In the past decade there has been a rise in the level of thought and conscientiousness given to what the average consumer eats and drinks. With healthy eating and intake lifestyles being a major topic of discussion, both on a personal and political level, which alongside environmental concerns has brought about a demand for restaurants to adapt to these new preferences.
Chefs nowadays have to be capable of feeding customers with increasingly healthy foods, matching dietary requirements and choices, whilst producing less waste. Doing one of these things would prove to be a challenge, however, healthy eating often translates to more perishables being used which increases potential wastage if not micromanaged competently. This in and of itself, can cause a loss of productivity within a kitchen due to chefs need more time to adequately managed and rotate food which expires more quickly.
Looking at the food and drinks trends from 2018 it is clear that the general population’s attitude has tilted towards wanting to create more positive environmental and consumptive conscientiousness. Last year can be defined as when creative vegetarians and vegan cuisine made a strong foothold on the UK food industry. From advocating plant-based protein meals for physically fit individuals to the expansion of West African and Hawaiian food culture, to the growing trend for restaurant dishes to produce hyper-local food (where dishes are created with ingredients sourced within walking distance).
Utilising these organic products which lack many artificial preservatives and minimalizing waste to 0% provides a difficult environment for any restaurant which has inadequate refrigeration capabilities. With all possible parts of food items being employed in cooking, more containers will be required as various components won’t be cooked with the main segment e.g. using the rinds of oranges and lemon or using leftovers to create broths for soups.
From this situation it is clear to see that any kitchen which operates with small to medium industrial fridges just won’t be able to keep up in this dynamic and ever-changing industry. This is where Cold Rooms make their presence known. These units are the ultimate solution for any chef and restaurant which needs a sufficiently large storage option. This usually results any standard restaurant having at least one reliable Cold Room. For larger and very active restaurants having more than one Cold Room is not unusual.
Whilst a high-quality Cold Room brings numerous benefits to any owner, it is a necessity for those aiming to reduce kitchen waste to zero-levels. Where a chef who is not considerate about waste may look at Cold Rooms as important, but not imperative, a zero-waste chef will need to rely on large cold storage space to keep food at the perfect temperature, with enough space given to ensure ventilation reaches all of the internal contents. More variation in ingredients present results in more storage space being occupied, with each additional food component needing specific containers.
Having access to emergency cold storage in the event that other refrigeration units going down can also provide peace of mind, fortunately the Cold Rooms available from Corner Fridge Ltd are reliable and will be invaluable for any chef who is looking towards current and future food and drink trends. Many restaurateurs who desperately need the capacities of a Cold Room hold unnecessary reservations due to the misconception that their property had inadequate space to install a Cold Room. Integrated Cold Rooms provide the ideal conditions for zero-level cooks whilst being able to seamlessly retain a kitchens original style. Coming with the option to be installed into a wall space, these units can provide more efficient space usage, taking no more floor space but having greater capabilities to hold the additional ingredients which will be stored.
