Opening of Rouge Restaurant at Redbridge College

Having recently installed four Charvet Professional 800 series cooking suites into a Production and Training kitchen Mike Mulvihill, Director of Study, wanted to celebrate and host a special evening to commemorate the opening of his new college facilities.

Who better to do this than Albert Roux! On Thursday 4 October 2007 saw Albert and the students of Redbridge put on a superb culinary evening that will be remembered for years to come. The new dining area called Rouge Restaurant is one of the finest college restaurants in the country featuring a bar reception area and a restaurant area that can seat up to 60 guests, plus there is a large plasma screen on one wall that allows the guests a view directly into the kitchen.

Want to see for yourself then contact Rouge Restaurant direct on 0208 548 7441 or www.redbridge-college.ac.uk

Electric Brock

Brockenhurst College has virtually gone electric when four Charvet Professional 800 series electric units were very kindly donated by a client, who having used them for seven years, wanted to help the college as the manner of their business had changed and knew that there were many more years of life left in them.

John Macarthur, Head of Hospitality Studies was delighted when he heard the news and asked Colin Leonard of Charvet to call in to help design them into his existing restaurant kitchen.

The first problem was that there was insufficient 3 phase power available so the units had to be stored for 5 months under tarpaulins just outside of the kitchen as there was ‘no room at the inn’ for storage.

The 3 phase power was sourced into the catering building and the ranges consisting of a bratt pan, ribbed griddle, 4 plate solid top with oven and a 2 plate top was finally installed during this Summer (2007) ready for the new academic year.

John said “I was absolutely amazed when we switched on and everything fired up first time and is still going strong”!
To have a great meal and see for yourself contact them on 01590 625537

Hotel Terravina

Situated in the heart of the New Forest Hotel Terravina is a new venture by the renowned Gerard Basset, and is described as having a boutique ambience blended with a passion for great food and wine.

At the heart of the open plan kitchen within the restaurant is a Charvet Professional 900 wall suite giving head chef Rory Duncan the opportunity to communicate with his customers. Rory is no stranger to Charvet as he has worked on Charvet at two of his previous places, One Aldwich in London and the Driftwood in Cornwall, and was pleasantly surprised to see Charvet specified by Gerard at Hotel Terravina.

The complete kitchen installation was undertaken by Vision Commercial Catering Equipment Ltd based in Manchester who have worked with Gerard before in his former role with Hotel du Vin.

Rory says of Charvet “it’s an amazing bit if kit and it is easy to keep it clean and looking great, especially important as we are all in the public eye here.”

Faultless at RBS

Royal bank of Scotland’s new corporate headquarters in Gogarburn, Edinburgh, features kitchens designed and installed by Scobie & McIntosh (C.E) Ltd. A production kitchen and an open-to-view servery kitchen are situation within a training school for bank executives, which includes 70-bed hotel-style accommodation and state of the art training facilities.

“The chefs were delighted with the Charvet ranges,” says Scobie’s Project Department Manager Alan Davidson. “It was a joy to work with such equipment. The kit arrived in perfect order, on schedule and everything there that should be. We have had many compliments from the chefs, especially about the servery kitchen – the Charvet range (pictured) very much compliments the servery and counters we designed and installed.

“The support form Charvet’s National Sales Manager Ian Clow, on technical issues and on staff training here, was also faultless”

What a Team!

The Catering and Hospitality department at Stratford-upon-Avon College boasts six independent Charvet cooking suites in our heavy duty 800 series installed over the past three years.

The college is a Centre of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) and a major part of the Central Academy of Hospitality and Catering in partnershipt with Henley, North Warwickshire and Hinckley Colleges.

