Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre stocks up on multifunction cooking appliances

Super-fast, versatile FRIMA VarioCooking Centers deliver huge benefits and savings

When you could be serving a canapé party or a £100-per-head dinner, for 20 or 2,000, you need cooking equipment that’s as versatile as your chefs are.  The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London, where the catering is run by Compass, is a case in point, having just installed the latest of four FRIMA VarioCooking Centers. 

“Their flexibility works really well,” says Head Chef Danny Potter. “We use the FRIMAs for frying, deep frying, boiling, braising, steaming, sauces, pressure cooking, casseroles, overnight cooking…  The temperature control is incredibly accurate, so we use them as water baths for sous vide, too. 

“Plus, they are super-fast.  I used one to seal 200 chicken supremes in the time it took two staff to wash twenty portions of salad.  The other day I did a batch of diced chuck chilli in a FRIMA – it took 45 minutes instead of three hours.  It boils water so fast, it can make tea quicker than a kettle.” 

But perhaps what impresses Danny more than anything is the way the FRIMA makes stocks.  “The flavour is much more concentrated than before, yet we have less evaporation – you start off with 100 litres of ingredients, you end up 95 litres of stock.  And as for the speed!  It used to take us 36 hours to make up a batch.  In the FRIMA we can pressure cook it in four hours.  Often we’ll do it overnight.  It’s great to come in the morning and have quality, homemade stock ready to use.”

So the FRIMAs make stocks that taste better, they do it faster and they deliver more yield.  Yet none of those is the clincher.  That accolade goes to the cost saving.  “We use about 600 litres of stock a week.  To buy it in in this quality would cost a fortune.  The FRIMA makes it for about 25p a litre.  Factor in all the other things we do in the FRIMAs and you’re talking huge benefits and savings.” 

Danny also makes vegetable bouillon in it.  “We used to buy it in.  Now we put all the trimmings from the vegetables and herbs – the stuff we used to throw in the bin – into a FRIMA.  45 minutes later, perfect bullion.  And effectively, it’s free.”    

Three of the FRIMAs at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre are the VarioCooking Center Multificiency 311+ units, each with a 150 litre pan.  The fourth is the 112+, which has two 14 litre pans.  “We keep the little one between the larder and the pastry kitchen but it’s on wheels, so we can move it around.  Again, we use it all day long and for all sorts: crème brûlée, quail’s eggs, custard, rice pudding, lemon curd…  It’s so popular the chefs have to form a queue to use it!”

The accuracy of the FRIMA temperature control means that food doesn’t burn or stick, so cleaning is easy.  It’s also easy to live with.  “Things like the automatic filling are great.  How many times have you left a tap running and come back to a flood?   The FRIMA won’t let you, it shuts off on its own.  When we use a basket, for example for pasta or deep frying, the AutoLift function automatically raises the basket when the food’s cooked, so you can’t overdo it.

“Then there’s the plug socket on the front of the unit.  Brilliant!  You plug in your stick blender at point of use so there are no wires trailing across the kitchen.”   

A FRIMA VarioCooking Center Multificiency is up to four times as fast, and saves up to 40% in energy, compared to conventional appliances.  “They save labour, they save time, they save space, they save costs, they’re easy to operate and the whole team really enjoys working with them,” says Danny.    

For information and brochures, or to come to a free Cooking Live demonstration, call FRIMA UK on 0845 680 3981, email info@frima-uk.co.uk or visit www.frima-uk.co.uk

Copy ends

Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre.docx – Sep-14

Press Enquiries:

Toni Turner at The Publicity Works

Tel:  01263 761000        Email:  frima@publicityworks.biz 

For more news about FRIMA visit the press office at www.publicityworks.biz

Graham Kille, FRIMA UK:  0845 680 3981

Benoît Gourgues, FRIMA International:  +41 71 727 90 14

Separation/Inclusion charges: By email only to toni@publicityworks.biz

More information on FRIMA International from www.frima-uk.co.uk

VarioCooking Center is a registered trademark of FRIMA International  

Tags: