NOBU HOTEL PORTMAN SQUARE

NOBU HOTEL
LONDON
PORTMAN SQUARE

Project: Nobu Hotel London Portman Square  
Category: Restaurant & Hotel
Where: London – UK
Line: System 850 
Partner: Design Consultant – Graham Barrie Design.
Kitchen Contractor – Berkeley Projects Ltd  

Located in the chic Marylebone district of central London, Nobu Hotel, London Portman Square is the most recent European opening for the iconic global brand synonymous with luxury and elegance.
The hotel has 249 contemporary rooms and suites whilst the exceptional menus, pioneered by Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, are offered from a choice of venues including the Nobu Restaurant, Bar, Terrace and Lounge.

The requirement

  • The kitchen is located on the first floor and had to achieve the international ‘brand’ standard that distinguishes Nobu restaurants around the world.
  • To meet the demanding requirements of the kitchens, the equipment had to be robust, high performance and flexible to respond to the range of menus offered throughout the venue.
  • There are 200 seats in the restaurant, 70 in the bar and terrace and a further 80 seats available in The Lounge.
  • Various limitations imposed by the available space and services in the kitchen necessitated customised configuration of suited gas and electric equipment.
  • In addition, the kitchen pass is open and therefore aesthetics were an important element of the proposal, in line with the elegance and design of the restaurant.

The solution

  • The Ambach System 850 line was the right choice to best satisfy Nobu’s requirements.  Modularity, performance and ease of cleaning thanks to the hygienic joining system, full H3 bases and the cooking suites designed to seamlessly incorporate the structural limits of the building.
  • The solution included:
    • Main kitchen: open burners, grill, oven, fryers, pasta cooker, grill, plancha and salamander
    • Satellite kitchen: open burners, oven, fryer, plancha and salamander
    • Suited banqueting equipment: tilting gas bratt pans, static gas kettles, open burners, gas fryers, grill and plancha
  • Ambach worked in partnership with design consultant Graham Barrie and the project management team at Berkeley Projects, ensuring the project was delivered on schedule and within budget.
  • “Ambach supplies a wide range of gas and electric equipment suitable for both banquet kitchens and those offering a la carte catering.  System 850 was the perfect choice for Portman Square. They supported me in all phases of the project and the end result is fantastic and represents excellent value for money”, says Graham Barrie – Graham Barrie Design.
  • “Ambach offer an unmatched quality of finish and an ideal combination of functionality and elegance which made the installation a pleasure” adds Oliver Tuff from Berkeley Projects Ltd. “Nothing was too much trouble for Toby Magness and his aftersales team”.
  • “Ambach equipment is versatile, robust and simple to use; we have full control of the kitchen and they are also easy to clean, ”says Michael Paul – Executive Chef, Nobu Hotel, London Portman Square.

 

www.grahambarriedesign.com
www.berkeleyprojects.co.uk
https://london-portman.nobuhotels.com/

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Millenium Hilton Bangkok Flow

MILLENNIUM HILTON BANGKOK – FLOW

Project: Millennium Hilton Bangkok – Flow 
Category: Restaurant
Where: Bangkok – Thailand
Line: System 850
Partner: Allied Metals (Thailand) Co., Ltd 

FLOW is the main restaurant of the Millennium Hilton Bangkok; open all day from breakfast to dinner.
It offers refined dishes resulting from the skilful mix of Southeast Asian flavours – Blazing wok dishes, simple sliced sushi and Mediterranean delicacies, all whilst overlooking the tranquil waters of Chao Phraya. 

The requirement

  • The decor of the hotel and restaurant looked rather dated and had In fact remained unchanged since the opening in 2006.
  • The buffet area was poorly equipped with refrigeration and food storage and the open kitchens were completely inadequate for modern service and the varied food offer.
  • The use of the terrace overlooking Chao Phraya was limited as it lacked adequate sheltered areas to protect guests during the rainy season.
  • It was therefore necessary to re-design and re-configure the restaurants both back and front of house. In detail, the objectives were:
    • optimize the layout and use of the buffet
    • move the bar area
    • increase the number of seats inside the restaurant
    • increase the number of seats on the terrace area utilising a special cover
    • renew the main cooking island
    • renew and increase the capacity of refrigeration.

