compact combi-oven and a Chambrair cheese cabinet. The wash-up area, housing a Hobart rack dishwasher, is tucked away behind the show kitchen, out of site of diners. The pastry kitchen is entirely separate and sited around the corner from the show kitchen with its own built-in induction hobs, refrigeration and salamander, in addition to a Bakers Pride twin-deck oven, Carpigiani ice-cream machine and the obligatory marble-topped bench. Desserts are sent direct from here. Downstairs is another kitchen which Palmer-Watts describes as "the system behind the beast". Butchery, stock making, sauce making and two stages of the "triple-cooked chips" are among the tasks that take place down there. It's equipped with induction hobs and two pressure bratt pans, all by Elro, six-grid and 10-grid Rational combi-ovens besides another Valentine fryer, more Iglu refrigeration, and a further Alto-Shaam cook- and-hold oven, this one equipped with a perforated box to hold wood chips for smoking. It even houses a CCS coldroom, the design of which took into account the fact that one third of a coldroom is taken up with space to walk in and yet this space still uses up energy. Consequently the room is narrow rather than deep as is more usual, with three doors giving access to the sliding Hupfer trolleys inside. !Heston MNK ice cream](https://cdn.filestackcontent.com/9YRuAKb6Ro6OMRqqDDd7)Of course, this being a Blumenthal establishment, there had to be one or two gadgets: there's a squid cleaning machine discovered in Spain and a bespoke ice-cream machine (above) based on a Singer sewing machine for even more theatre at the chef's table. Getting the kitchen flow right Gareth Sefton says: "We try to design a kitchen to reduce the movement of chefs within it, so their workstations have to be as efficient as possible. The less chefs move, the quicker food can be produced, taking pressure from the pass. Stations should be flexible to allow additional assistance when needed. Set the kitchen up so the three main sections - hot, cold and pastry - come to a common focal point at the pass, enabling the head chef to check everything prior to waiter delivery to table." Hot spots ![Heston MNK ranges](https://cdn.filestackcontent.com/YI170JbqRLCZq9Htd6iT)The surface of each Rorgue range measures 3.7m x 1.1m and there are no pot racks or shelving above the working height so there is nothing obstructing the chefs' view. The aim of the design was a combination of hi-tech operating components and a traditional enamelled range. ![Heston MNK pineapples](https://cdn.filestackcontent.com/IojEirtTV1QgdLLgVRgA)The tipsy cake with spit-roasted pineapples has proved so popular that they are practically a permanent feature on the Beech Ovens rôtisserie during service. Rather than a traditional rôtisserie with ceramic fibre wicks, this one operates on a custom-built pulley system based on a 16th-century design. ![Heston MNK grill](https://cdn.filestackcontent.com/WKfO8VxSSVv7zecZFcTQ)The Josper charcoal oven is a closed barbecue oven fired by coals that are spread across the base. An adjustable air inlet controls the temperature. The dual-function oven and grill can be used to cook practically any type of food. Dinner kitchen's top energy-saving features â- Central pack refrigeration by Iglu â- Heat recovery dishwasher by Hobart â- Salamander grill by Hatco Contacts Alto-Shaam/FEM 01355 244111 [www.fem.co.uk](http://www.fem.co.uk) Beech Ovens/Equip Line 01895 272236 [www.equipline.co.uk](http://www.equipline.co.uk) CCS Refrigeration 0845 241 4955 [www.ccsrefrigeration.co.uk](http://www.ccsrefrigeration.co.uk) Counterline 0151-548 2211 [www.counterline.co.uk](http://www.counterline.co.uk) Elro UK 01908 526444 [www.elro-uk.ltd.uk](http://www.elro-uk.ltd.uk) Exclusive Ranges/Rorgue 01707 361770 [www.exclusiveranges.co.uk](http://www.exclusiveranges.co.uk) Halton Foodservice 01634 666111 [www.halton.com](http://www.halton.com) Hatco 01509 260140 [www.hatcocorp.com](http://www.hatcocorp.com) Hobart 0844 888 7777 [www.hobartuk.com](http://www.hobartuk.com) Iglu Cold Systems 0114 247 5555 [www.iglu.it](http://www.iglu.it) Irinox 01553 777870 [www.irinox.com](http://www.irinox.com) Jestic Foodservice Equipment 01892 502410 OR 0845 504 8050 [www.jestic.co.uk](http://www.jestic.co.uk) MKN 01886 832379 [www.mkn.de](http://www.mkn.de) Multivac 01793 425800 [www.multivac.co.uk](http://www.multivac.co.uk) Rational 0800 388 9294 [www.rational-online.com](http://www.rational-online.com) SeftonHornWinch 01322 420050 [www.shw-ckrc.com](http://www.shw-ckrc.com) Valentine 0118 957 1344 [www.valentinefryers.com](http://www.valentinefryers.com) Vision Commercial Kitchens 0844 811 7210 [www.visionck.co.uk](http://www.visionck.co.uk) You'd expect the kitchens at Heston Blumenthal's London restaurant to be precisely designed and very advanced technically - and so it has proved. Diane Lane took a look around Occupying the space previously home to the Foliage kitchen at London's Mandarin Oriental hotel, the new kitchen serving Dinner by Heston Blumethal is described on the design plan as a show kitchen and it certainly lives up to the name. During each service diners are treated to a performance from behind the glass wall as flames shoot from the Josper oven, pineapples turn slowly on the rôtisserie and the brigade conjures up its historically-inspired creations. "I wanted a dark, open, uncluttered kitchen for the atmosphere it would create and with no barrier between kitchen and dining room," explains executive chef Ashley Palmer-Watts, who worked alongside Gareth Sefton of FCSI member SeftonHornWinch to come up with the ultimate design, which was installed by CEDA member Vision Commercial Kitchens. "Some customers wander in to say thank you." The 130-cover restaurant's concept was the starting point, the idea being to recreate historical recipe ideas - although Palmer-Watts points out it's about inspiration, not replication. "The dishes don't look like historical dishes, they pay homage to them," he says. "We use very similar cooking techniques as at the Fat Duck and the ethos is the same. The food is simple but there's a lot of technique - its elegance is simplicity. Dinner isn't fine dining or a brasserie, but a fine-dining version of a brasserie." Workflow was key to the design. "I had to run through service in my head and get Gareth to understand it," says Palmer-Watts. "Consistency is the hardest thing in any kitchen especially when you're doing bigger numbers. We put systems in place that don't allow the quality to slip and to keep consistency. It's based around a system and everyone works to that system so the margin for error is taken out." Bespoke range At the heart of the kitchen is a bespoke Rorgue range with coloured panels and polished framework in the classic French style, supplied by Exclusive Ranges. By its very nature a bespoke cooking suite is tailored to the exact requirements of the individual chef who will be at its helm. However, on this occasion, Sefton was challenged with a rather unusual request. In a departure from the traditional double-sided range, this one has been split in two so there is a gap down the middle giving access to each half from both sides and, in effect, resulting in two suites. The design supports a workflow pattern where the chefs stay put on their various stations around the outside of the suite while "runners" ferry the cooked food from each station down the gap between the suites to the pass for plating up. "It's not something I've done before but it really lends itself to a very efficient way of producing food," says Sefton. "The chefs are always on section." Palmer-Watts says: "I am really happy with the way the workflow is set up. The gap between the suites gives great access, workable from both sides if support is needed and they bring an uncluttered feel to the kitchen." Although, prior to opening Dinner, Palmer-Watts's experience of induction was limited to portable single hobs at the Fat Duck, it was the power source chosen for the suite. "I chose induction for its control and efficiency," he says. "It's not bellowing out heat and is more precise and so easy to keep clean." Each suite has two four-zone Menu System induction hobs - 6kW rated per ring - which for service are set to low, medium-low, medium, and high temperatures. Each section is further dual-zoned to cater for large or small pans. In between the hobs are two Steelform Italia planchas consisting of electrically heated chrome plated surfaces which can reach 300ºC. "We usually vary the temperature of the planchas depending on the section," says Palmer-Watts. Each range also has an Alto Shaam electric oven and holding drawers. Vying for the title of biggest spectacle is the rôtisserie, manufactured by Beech Ovens, based in Australia. Sefton's task in designing it was to replicate an old