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The following information is provided
courtesy of The Catering Equipment Suppliers Association.
Understanding
Island Suites
Island
suites are the focal point of a busy kitchen. They are usually
located in the centre of the kitchen with access to cooking
surface on all four sides, allowing a kitchen team to work
alongside and opposite each other for much of the prime cooking.
They have a
glamour appeal, with a chunky, turbocharged appearance, but good
looks are secondary to performance. Island suites are for
kitchens where there is a high volume demand and a need for
longevity of prime cooking equipment.
Island suites
are the most robust, hardest-wearing of any suited piece of
prime cooking equipment. The most demanding of kitchens should
expect to get a minimum of 10 years, more likely 20 years from
an installation of an island suite, such is the build strength.
This is why an initial high investment is such a good long-term
investment.
There are two principal forms of
construction for an island suite – fixed and modular. Both
deliver the same quality of performance, but from different
construction routes.
A modular
construction island suite is designed by the chef or the kitchen
designer specifying what cooking functions are needed. Every
cooking point is made as an individual unit in the factory, but
all are compatible with each other. At the design stage, the
specification will set out how the finished island suite will be
made up.
The
combination of individual cooking systems are welded or bolted
together to form a bespoke island suite. Because of the modular
nature of the construction, the top can have individual cooking
hobs in either gas or electric, or have a traditional solid
top.
Configurations will vary according to the style of food the
kitchen delivers. If it is a grill-based operation then there
will be a char-grill, griddle salamander grill and deep-far
fryer in addition top hob heat and an underneath oven.
By contrast,
if it is an Italian menu based kitchen then there will be pasta
boilers or if there is an Oriental stir-fry element to the menu
high velocity gas or induction wok burners can be incorporated.
Modular units can be pre-assembled by the manufacturer but are
normally assembled on site.
A fixed
island suite is a one-piece construction made in the factory and
transported and installed on site as one item. There is still
some element of choice of construction, as most are made
specifically to order, but being more traditional in design,
they tend to stay with dry heat cooking functions. However,
one-piece constructions containing modern aspects of cooking
such as induction hobs are now beginning to appear.
The top of a
one-piece construction island suite is usually a solid top
rather than individual burners so that many pans can fit on the
top at the same time. There will be very hot spots underneath
gas or electric radiants, but cooler areas where pans can just
gently simmer. The top will be made from thick cast iron or
steel which will conduct heat to areas of the top where there is
no direct heat source underneath.
Why buy an island suite?
Construction
is not just heavy duty, but extra heavy duty. They will work
24-hours a day, year after year.
Chefs are
working in one central position, watching several cooking
operations at the same time. The chef team are also working
together on the same cooking station.
Heat output
can vary from high velocity gas burners to gentle hobs which
will simmer for hours without food breakdown.
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