An excellent crop of new products across the spectrum. Bruce Whitehall reports on significant innovations
Spanish combis ovens are hot
A new gas combi-oven appeared among an extensive array of cooking, warewashing and refrigeration products from Fagor, Spain's largest catering equipment manufacturer. The HVG range of combis feature separate steam generating boilers and offers five modes of cooking via a simple programming system. Standard features include removable grease filters, core probes, shower Tap for easy cleaning and a new internal door glass system.
Ovens come in a complete choice of sizes from 6 to 40 Gastronorm 1/1 and 2/1 capacities in gas, LPG and electric.
Fagor Industrial UK
Speed it up
The Mealstream EC701, latest combination-microwave oven from Merrychef offers powerful accelerated cooking (English breakfast in just 100 seconds) without needing any external ventilation, thanks to a built-in air flow filtration system. Up to 100 multi-stage cooking programmes with up to three stages per programme can be pre-set and there are four microwave power levels.
Enodis Distribution UK
New steam conveyor oven
Steam has boosted versatility, speed and quality on many types of cooker so why not conveyor ovens? France's Capic has a 114 cm long model which produces superheated steam in its baking chamber by firing jets of water onto the electrically heated elements.
Primary role of the ovens is pizza, with the steam helping achieve a softer bake, but the concept also suits menus based on fresh produce such as fish, seafood and vegetables, adding succulence and reducing drying-out and weight loss.
Speed of the chain-link conveyor belt can be be varied. Typical throughput is 40-60 pizzas/hour and price is £4300.
Capic also makes conveyor ovens with radiant heating or air jet injection, plus combi-steamers, convection ovens, modular and customised ranges and tilting bratt pans and kettles.
www.multiplicity.co.uk
Multiplicity
Flexi combi
The world premiere of a new line of electric combi steamers took place on the MKN UK stand. Made in 6, 10 and 20 grid capacities, the boiler-less ovens are notable for their internal flexibility; grids can be adjusted in seconds to take Gastronorm 1/1 pans either lengthwise or widthwise and also standard 600 x 400mm baking pans.
Self-cleaning has also received attention and MKN can provide users with detergent and rinse aid in tiny containers which are placed in holders inside the oven cavity. Wax seals on the chemicals melt at a specific temperature during the cleaning cycle to maximise the cleaning impact.
MKN UK
Pot detector could save gas
Everyone knows that vast amounts of energy are wasted in every kitchen which uses gas ranges because chefs simply don't bother to switch down the energy supply when they remove pans. On latest Swiss-made Thermaline S90 ranges shown by Electrolux, the optional Eco-Flam pot detector on each burner lowers the gas to a simmer setting whenever a pan is removed. Gas savings of 25-30 per cent appear quite possible easily paying for the extra cost of the fitment which works out about £78 per burner on a 4-burner range, the list price of which is £4027.
www.foodservice.electrolux.com
Electrolux Foodservice
Plenty of bottle
Distinctively styled new GDM-9E underbar bottle coolers added to the True range of refrigeration equipment are made in a choice of aluminium, stainless steel or black exterior. Cabinets have sliding doors with triple glazed panes and double evaporators for extra cold performance with the latest "style" beers and alcopops. Capacity is 169 x 330ml bottles and price is just over £400. True, which claims 50 per cent of the US commercial refrigeration market by volume, has also introduced five-year warranty on compressors on top of its three-year parts and labour warranty on all other cabinet components.
www.truemfg.com
True Food Service Refrigeration
Glasses and dishes
The Dexion LP058 warewasher boasts suitability for both glasses and dishes with a was cycle as short as 60 seconds and automatic electronic control within a double walled cabinet. Aso standard : a self cleaning vertical wash pump, energy-saving system and digital display of wash and rinse temperatures. Operation is single phase (3.4 kW) and price is £1699.
Aberna
www.aberna.com
Versatile cutters
RF gravity feed slicers launched by Avery Berkel incorporate an exclusive hollow ground knife and built-in knife sharpener. The company also showed the 706T meat tenderiser for turning lower quality cuts into high-value tender meat. It can also be supplied as a strip cutter for dealing with meat, cheese and vegetables and - with compression combs fitted - for making burgers and patties.
www.averyberkel.com
Avery Berkel
Low cost microwave
The Microstar Cafe, a compact 20 litre capacity professional microwave oven shown by an offshoot of microwave parts stockist AWI offers a robust specification which includes all-stainless construction, glass internal doors screen and motorised stirrer at a price tag of £299. This unit, along with several larger catering models is made to Microstar specification in the Iberian region.
www.awimicrowave.com
Microstar
Cool sales
A special airflow system prevents condensation on new Parry Plus multi-deck cold merchandising units. It works by blowing warm air from the compressor on to the front, side and back glass and features on four sizes of refrigerated merchandiser and two patisserie cabinets. Merchandisers come in two back access units and two table-top versions while patisserie cabinets have a four level display with illuminated shelves. Finish is gold powder coated finish, with stainless steel available on request.
www.parrycatering.co.uk
Parry Catering Equipment
Display with dash
The expansion of the Sadia brand to cover a full range of hot and cold servery counters as well as refrigerated service cabinets was demonstrated by Viscount Catering. Equipment of note on the stand included a full-size refrigerated patisserie counter, shown as part of the Sadia Solutions selection of modular and custom-built counters and serveries, and a curved front three shelf merchandising display case. The latter is part of the Sadia Select range, users of which include the Starbucks coffee bar chain throughout Europe.
