ADVICE
ADVICE | STEPHEN AYERS
The importance of thought and
consideration in designing kitchens
many kitchen designs, all of them for removed from the type you see at Subway
medium to large hotels by European restaurants, and other equipment.
standards. All of them needed all of
those designers I had worked with, and let
main cooking area, the garde-manger my imagination run amok.
(cold kitchen), the butchery, vegetable
CEO of STAY Ahead Hospitality
I
While sitting with the caterer and
preparation, the bakery and sweet shop, learning about the various menus that
the saucery, the dishwash areas, storage. would be delivered at mealtimes and
During the course of my collaborations
STEPHEN W. AYERS
I had fallen into the same habit as
the ‘usual’ kitchen departments, the
ready to serve to the guests, I realised
with professional designers, I had always with a shock that I was guilty of ‘overkill’
had to ‘dampen’ their enthusiasm for myself. I felt a little like I did way back
going overboard on too much equipment, at school when the teacher distributed
overkill if you will. Executive chefs tend to an exam with the instructions to read
like overkill - more toys. the questions and then answer them.
Here in Toronto, as lead consultant to
Everyone, myself included, waded into
this fine project, I found myself trying to the questions, feverishly writing down
t seems like a stupid title, correct? make sure that nothing would be lacking answers. Meanwhile one nerd at the
Then why do so many of us rush to in the small area allocated to the kitchen. I back of the class got up and declared
make mistakes before considering the was imagining combi-steamers, bain-marie “Completed”. Of course the last question
hot holding stations, heated dish out on the exam sheet read: ‘Do not answer
counters, a cold station for salads not far any of the questions but stand up and
whole picture?
I was just yesterday going over plans
state “completed”. We had not read all
for a kitchen at a boutique hotel slated
to open this September here in Toronto.
DURING THE
It is a fascinating project with a unique
COURSE OF MY
concept, certainly for Canada. The
boutique has no dining room, only a small
lounge and all guests are on full board,
meaning three meals a day, plus some
snacks. These meals are to be served in
COLLABORATIONS
WITH PROFESSIONAL
DESIGNERS, I HAD
ALWAYS HAD TO
their rooms.
Now, I knew that the meals were
cooked fresh off site and delivered twice
daily to the boutique, but I never stopped
to consider the cuisine requirements
carefully. It was only when we met with
the caterer that I began to see the error
of my ways.
I have been very much involved in
February 2019
‘DAMPEN’ THEIR
ENTHUSIASM FOR
GOING OVERBOARD ON
TOO MUCH EQUIPMENT,
‘‘
OVERKILL IF YOU WILL
the questions as instructed, just as I had
not considered all angles of necessity for
the kitchen.
Upon my return to my office I
immediately sat down and completely
revised my kitchen ‘project advice’ to
update the designer on our actual needs,
not those I initially presented, and here
is why.
Given that the facility is small (around
30 rooms), the maximum meals to be
served at each meal time would be thirty
meals if the place was fully occupied. Even
with the considerable variety of menus
the chances of having more than say
eight different meals would be slim.
www.hotelowner.co.uk
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