The solution

  • The dining area has been renovated with flexibility in mind and incorporating a smart, modern design to make it more appealing to guests and practical for the dining room staff.
  • The new concept revolves around the offer of a unique and authentic dining experience in a dynamic setting, where you can choose between à la carte and buffet menus. Everything has been designed using natural materials and surface coatings that are both hardwearing and easy to maintain.
  • The open kitchen is the heart of the new restaurant and Ambach System 850 was selected. The modular approach of the System 850 line proved to be the best choice, allowing for delivery of the suite in two separate parts and assembled on site, incorporating a pasta cooker, griddle, bain marie and fryers, perfect for cooking both Western and Asian dishes.
  • The suite needed to be capable of meeting the increased demand as outlined in the brief.  The interior space was set out to accommodate a greater number of seats (260) and the outdoor area has also been better exploited through the installation of an arbour that can accommodate up to 160 seats and a maximum of 300 guests for events.
  • The buffet consists of 4 areas separated into hot and cold areas.  Air curtains help to define these zones and keep the dishes at the optimum temperature using forced air. The hot dishes are freshly prepared utilising wok stations and tandoori ovens for Thai cuisine.
  • The project was six months in design (September 2019 – February 2020) and took nine months to execute, finally reopening in December 2020.

 

https://www.alliedmetals.com/en/

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The Well Spa

THE WELL SPA

Project: The Well Spa
Category: Spa Resort
Where: Oslo – Norway
Line: System 850
Partner: Metos AS

The Well is a spa and bathhouse resort in Kolbotn, a few kilometers outside Oslo. At 10,500 Sq M it is the largest Spa resort in the Nordic countries with 11 swimming pools (indoor and outdoor), 15 saunas and Turkish baths, more than 100 showers, a bath with Japanese Onsen hot springs, an oriental Hammam, several relaxation rooms, a restaurant and several bars.  This makes The Well a genuine paradise for mind and body.

The brief

  • The development was initially launched in 2015 as a day spa with the intention to expand the offer to include overnight accommodation as a wellness retreat.
  • From the early design stage it was evident that the existing kitchen would have to be modified to meet the needs of the restaurant, with its a la carte menu for lunch, dinner and breakfast service, preparation for conference and meeting buffets and room-service meals.
  • One of the most difficult challenges was therefore to increase the productivity of the kitchen whilst maintaining the original kitchen footprint, to streamline production and workflow and maximizing storage space.


The solution

  • Following detailed analysis of the foodservice areas,  opportunities for improvement were identified and solutions proposed.
  • Between the customer and consultant, a decision was made to proceed with a high-performance workstation that was capable of responding to the varied daily and seasonal menus. Flexibility was therefore critical in their final evaluation
  • The result was the inclusion of an Ambach cooking island from the System 850 line, almost 4.5 meters long, consisting of two induction ranges, two induction woks, a plancha and clever use of refrigerated counters and drawers.
https://thewell.no/
https://www.metos.no/
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Sam Riverside

SAM’S RIVERSIDE

Project: Sam’s Riverside
Category: Restaurant
Where: Hammersmith – London – UK
Line: System 850
Partner: Nelson Commercial Kitchens

Overlooking the Thames with views of Hammersmith Bridge, Sam’s Riverside has been one of the ‘places to be’ in London since opening in October 2019.  Owner Sam Harrison has previously enjoyed success in Chiswick and Balham before his latest venture at the recently revitalized Riverside Studios.  The brasserie hosts 90 seats in a modern dining room and offers a separate private function space, a comfortable lounge bar for pre-show drinks or light plates with a splendid al-fresco terrace overlooking the river that can accommodate a further 50 guests. 

The brief

  • The brasserie was to offer all-day dining so needed to provide a wide and varied menu, making high-performance equipment suitable for intense use a necessity.
  • The kitchen was also visible from the dining room, so it was essential that the suite was both beautiful to look at and simple to clean, guaranteeing an impeccable appearance.


The solution

  • Nelson Commercial Kitchens had previously collaborated with proprietor Sam Harrison for the construction of other restaurants and had a great understanding of his needs and objectives. 
  • In partnership with the Ambach design team, Nelson developed the customer brief from the initial proposal to the final installation, taking care of every detail. Together they specified the Ambach System 850 line, perfect for brasseries thanks to its wide range of high-performance gas and electric equipment.
  • System 850 was undoubtedly the most suitable choice also in terms of flexibility, modularity and attention to detail.
  • Chef Harvey Trollope collaborated with the culinary director Rowley Leigh in the creation of a modern European-inspired menu, but also influenced the overall kitchen design and equipment.
  • Utilising the bespoke electrical MCB and the gas manifold, the installation of the kitchen was straightforward, despite the fact that the suite was over 4m in length and nearly 2m deep.
  • Nelson Commercial Kitchens specialist team undertook the connections to all services and carried out rigorous safety checks before handing over the completed kitchen.
  • Overall the suite is 4.2 meters long and includes a total of 14 gas and electric appliances, open bases (GN) and a specially designed drop-down element to incorporate two combination ovens at the end of the suite.
  • The suite consists of two gas plancha grills, a lava stone grill, an electric pasta cooker, electric ovens, salamander grill, two 2-zone and two 4-zone induction hobs, all incorporated seamlessly into a single one-piece top finish

https://www.commercialkitchens.co.uk/about-nelson-catering-equipment/
https://samsriverside.co.uk/

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Mama Shelter

MAMA SHELTER

Project: Mama Shelter
Category: Hotel
Where: Shoreditch – London – UK
Line: System 850
Partner: Humble Arnold Associates – Foodservice consultant – Shine Foodservice – Kitchen contractor

Mama Shelter, London can be defined as a real ‘urban retreat’ in the heart of East London. Featuring avant-garde design, the hotel houses 194 bedrooms, two Japanese-style karaoke rooms, a gym, an indoor/outdoor courtyard as well as a bar and a restaurant with 100 seats that offers an informal menu based on local and traditional dishes.

The brief

  • For the restaurant kitchen, it was necessary to consider structural restrictions whilst retaining the conceptual design detail that also featured a supporting column in the middle of the space.
  • The suite included both gas and electrical appliances, connected by a pre-installed electrical MCB, gas rail and water connections. A discreet service panel was incorporated into the bottom of the suite, so the main connection points and electrical panel had to be perfectly aligned to facilitate installation and maintenance.
  • From the restaurant, the kitchen is visible on two sides and is a key focal point, so needed to work hard, look good and be easy to keep clean.


The solution

  • Ambach proved to be the best choice to offer a custom solution that took into account the structural and logistical constraints of the project.  System 850 offered the flexibility and performance that met the challenging brief.
  • Access to the room that formed the kitchen was difficult. For this reason, prior to delivery, Ambach incorporated a frame and customized protection solution onto the cooking-suite to facilitate delivery and positioning into the kitchen.
  • The stainless steel plinth, base modules and one-piece top forming the upper part of the System 850 suite, all surround the supporting column, designed and executed with continuity and precision.
  • Keith Elkington Transport undertook the delicate handling and delivery, whilst Shine Foodservice carried out the final positioning and installation under the guidance of senior project manager Mike Coxford.
  • The overall result was a great success for Mama Shelter thanks to the teamwork throughout the project, designed by Humble Arnold and installed by Shine Foodservice.

https://www.mamashelter.com/en/london
https://www.shine.co.uk/
https://www.hunblearnold.com/
https://www.keithelkingtontransport.co.uk

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Hotel Café Royal

HOTEL CAFÉ ROYAL

Project: Hotel Café Royal
Category: Hotel
Where: London – UK
Line: System 900 Exclusive Range
Partner: Baz Associates

Opened in 1865 on Regent Street in the heart of London, Hotel Café Royalneeds no introduction. In the five-star luxury class and owned by The Set Hotels group, its guests have included two kings of England – Edward VIII and George VI, Oscar Wilde, Winston Churchill and music legends of the calibre of David Bowie, Mick Jagger and the Beatles and the actress Elizabeth Taylor.
There’s no question about the culinary range reaching the level of expectation of an extremely demanding clientele. From the restaurant of international chef Laurent Tourondel which bears his name to Cakes & Bubbles with the famous desserts prepared by the Michelin three-star chef Albert Adrià and the cocktails in Green Bar and Ziggy’s, as well as the traditional afternoon teas served in the historical Oscar Wilde Lounge.

The brief

  • Suzy Baz, founder and president of eminent consultancy Foodservice Baz Associates, was appointed to rethink the Hotel’s new F&B offering.
  • Baz had already worked with the company Alrov Luxury Hotels, owners of Café Royal, handling various projects in Europe and Israel. “We all knew it would be exciting”, she recalled as a comment on the first time she took part in the brainstorming phase for renovation of the hotel alongside architect and interior designer Piero Lissoni.
    The project, started up initially as a ‘simple’ redesigning of the main kitchen in the restaurant, soon became much more far-reaching to include also the creation of a new sushi bar planned together with chef Tourondel.
  • “The requests included in the brief were truly the most challenging I’d ever come across. The new equipment for the kitchen had to be innovative and designer and ensure reliability and top performances”, commented Baz.
  • No separation between back and front of the house for the kitchen. The two areas had to be thought out in parallel with a view to continuity. To do this Lissoni decided to opt for a colour choice coordinated with the colour of the kitchen, floors and extractor hoods.