These 900mm wide cases are available in refrigerated, ambient or combined refrigerated/ambient versions. Operating temperature on the refrigerated models is 1°C-8°C in working environments of up to 25°C. Cabinets be specified open-fronted for self-service or enclosed for assisted service and feature hot gas defrost system, integral crumb trays and pull-out condenser trays for ease of servicing. Prices: from £2450 for an ambient assisted service cabinet and £3950 for an assisted service chilled display.
www.viscount-catering.com
Viscount Catering
Improved cassettes
A 50 per cent improvement in efficiency is claimed for the new generation of cassette units developed for Sadia upright refrigerated service cabinets. Cassettes, a concept originated by Sadia several years ago, enclose the refrigeration unit in a self-contained box which can be easily pulled out from the cabinet's top section. Cassettes can be easily swapped over to minimise any kitchen disruption during repairs and it's also possible to switch a cabinet from refrigerator to freezer or vice versa. Latest cassettes, available from April 2003, have improvements to compressor design and ambient air profiles, with condensers and evaporators given increased corrosion resistance and improved air flow.
Other features of Sadia service counters, available in refrigerated and freezer versions, include an temperature controller which provides the operator with immediate, accurate information on storage temperatures. A scroll back facility gives access to the controller's temperature records over the previous five days. The Sadia range also includes chef counters in two and three-door versions, undercounter refrigerators in white or stainless steel and 150 bottle capacity glazed door bottle coolers.
www.viscount-catering.com
Viscount Catering
Low-cost microwave
The Microstar Cafe, a compact 20 litre capacity professional microwave oven shown by an offshoot of microwave parts stockist AWI offers a robust specification which includes all-stainless construction, glass internal doors screen and motorised stirrer at a price tag of £299. This unit, along with several larger catering models is made to Microstar specification in Spain or Portugal.
www.awimicrowave.com
Microstar
Cool-to-touch catering boiler
Innovations among the extensive Burco Dean range of catering boilers include the 2.5 litre capacity C2T, a catering boiler with a stylish stainless steel, "cool-to-touch" main body, twist-lock lid with integral handles and easy to use one-handed non-drip dispensing tap. Price is £80. There is also an 8-litre version. The Burco range also includes the CP55 automatic coffee percolator able to brew from 12-55 cups of hot coffee at faster than one-cup per minute. It begins the brewing process once the desired amount of cold water and coffee are added to the vessel, calculating the brewing time required and switching over automatically to stand-by once the percolating process is complete.
www.burcodean.com
Burco Dean
Jam on tap
Made in South Africa, the Jam Jar Sauce Bar made its UK debut on the Hurst Green Plastics. It provides a neat solution for provision of jams, honey, syrups and sauces in self-service cafeterias, hospitals, hotels and fast food outlets. The tabletop unit comprises three clear polycarbonate containers which are filled with jams or sauces. A bayonet-type fitting at the base of each container connects to a valve, with three push-down taps in the front of the unit enabling users to dispense fixed portions of their chosen condiment directly onto their plates. price : £295.
Hurst Green Plastics
Pass-over
The market for small food holding/display units, the Polar countertop refrigerated merchandiser shown by WSM has a top-hinged curved glass front. The forced air refrigeration unit is fixed alongside and provides a useful pass-over shelf about half the height of the display case. Fabrication is in 304 grade stainless steel and the interior, which measures 675mm deep x 520mm high, is illuminated. Operating temperature is 3-5°C, with automatic defrost and water evaporation. www.waresheetmetal.co.uk
WSM
Chip storage
Valentine has introduced a Chip Dump to match in with its range of fryers. The neat stand-mounted unit holds holds the food in a 1/1 Gastronorm capacity tray and keeps it warm with a 3kW overhead quartz lamp. Price: £750.
Valentine Equipment
Table-top hobs
Latest induction hobs shown by Valera include five new table-top models under the Valera label in addition to its existing Sanyo hobs: a 2.5kW single ring model in manual and electronic control versions, a wok model and two extra powerful 3.5kW hobs. The 3 smaller models run off 13 amp supply. For main kitchens, Valera also now has a 7kW twin and 14kW quad hobs and drop-in models for building into suites.
Valera