fireplace-based rôtisserie from centuries ago, where various counterbalanced weights determined cooking times. "A lot of time went into the design of the rôtisserie," he says. "With a heat range of 50-350ºC it was essential to build in an element of control." Its competitor for diners' attention is the Josper charcoal oven, imported by Jestic Foodservice Equipment, which Palmer-Watts says "can be used for lots of things". The Black Foot pork chop is finished in there after being cooked sous-vide in one of seven built-in water baths and both the sirloin and the wing rib of Black Angus cook in the top chamber. The oven is used at 350-400ºC during service but can go up to 500°C. Refrigeration is all undercounter with a total of six Iglu Gastronomy refrigerated draw units strategically placed so that each section has its own, including one on the pass. It runs on a central pack system, whereby the condensing unit is sited remotely. There is also a blast chiller by Irinox. Besides the refrigerated drawers, the pass houses a Multivac vacuum-packing machine. Above is a ceiling-hung shelf on which sits a Hatco Quick Therm salamander equipped with a plate detection switch that automatically activates the heating elements. The stainless steel fabrication is by Counterline. A rail containing marbles to hold checks was chosen above the more usual check grabber because it "gives a nicer finish" and is testament to any Blumenthal establishment's characteristic attention to detail. Deep-fat frying is done in a built-in twin-pan fryer, one of three supplied by Valentine and chosen for their impressive heat-up and recovery times. A ventilated ceiling by Halton Foodservice required the ceiling level to be dropped but provides a neater alternative to canopies over the cooking equipment Sited opposite is the cold larder section, which has its own pass. The small space has been maximised by packing in another Hatco salamander, Valentine fryer and more Iglu refrigeration besides an Elro 4-zone induction hob, an MKN compact combi-oven and a Chambrair cheese cabinet. The wash-up area, housing a Hobart rack dishwasher, is tucked away behind the show kitchen, out of site of diners. The pastry kitchen is entirely separate and sited around the corner from the show kitchen with its own built-in induction hobs, refrigeration and salamander, in addition to a Bakers Pride twin-deck oven, Carpigiani ice-cream machine and the obligatory marble-topped bench. Desserts are sent direct from here. Downstairs is another kitchen which Palmer-Watts describes as "the system behind the beast". Butchery, stock making, sauce making and two stages of the "triple-cooked chips" are among the tasks that take place down there. It's equipped with induction hobs and two pressure bratt pans, all by Elro, six-grid and 10-grid Rational combi-ovens besides another Valentine fryer, more Iglu refrigeration, and a further Alto-Shaam cook- and-hold oven, this one equipped with a perforated box to hold wood chips for smoking. It even houses a CCS coldroom, the design of which took into account the fact that one third of a coldroom is taken up with space to walk in and yet this space still uses up energy. Consequently the room is narrow rather than deep as is more usual, with three doors giving access to the sliding Hupfer trolleys inside. ![Heston MNK ice cream](https://cdn.filestackcontent.com/9YRuAKb6Ro6OMRqqDDd7)Of course, this being a Blumenthal establishment, there had to be one or two gadgets: there's a squid cleaning machine discovered in Spain and a bespoke ice-cream machine (above) based on a Singer sewing machine for even more theatre at the chef's table. Getting the kitchen flow right Gareth Sefton says: "We try to design a kitchen to reduce the movement of chefs within it, so their workstations have to be as efficient as possible. The less chefs move, the quicker food can be produced, taking pressure from the pass. Stations should be flexible to allow additional assistance when needed. Set the kitchen up so the three main sections - hot, cold and pastry - come to a common focal point at the pass, enabling the head chef to check everything prior to waiter delivery to table." Hot spots ![Heston MNK ranges](https://cdn.filestackcontent.com/YI170JbqRLCZq9Htd6iT)The surface of each Rorgue range measures 3.7m x 1.1m and there are no pot racks or shelving above the working height so there is nothing obstructing the chefs' view. The