With her aching feet in a bowl of warm water after the long march around the equipment hall at Hotelympia, our well-seasoned pub cook Peggy reports back on the latest kitchen kit on offer.
Two things about Hotelympia. First of all, it's not at London's Olympia any more - it's at ExCel in Docklands, which seems a bit silly. But even if I wasn't the first person to ask the security bloke at Olympia for directions, there was certainly no call for that sort of language. Secondly, getting round to see everything at the show involves a lot of walking. On reflection, comfy shoes would have been more sensible than three-inch stilettos.
Anyway, I'm fed up with our kitchen at the pub. The cooker takes an hour to heat up properly, the fridge door is hanging off its hinges, and the microwave hasn't been the same since Ethel used it to warm up her avocado face pack. We were scraping that off for weeks.
So my visit to Hotelympia - and honestly, why not just call it Hotexcel? - was a good chance to look at some ideas for a new kitchen. All I've got to do now is convince the bank manager.
- Amana Veloci high speed combination oven
- The Contact Grill Company
Blimey, this is quite amazing - it cooks 12 times faster than a conventional oven. Basically, the food is cooked quickly by a microwave, and at the same time crisped and finished off by radiant and convection heat. You can cook a frozen pizza in just seventy seconds, and it's great for everything from toasted sandwiches and lasagne to salmon with grilled vegetables. It comes with a cooking guide featuring over 30 recipes and can be programmed with up to 100 different menu items. One-touch operation also simplifies staff training - and they don't come much more simple than our lot.
The Contact Grill Company 01344 751652 www.contactgrillcompany.co.uk
Classeq Duo Series
Classeq
I'd never heard of Classeq, but it turns out they used to be called Classic - we've had one of their glasswashers for years. I really liked the new Duo series of front-loading glasswashers and dishwashers. The nice young man who showed them to me was wearing a lovely suit, and certainly knew his stuff. They race through a big lot of glasses or dishes time after time, and don't use much water either since a clever filter system keeps the wash-water clearer for longer. The Duo 500 and 750 dishwashers can handle between 180 and 360 plates per hour respectively and only take three minutes per wash cycle. I'm not sure why they've changed their name, but I'm sure it's for a very good reason - are you listening, Hotelympia?
Classeq 0870 224 7280
Scotsman AC icemakers
Hubbard Ice Systems
You've never enough ice, have you? Hubbard Ice Systems has launched a new curved line giving it futuristic looks that they reckon will appeal to modern bars. Most of the new AC models have bigger ice storage bins than their predecessors. Hygiene is another major focus, with the a new "clean me" indicator that tells you when the condenser's air filter needs cleaning. There's also a lovely scoop holder in the storage bin - which should stop barstaff from putting the scoop down in the dirtiest place they can find.
Hubbard Ice Systems 01473 890129 www.hubbard.co.uk
Apuro Kitchenaid
Apuro
Its always nice to get stuck in. On the Apuro stand I had the chance to make some real homemade fettuccini using KitchenAid mixers and accessories. Demonstration chef Richard Norman was in charge, but the woman helping him in the picture looks to be making a right pig's ear of it. Mine was much better.
Apuro 0121 744 0968 www.apuro.co.uk
Gram Midi and Plus
Gram UK
Did you know you can get your tax reduced if you buy energy saving appliances? I bet our accountant doesn't, but then he's about as much use as a soggy cheese cracker.
Refrigeration specialist Gram has nine products on the Energy Technology List, qualifying for the government's Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) scheme. This includes models from its Plus 600 range and Midi 425 & 625, which are the most energy-efficient products currently on the market, so they tell me.
Gram UK 01322 616900
Adande VariCool
Adande
Tight spaces are a bit of a feature of our kitchen, so I'm definitely going to think about getting one of the new VariCool units from Adande. The refrigerated drawers can be configured in an upright format, side by side to provide low-level counters, and can squeeze into some pretty snug places.
Adande 01502 533796 www.adande.co.uk
Eloma combi-oven
Falcon Foodservice Equipment
I've always fancied a combi-oven - more use than most kitchen staff - but they're a bit pricey. So when I saw the Eloma Compact on the Falcon Foodservice stand it was love at first sight. It's a table-top combi-oven which can cook with steam only, dry heat only or a mix. Falcon says its a perfect fit for pubs with a small to medium volume of food sales, and I think they could be right. It also saves energy by using a direct steam injection system which only heats up enough water for the cooking cycle.
Falcon Foodservice Equipment 01786 455200 www.falconfoodservice.com
Williams Refrigeration CoolSmart
Williams Refrigeration
I'm not sure how I feel about an intelligent fridge - it sounds like something Dr Who would tackle. But Williams Refrigeration showed me their new energy efficient "intelligent" refrigeration controllers, which can reduce energy consumption by up to 15 per cent. The controllers detect "peak" times - such as when warm products are placed in the refrigerator or doors are opened and shut frequently - and "economy" periods such as overnight when temperature changes are low. That could stop me from nipping down for a slice of cheesecake in the early hours - the fridge might not like it.
Williams Refrigeration 0800 526 517 www.williams-refrigeration.com