Loughborough College
Challenge: How does a catering college, with a wide variety of outlets, benefit most from a Panasonic Combination Oven?
Darren Creed, senior chef lecturer and curriculum manager, has been at Loughborough College for 22 years and describes the customer base as varied; as well as the catering training function, the College operates an award-winning bistro with lunch service and evening à la carte and tasting menus, as well as a refectory that caters for between 700 to 800 covers per day with breakfast, lunches and snacks.
Solution: By using the NE-1275, large numbers can be catered for, within a limited amount of time, served with a wide variety of dishes.
Darren describes the main advantages; “We found there were a wide variety of uses that the Panasonic Combination Oven was capable of, including paninis, toasted melts, regeneration of cook-chilled food, grilling, cooking potatoes, baking pizzas and re-heating rice dishes! We’ve used Panasonic ovens for at least 10 years at the College, but this is the first time we’ve put a combi oven through its paces.
“In general, Panasonic’s ovens are slick and streamlined, with a modern, ergonomic design. They’re hugely cost effective as they last so long and live up to the harsh treatment they can be given in a commercial kitchen. They’re also efficient, fast and don’t dry out the food. Our use of the combi oven has meant we can improve service with a quicker, more enhanced offer, save time in the kitchen and produce dishes that we would otherwise have not been able to do so easily.
“Without a doubt we’d always specify Panasonic. Especially the combi, it’s an amazingly versatile piece of kit! The design is in keeping with a commercial kitchen and doesn’t look out of place on display front of house as the sleek look fits in so well.”