aim of the design was a combination of hi-tech operating components and a traditional enamelled range. ![Heston MNK pineapples](https://cdn.filestackcontent.com/IojEirtTV1QgdLLgVRgA)The tipsy cake with spit-roasted pineapples has proved so popular that they are practically a permanent feature on the Beech Ovens rôtisserie during service. Rather than a traditional rôtisserie with ceramic fibre wicks, this one operates on a custom-built pulley system based on a 16th-century design. ![Heston MNK grill](https://cdn.filestackcontent.com/WKfO8VxSSVv7zecZFcTQ)The Josper charcoal oven is a closed barbecue oven fired by coals that are spread across the base. An adjustable air inlet controls the temperature. The dual-function oven and grill can be used to cook practically any type of food. Dinner kitchen's top energy-saving features â- Induction hobs by Menu System and Elro â- Central pack refrigeration by Iglu â- Heat recovery dishwasher by Hobart â- Salamander grill by Hatco Contacts Alto-Shaam/FEM 01355 244111 [www.fem.co.uk](http://www.fem.co.uk) Beech Ovens/Equip Line 01895 272236 [www.equipline.co.uk](http://www.equipline.co.uk) CCS Refrigeration 0845 241 4955 [www.ccsrefrigeration.co.uk](http://www.ccsrefrigeration.co.uk) Counterline 0151-548 2211 [www.counterline.co.uk](http://www.counterline.co.uk) Elro UK 01908 526444 [www.elro-uk.ltd.uk](http://www.elro-uk.ltd.uk) Exclusive Ranges/Rorgue 01707 361770 [www.exclusiveranges.co.uk](http://www.exclusiveranges.co.uk) Halton Foodservice 01634 666111 [www.halton.com](http://www.halton.com) Hatco 01509 260140 [www.hatcocorp.com](http://www.hatcocorp.com) Hobart 0844 888 7777 [www.hobartuk.com](http://www.hobartuk.com) Iglu Cold Systems 0114 247 5555 [www.iglu.it](http://www.iglu.it) Irinox 01553 777870 [www.irinox.com](http://www.irinox.com) Jestic Foodservice Equipment 01892 502410 OR 0845 504 8050 [www.jestic.co.uk](http://www.jestic.co.uk) MKN 01886 832379 [www.mkn.de](http://www.mkn.de) Multivac 01793 425800 [www.multivac.co.uk](http://www.multivac.co.uk) Rational 0800 388 9294 [www.rational-online.com](http://www.rational-online.com) SeftonHornWinch 01322 420050 [www.shw-ckrc.com](http://www.shw-ckrc.com) Valentine 0118 957 1344 [www.valentinefryers.com](http://www.valentinefryers.com) Vision Commercial Kitchens 0844 811 7210 [www.visionck.co.uk](http://www.visionck.co.uk) You'd expect the kitchens at Heston Blumenthal's London restaurant to be precisely designed and very advanced technically - and so it has proved. Diane Lane took a look around Occupying the space previously home to the Foliage kitchen at London's Mandarin Oriental hotel, the new kitchen serving Dinner by Heston Blumethal is described on the design plan as a show kitchen and it certainly lives up to the name. During each service diners are treated to a performance from behind the glass wall as flames shoot from the Josper oven, pineapples turn slowly on the rôtisserie and the brigade conjures up its historically-inspired creations. "I wanted a dark, open, uncluttered kitchen for the atmosphere it would create and with no barrier between kitchen and dining room," explains executive chef Ashley Palmer-Watts, who worked alongside Gareth Sefton of FCSI member SeftonHornWinch to come up with the ultimate design, which was installed by CEDA member Vision Commercial Kitchens. "Some customers wander in to say thank you." The 130-cover restaurant's concept was the starting point, the idea being to recreate historical recipe ideas - although Palmer-Watts points out it's about inspiration, not replication. "The dishes don't look like historical dishes, they pay homage to them," he says. "We use very similar cooking techniques as at the Fat Duck and the ethos is the same. The food is simple but there's a lot of technique - its elegance is simplicity. Dinner isn't fine dining or a brasserie, but a fine-dining version of a brasserie." Workflow was key to the design. "I had to run through service in my head and get Gareth to understand it," says Palmer-Watts. "Consistency is the hardest thing in any kitchen especially when you're doing bigger numbers. We put systems in place that don't allow the quality to slip and to keep consistency. It's based around a system and everyone works to that system so the margin for error is taken out." Bespoke range At the heart of the kitchen is a bespoke Rorgue range with coloured panels and polished framework in the classic French