The first two suites were commissioned for the training kitchen allowing eight students to operate in safety around each, this was followed a year later with another two suites, but cantilevered as multi-function suites this time. A modular Charvet demonstration suite with a one – piece top was installed as well. In 2005 the college’s main restaurant production kitchen was upgraded with a new Charvet range making it the sixth suite. CoVE Manager at Stratford is Alan Deegan:- “We did our research prior to the purchase and asked other college and caterers about the suppliers on our shortlist – we also saw working ranges at Westminster and Birmingham colleges and got their opinions.
“Charvet really are good, work well, look good and are really reliable.”
“I would expect them to last at least 15 years but probably much longer because we look after them well – even though they can be working from 9am until 10pm weekdays and often at weekends for other courses.
“They are also good for student and teacher moral – they just look so professional”
The main design work was done by Colin Leonard, Charvet’s UK Sales Manager and Alan Deegan, who once worked together at Claridges in London. Both eventually went into teaching as chef instructors, Alan at Stratford and Colin at Bournemouth and Southampton City Colleges. These designs then went out to tender, with C & C Catering equipment of Chester being successful Charvet distributor and installer.

Two Years Later

“Nothing has broken down and it still looks brand new,” says Hilton London Euston (formerly the Euston Plaza, Bloomsbury) Head Chef Eric Gavignet, “Choosing Charvet had nothing to with my being French”

Two years ago Gavignet, working with Martin Stephens of Tag Catering Equipment UK Ltd (Stanstead Abbotts, Herts) was looking to re-equip the main cooking suite in his busy kitchen. He wanted a bespoke suite with blue enamel side panels with high polished stainless steel door and end panel surrounds and protection rails, together with a one piece to, (Charvet’s includes titanium).

“We want through the whole process,” he says “looking at all of the major suppliers – UK, French, Italian and American. I also went to see their products live. Out of all of them Charvet was the best designed, most compact, most efficient and offered the best value for money.”

“Best of all, it was also the most aesthetic. Charvet is well built and there are no gaps which is better for easier cleaning and hygiene,” “Something which none of the other suppliers were able to do was to combine in one unit, my bratt pan and stock pot – I wanted a one piece unit for hygiene and for aesthetics.”

“I am very happy. Charvet equipment is good value for money, solid and will last 20 years or more.”

Twice the room for just one suite

Located in the heart of London, just two minutes form Trafalgar Square, The Royal Commonwealth Society and The Commonwealth Club celebrated the opening of its expanded new premises and new kitchens in January 2006.

The back of house requirements were managed by Shaun Whitehouse, Club Manager and Head Chef Mark Page working in liaison with Neil Denton of Crane Catering Services and Colin Leonard of Charvet.

Two new kitchens were needed and Head Chef Mark Page said of Charvet’s equipment and Crane’s installation of one bespoke and one modular range: “I am really, really pleased; it’s made a great deal of difference and is obviously good heavy duty equipment. “The bespoke suite really changed the way the Club wanted to work,” said Mark.

“The old suite was a small wall suite, because the space was long and narrow. Charvet designed a long thin (1200mm wide) bespoke range with pass through ovens that comes off the end wall, allowing my chefs to work on both sides, giving twice the room for staff without altering the kitchen dimensions.” The second kitchen being larger enabled an 800 series heavy duty modular central island suite to be installed with semi one-piece tops. Crane Catering Services undertook the kitchen installations including extraction, canopies, wall cladding and all major gas and electrical work as well as the installation and commissioning of the modular and bespoke Charvet ranged.

Mark Page’s favourite bit of kit is the Charvet salamander: “It throws out so much heat. It’s great for service and has really speeded things up; to finish a piece of fish is done in seconds.

“I defiantly recommend Charvet!”

Thoughtful Process at Calcot

Help with choosing the right type and style of range was just one reasons why AA Hotel of the Year Caloct Manor chose Charvet. Director and Executive Chef Mike Croft is responsible for the Manor, The Gumstool – Calcot’s traditional country pub – and their outside catering business, Williams Kitchen at Calcot.

“We were fed up with poor quality equipment that only lasted a couple of years. So-called top end kit was just not up to the job.” “I had an eye on Charvet for a couple of years and am delighted with our choices. It’s made to last and is performing very well” Croft installed a bespoke island suite for the open-plan Calcot kitchen two years ago and more recently, a Charvet 1000 series heavy duty range for the outside catering business. A 900 series central island suite is on the its way for the Gumstool.

