Grande Cuisine helps Daniel Clifford achieve Flitch of Bacon ambition
Grande Cuisine, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of professional cooking appliances, has delivered a bespoke Athanor cook suite for Daniel Clifford’s latest venture – the Flitch of Bacon in Dunmow.
Since acquiring the Grade II listed 16th century inn Daniel Clifford – the two Michelin starred chef patron of Midsummer House in Cambridge – has overseen a total renovation and redecoration and installed a new kitchen capable of delivering the same high quality as the kitchen in Midsummer House.
Because the menu consists of a wide range of traditional pub food and forgotten classics the kitchen needed to be versatile. Space was also an issue. In addition, the dining area includes an intimate kitchen table seating three people with a full view of the workings of the kitchen and the ‘pass’ between kitchen and dining rooms – so the kitchen had to look good.
Grande Cuisine delivered a bespoke Athanor all-electric peninsular cook suite to Daniel Clifford’s own requirements.
The suite measures 2,850 mm x 1,50 mm and comprises a double fryer and a single inset deep fat fryer. Stylish versatility is delivered by two double Plaque Athanor plancha cook plates and two multi-zone/multi-point 14 kW induction hobs. Food is kept at the required temperature prior to serving by a set of 1/1 GN hot holding drawers.
Also installed as part of the suite is a 1/1 GN cast iron roasting oven, which enables head chef Luke Finegan to deliver classic British pub dishes that emphasise quality.
The kitchen also features a CAPIC hi-light quick-therm salamander grill mounted on the Athanor suite and an Adventys 4-zone three-phase heavy duty induction hob in a separate preparation kitchen.
Grande Cuisine provided full support throughout the design and installation process, which included Daniel visiting the Athanor factory in France to see the suite in production and finalise the specification prior to delivery.
Daniel Clifford said: “Grande Cuisine was able to deliver a high quality suite as good as the one we have at Midsummer House. Our aim is to deliver high quality food in a relaxing atmosphere and this kitchen enables us to do that – one of the main reasons for choosing Athanor and Grande Cuisine was and is the great reputation they have with delivering high quality cooking appliances and on-going support post installation”.
The kitchen at the Flitch of Bacon delivers high performance cooking, with a high degree of energy efficiency, low heat pollution and ultimate safety and control, all made possible through a combination of powerful induction cooking equipment and Plaque Athanor cook plates/plancha.
The kitchen’s front of house role is fully realised by the Athanor suite’s polished stainless steel finish and mirror polished trims.
The benefit of working with Induction technology is that it heats the cookware while the surrounding area stays cool to the touch. Built-in safety features include overheat and boil-over sensors and an empty pan detector. Precise temperature control and instant response deliver perfect and consistent results every time.
Induction cooking is twice as fast as any other cooking method and is 90 per cent energy efficient. It is easy to maintain and is ideal for all types of cooking including searing meat, braising, boiling, sauté, shallow fry, stir fry, casseroles, crepes, omelettes, eggs or melting chocolate. All in all, it’s great for ‘theatre cooking’ and delivers the versatility required.
Grande Cuisine delivered the central cook suite and associated support cooking items as part of the new kitchen working in partnership with Salix.