031Our recent introduction is the Halton
MobiChef; a totally autonomous mobile
cooking station. Bringing the kitchen to
an open space and putting on a show for
diners interested in watching their food
cooked ‘live’ is an endeavour that requires
not only a good show from the chef but
equipment and the right environment as
well. The MobiChef’s proposition is to bring
the show to the middle of traditional dining
areas without front cooking poles and any
ventilation ductwork. Also, many cooking
shows chefs have an issue with drafts and
Halton’s R&D laboratories found that even
a draft generated by people walking past is
enough to affect the capture efficiency of
any kitchen ventilation system.
Gunalan Ganesan, General Manager
HaltonMany interior designers/architects do not have
sufficient understanding of storage and space
requirements, and because the kitchen is a high cost
item, they often compromise on space allocation.
Secondly, a chef needs to have depth of knowledge
of all sections of the kitchen before he is involved in
the design; workflow, space allocation and storage
requirements. Many a chef can design a cooking
area, but not necessarily have the experience to
fully utilise floor space for people movement,
equipment utilisation and storage allocation for
servicing the real functional needs of a full capacity
operation.” Executive Assistant Manager of Food
& Beverage, Freddie Khoo of The Westin Jakarta
affirms, “It should be equal between the chefs
and the kitchen consultants as there is a need to
understand the intent of the space and concept
before designing. The chef of the restaurant / hotel
would have more operational experience as this
business continues to be innovative in their set-up
and needs.”The kitchen consultants are able to draw
and present the design in a technical way.
However, the chefs would provide an operational
perspective to ensure that it is functional.
Chef Robert Stirrup