TROUT SHOUT-OUT TO CNG

Service at The Trout Hotel in Cockermouth is going swimmingly thanks to CNG Foodservice Equipment which has refurbished and updated the kitchen and food prep areas, overcoming some challenging problems along the way.

The Trout has fallen victim to not just one but two devastating floods over the past eight years, both of which caused extensive damage to the catering facilities. For CNG, who has worked with the business before, the task this time was not just to replace and update the kitchen, installing the latest equipment, but also to make the environment as flood-resistant as possible, and the solution was a creative one.

CNG designed the kitchen around kit that can be removed quickly, ready to be stored at a higher level if the floodwaters ever rise again. At the same time, the company took the practical step of advising the hotel to increase the height of electrical connections where possible, to reduce the chances of damage.

“The client wanted to turn adversity into a benefit, delivering even better food and service after the refurbishment, knowing that attracting visitors would be difficult following the protracted closure of the entire region,” explains CNG Managing Director, Clive Groom. “Improving the working flow and speed of service to all public areas from the main kitchen, terrace kitchen, pastry kitchen and preparation area was a priority, as well as equipping the new kitchen with the latest items of equipment or technology that had appeared since the last post flood refit.”

A Capic suite was positioned either side of the original service spine in the main kitchen, and a Frima 112+, VarioCooking Center was incorporated which includes a pressurised unit that allows stocks to be made from start to finish in three hours, thereby saving money on energy and labour. Each designated area now has its own preparation space and easy access to the three separate service passes, while a new pastry area links the two main service kitchens. Mobile fridges and freezers maximise the tight space, allowing speedy delivery of sweet treats to all areas of the hotel.

“Due to the demands of the bedrooms and front of house areas, the electrical loadings constantly changed,” continues Groom. “ Late in the day we were informed that the kitchen equipment needed to be revised because the electrical supply was at its limit. The solution was to switch four pieces of vital kitchen equipment from electric to gas, bringing the kitchen back within the required parameters.”

With the help of CNG, The Trout, with its 49-bedrooms and three dining experiences, is up and running again, much to the delight of Managing Director Sue Eccles and chef restaurateur Terry Laybourne, the acting consultant. In fact, both The Trout and Laybourne have since invited CNG to design several other projects, due to be completed later this year.