style, supplied by Exclusive Ranges. By its very nature a bespoke cooking suite is tailored to the exact requirements of the individual chef who will be at its helm. However, on this occasion, Sefton was challenged with a rather unusual request. In a departure from the traditional double-sided range, this one has been split in two so there is a gap down the middle giving access to each half from both sides and, in effect, resulting in two suites. The design supports a workflow pattern where the chefs stay put on their various stations around the outside of the suite while "runners" ferry the cooked food from each station down the gap between the suites to the pass for plating up. "It's not something I've done before but it really lends itself to a very efficient way of producing food," says Sefton. "The chefs are always on section." Palmer-Watts says: "I am really happy with the way the workflow is set up. The gap between the suites gives great access, workable from both sides if support is needed and they bring an uncluttered feel to the kitchen." Although, prior to opening Dinner, Palmer-Watts's experience of induction was limited to portable single hobs at the Fat Duck, it was the power source chosen for the suite. "I chose induction for its control and efficiency," he says. "It's not bellowing out heat and is more precise and so easy to keep clean." Each suite has two four-zone Menu System induction hobs - 6kW rated per ring - which for service are set to low, medium-low, medium, and high temperatures. Each section is further dual-zoned to cater for large or small pans. In between the hobs are two Steelform Italia planchas consisting of electrically heated chrome plated surfaces which can reach 300ºC. "We usually vary the temperature of the planchas depending on the section," says Palmer-Watts. Each range also has an Alto Shaam electric oven and holding drawers. Vying for the title of biggest spectacle is the rôtisserie, manufactured by Beech Ovens, based in Australia. Sefton's task in designing it was to replicate an old fireplace-based rôtisserie from centuries ago, where various counterbalanced weights determined cooking times. "A lot of time went into the design of the rôtisserie," he says. "With a heat range of 50-350ºC it was essential to build in an element of control." Its competitor for diners' attention is the Josper charcoal oven, imported by Jestic Foodservice Equipment, which Palmer-Watts says "can be used for lots of things". The Black Foot pork chop is finished in there after being cooked sous-vide in one of seven built-in water baths and both the sirloin and the wing rib of Black Angus cook in the top chamber. The oven is used at 350-400ºC during service but can go up to 500°C. Refrigeration is all undercounter with a total of six Iglu Gastronomy refrigerated draw units strategically placed so that each section has its own, including one on the pass. It runs on a central pack system, whereby the condensing unit is sited remotely. There is also a blast chiller by Irinox. Besides the refrigerated drawers, the pass houses a Multivac vacuum-packing machine. Above is a ceiling-hung shelf on which sits a Hatco Quick Therm salamander equipped with a plate detection switch that automatically activates the heating elements. The stainless steel fabrication is by Counterline. A rail containing marbles to hold checks was chosen above the more usual check grabber because it "gives a nicer finish" and is testament to any Blumenthal establishment's characteristic attention to detail. Deep-fat frying is done in a built-in twin-pan fryer, one of three supplied by Valentine and chosen for their impressive heat-up and recovery times. A ventilated ceiling by Halton Foodservice required the ceiling level to be dropped but provides a neater alternative to canopies over the cooking equipment Sited opposite is the cold larder section, which has its own pass. The small space has been maximised by packing in another Hatco salamander, Valentine fryer and more Iglu refrigeration besides an Elro 4-zone induction hob, an MKN compact combi-oven and a Chambrair cheese cabinet. The wash-up area, housing a Hobart rack dishwasher, is tucked away behind the show kitchen, out of site of diners. The pastry kitchen is entirely separate and sited around the corner from the show kitchen with its own built-in induction hobs, refrigeration and salamander, in addition to a Bakers Pride twin-deck oven, Carpigiani ice-cream machine and the obligatory marble-topped bench. Desserts are sent direct from here. Downstairs is another kitchen which Palmer-Watts describes as "the system behind the beast". Butchery, stock making, sauce making and two stages of the "triple-cooked chips" are among the tasks that take place down there. It's equipped with induction hobs and two pressure bratt pans, all by Elro, six-grid and 10-grid Rational combi-ovens besides another Valentine fryer, more Iglu refrigeration, and a further Alto-Shaam cook- and-hold oven, this one equipped with a perforated box to hold wood chips for smoking. It even houses a CCS coldroom, the design of which took into account the fact that one third of a coldroom is taken up with space to walk in and yet this space still uses up energy. Consequently the room is narrow rather than deep as is more usual, with three doors giving access to the sliding Hupfer trolleys inside. ![Heston MNK ice cream](https://cdn.filestackcontent.com/9YRuAKb6Ro6OMRqqDDd7)Of course, this being a Blumenthal establishment, there had to be one or two gadgets: there's a squid cleaning machine discovered in Spain and a bespoke ice-cream machine (above) based on a Singer sewing machine for even more theatre at the chef's table. Getting the kitchen flow right Gareth Sefton says: "We try to design a kitchen to reduce the movement of chefs within it, so their workstations have to be as efficient as possible. The less chefs move, the quicker food can be produced, taking pressure from the pass. Stations should be flexible to allow additional assistance when needed. Set the kitchen up so the three main sections - hot, cold and pastry - come to a common focal point at the pass, enabling the head chef to check everything prior to waiter delivery to table." Hot spots ![Heston MNK ranges](https://cdn.filestackcontent.com/YI170JbqRLCZq9Htd6iT)The surface of each Rorgue range measures 3.7m x 1.1m and there are no pot racks or shelving above the working height so there is nothing obstructing the chefs' view. The aim of the design was a combination of hi-tech operating components and a traditional enamelled range. ![Heston MNK pineapples](https://cdn.filestackcontent.com/IojEirtTV1QgdLLgVRgA)The tipsy cake with spit-roasted pineapples has proved so popular that they are practically a permanent feature on the Beech Ovens rôtisserie during service. Rather than a traditional rôtisserie with ceramic fibre wicks, this one operates on a custom-built pulley system based on a 16th-century design. ![Heston MNK grill](https://cdn.filestackcontent.com/WKfO8VxSSVv7zecZFcTQ)The Josper charcoal oven is a closed barbecue oven fired by coals that are spread across the base. An adjustable air inlet controls the temperature. The dual-function oven and grill can be used to cook practically any type of food. Dinner kitchen's top energy-saving features â- Induction hobs by Menu System and Elro â- Central pack refrigeration by Iglu â- Heat recovery dishwasher by Hobart â- Salamander grill by Hatco Contacts Alto-Shaam/FEM 01355 244111 [www.fem.co.uk](http://www.fem.co.uk) Beech Ovens/Equip Line 01895 272236 [www.equipline.co.uk](http://www.equipline.co.uk) CCS Refrigeration 0845 241 4955 [www.ccsrefrigeration.co.uk](http://www.ccsrefrigeration.co.uk) Counterline 0151-548 2211 [www.counterline.co.uk](http://www.counterline.co.uk) Elro UK 01908 526444 [www.elro-uk.ltd.uk](http://www.elro-uk.ltd.uk) Exclusive Ranges/Rorgue 01707 361770 [www.exclusiveranges.co.uk](http://www.exclusiveranges.co.uk) Halton Foodservice 01634 666111 [www.halton.com](http://www.halton.com) Hatco 01509 260140 [www.hatcocorp.com](http://www.hatcocorp.com) Hobart 0844 888 7777 [www.hobartuk.com](http://www.hobartuk.com) Iglu Cold Systems 0114 247 5555 [www.iglu.it](http://www.iglu.it) Irinox 01553 777870 [www.irinox.com](http://www.irinox.com) Jestic Foodservice Equipment 01892 502410 OR 0845 504 8050 [www.jestic.co.uk](http://www.jestic.co.uk) MKN 01886 832379 [www.mkn.de](http://www.mkn.de) Multivac 01793 425800 [www.multivac.co.uk](http://www.multivac.co.uk) Rational 0800 388 9294 [www.rational-online.com](http://www.rational-online.com) SeftonHornWinch 01322 420050 [www.shw-ckrc.com](http://www.shw-ckrc.com) Valentine 0118 957 1344 [www.valentinefryers.com](http://www.valentinefryers.com) Vision Commercial Kitchens 0844 811 7210 [www.visionck.co.uk
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