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Advance Group

09 Dec 2010

Townhouse Restaurants Slow-Cook To Success

Thermodyne low-temperature oven wins coveted 'employee of the month' after just one night's work!

There can't be many pieces of catering equipment that are awarded 'employee of the month', especially after just one night in the kitchen. But that's what happened to the Thermodyne low-temperature oven at The Wheelhouse restaurant, Falkirk, part of the Townhouse Restaurants Group. The chefs who voted for the award even bought the oven a pint! "It was hilarious," says owner Malcolm Binnie, "but the award was absolutely justified – the Thermodyne made that big an impact, right from the start."

The problem The Wheelhouse faced was coping with the volume of business. Within a month of opening the venue was doing 3,000 covers a week – far higher than anticipated. "We were snowed under. What we needed was something that would help us meet the volume required without compromising on food quality – the very thing that was getting us all the business in the first place," says Malcolm.

The solution was the Thermodyne from Advance Catering Equipment. Thermodyne is a low-temperature system for holding, slow cooking or reheating without overcooking or drying out. "For example, with slow cooking it gives us top class results, even with cheap cuts of meat like neck of pork, and it's almost impossible to overcook."

Unlike conventional ovens and hot cupboards, with Thermodyne each shelf in the cabinet is individually heated. This 'Fluid-Shelf' technology, which uses glycol liquid passing through the shelves, delivers heat to every inch of the cabinet.

"Initially we used the Thermodyne as a holding oven," says Malcolm, "and it's a very, very good one - the gentle heat and precise temperature control maintains food quality better and for longer than traditional methods. The quality it delivers with hot food and par-cooked dishes allows us to serve a huge choice of freshly prepared meals to hundreds of customers every day.

"However, as we got used to what the system could do, we tried out slow-cooking as well. Subsequently we've changed our whole menu – it's built around the Thermodyne because of its brilliant results."

All The Wheelhouse's meats are slow-cooked in the Thermodyne, including the restaurant's biggest seller, blade of beef, as well as signature dishes such as venison casserole with chilli and chocolate.

"Now we keep it on 24/7 – there is always something cooking in it, day or night." Luckily for Malcolm, as well as producing those brilliant results, the Thermodyne is inexpensive to run, costing only around 10p per hour.

Not surprisingly, when Townhouse opened up a second restaurant, the Boathouse at Kilsyth, a Thermodyne was top of the list for the kitchen. In fact, the whole operation is designed around the Thermodyne. "We went for a bigger model with a double cabinet, so that we could slow cook in one half and hold in the other," Malcolm explains.

Outstanding food quality is bringing in the business for both restaurants, which between them cater for 6,000 customers a week on average. "The Boathouse has 150 covers inside, plus up to 100 or so outside, weather permitting, and we regularly serve 3,500 covers a week there in summer," says Malcolm.

Now he wouldn't be without Thermodynes in the kitchens. "I reckon my chefs would walk out if we took them away," he says. "They give us better quality, higher volume and lower running costs, and they reduce staff costs. What's more, they make my job much easier."

Advance Catering Equipment is part of the Advance Group. For more information on the Thermodyne range call 07738 252437 or visit www.advancegroupuk.co.uk
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