“I am happy to recommend them and I’d add hat the design service from the company proved that Charvet put a lot of care and thought into it.” “A lot of companies just sell and leave it at that. What I really liked about Charvet and their distributor Stan Berwick from QSP Food Solutions Ltd (based in Gloucestershire) is that they worked well together and with the chefs here and that was critical in making the installation work. “Stan was particularly good at thinking through problems, understanding how our kitchens worked and putting the equipment in the best place.” “It was just a joy when it arrived and it all fitted together perfectly. The 1000 series in particular is big industrial sized catering equipment to a very high specification and I’d recommend it for high volume bulk cooking.
“The bespoke rande is on display and we often give our guests a guided tour around it. I love it, it looks the business, built to last and is very efficient for its size and has a lot of features which if they were supplied as modular units, would take up far more room. There are no gaps and it is very easy to keep clean”.

Idyll on Eriska

The isle of Eriska Hotel & Spa is located on a small island between Oban and fort William and offers all of the delights of a Scottish country retreat – with modern facilities.

“Our average stay is three nights” says Beppo Buchanan-Smith, whose family has owned the 22 bed hotel and eastate since 1973. Smith is aiming to achive the top 5-star status within the new AA/Scottish Tourist Board scheme. Over the years the hotel has been sensitively modernised and extended and now boasts a pool, spa, sauna, and highly regarded restaurant, the kitchen itself was modernised last year, in conjunction with R H Morten of Glasgow.

Four prime cooking equipment manufactures were scrutinized but it was Charvet’s flexibility that won the day. “Niether the cheapests nor the most expensive of the options considerd” according to Smith, three things proved conclusive: - “We felt the tall chimneys on the back of the 800 series heavy duty would help get the heat out of the kitchen more quickly. The ovens generate incredible heat and the choice of utilities gave us the exact layout we wanted, but not at an extortionate price.”

Why such a large range? The restaurant (whose chef Robert MacPherson, was voted by his peers ‘Scottish Hotel Chef of the Year’) serves a seven-course table d’hote meal, using nine plates per person, 45 covers. The range is set up so one side is meat, fish and sauces while the other is on starters and vegetables. “When we are flat out we need as much space as possible,” says Smith. “We could cook for 100 and still only use the same number of pans.”

Canteen King

Cass Titcombe is head Chef and co-owner of Canteen, the Spitalfields restaurant in London’s East End, which has captured the hearts and minds of London food critics.
‘I can’t remember feeling quite so enthused and invigorated by a catering venture – saying to myself, “Here is progress”. His refusal to pander to the lowests common denominator, while still delivering food that people really want to eat, gives the place its character,” said the Evening Standard’s Fay Maschler. Immediate Hit: Opened in late 2005, Canteen has proved an immediate hit and booking a table is a must. Mealtime favourites include traditional pies with mash, fresh fish either fried or grilled and rib-eye steak, caramelised shallots & horseradish butter. Gingerbread with quinces and apple crumble are part of a large assortment of desserts complimented by a selection of freshly baked cakes and biscuits. Moving form Brighton’s Road Eating Company, Titcombe has also worked in London restaurants Daphne’s (Italian), Pasha (Moroccan) and The Collection (modern British/eclectic) “I just learned by reading and doing lots of various jobs”, says Titcombe. Why did class Titcombe choose Charvet? “We had a budget in mind and looked a the various suppliers. I wished I could have Charvet but I didn’t think I could afford it…but we compared prices! “We are open from 9am – 11pm seven days and I needed something that would last and throw out the heat. Having Charvet which is all suited together and neatly done is great.”
Canteen’s kitchen and its Charvet range with solid tops and ovens, pasta cooker, chargrill and fryers: “Dominates the view,” says Airedale Catering Equipment’s Business Development Director Mike Bridger, who specified and designed the Charvet kitchen with Cass Titcombe. “Customers can see right through the kitchen which is very neat and tidy, thanks to the smooth profile of the kit and the fact you are on show puts the chefs under due diligence.”
“Charvet is very cost-effective and in line with most of the other manufactures. For the same price as everybody else’s kit, we got a heavy duty cooking suite – but tailored exactly to what we wanted”