The solution

  • Thanks to its high flexibility, reliability and design, Ambach was found to be the most suitable choice for meeting the needs of the Hotel Café Royal.
  • Baz was very familiar with Ambach kitchens after choosing them for the Conservatorium Hotel in Amsterdam, another client with very high demands in terms of quality and design and also part of The Set Hotels group.
  • For Café Royal Baz proposed a single unit with induction hob from the Ambach System 900 Exclusive Range line in stainless steel with black finishes. A salamander and under-top fridges are also an integral part of the kitchen.
  • The key distinctive feature of the kitchen remains however its design, fully custom-made in every detail such as, for example, the rounded corners. “It may seem like a minor detail but, in a project such as this, it’s the small details that make the difference”, claimed Baz. “Appearance and finishes are crucial in top-of-the-range open kitchens”.
  • The greatest challenge of this project was to remodel the kitchen while the hotel stayed open and fully operational. “It was essential that our guests were not disturbed by the work”, commented Ido Shitrit, project manager at the hotel.
  • “Times of access to the building were limited and rigid. We also had to adapt all the pre-existing heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems that had to remain”, explained Baz.
  • “The end result was great thanks to the excellent coordination and collaboration between all stakeholders, including also the dealer C&C Catering, involved right from the outset in the design work alongside the rest of the team”, commented Baz.
 
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Saadiyat Rotana Resort

SAADIYAT ROTANA RESORT

Project : Saadiyat Rotana Resort 
Category : Hotel 
Where : Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates
Line : System 700, System 850, Chef 850
Partner : MCTS

Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas, which opened in April 2018, is one of Abu Dhabi’s most exclusive destinations.
With seven different F&B offerings, it can meet demand in every way.
Starting with Si Ristorante Italiano & Bar, which serves genuine Italian dishes in a casual yet elegant setting, then Hamilton’s Gastropub with its British and American-inspired cooking, Turtle Bay Bar & Grill with a grilled meat and fish menu, continuing with Sama Lobby Lounge for tea and coffee breaks and sweets, Pool Bar for aperitifs and snacks, Nasma Beachfront Bar for sushi and cocktails and finally the international restaurant Sim Sim, winner of the FACT Dining Award of Abu Dhabi thanks to its famous brunches.

The brief

  • As early as 2013, five years prior to opening, the consultancy MCTS was chosen to take part in the invitation to tender for development of the concept and design of all areas of Saadiyat Rotana.
  • The design stage lasted two years and, as well as the kitchens, involved the entire building with seven dining areas, three areas for banquets and events, a ballroom and a spectacular outside space used for events.
  • A main kitchen and an open one equipped with a series of workstations had to be planned for each area.


The solution

  • For such a wide-ranging project, Elenco, traditional food service partner of Saadiyat Rotana, immediately thought of Ambach with a view to made-to-measure kitchens with single hygiene tops for the open area and rugged and high-performance modular systems for back of house.
  • High-tech modular islands from the Ambach System 850 and Chef 850 lines were supplied for the kitchens, apart from the Pool Bar kitchen for which the more compact System 700 line was chosen.
  • “Arranging the equipment in a kitchen is essential to the success of a restaurant. If a mistake is made, you’re forced to work much more”, claimed Thijs van Rhoon, executive chef of the resort. The chef declared himself to be very pleased with the high quality and resistance of the equipment installed inside Si Ristorante Italiano & Bar.
  • This kitchen in the Italian restaurant was in fact the greatest challenge in this project. “In the Middle East there is a series of cultural and legal implications for the eating of pork, an aspect which necessarily has to be taken into account when separating the open kitchen from the one behind. This led to a series of discussions with local authorities and the work team to demonstrate the separation between handling of the product and the workflow”, commented Michael Chabowski, general manager of MCTS.
  • One of the key elements in the success of this project, according to Chabowski, was the ability of the team to work immediately in close contact in a spirit of utmost cooperation.
  • Ghassan Chbeir, Ambach sales director for the Middle East, declared himself to be in full agreement as regards the strength of the teamwork. “When one of the main businesses in the region, Rotana, a world leader consultancy such as MCTS and one of the best distributors of kitchens in the Middle East such as Elenco manage to work together effectively, there are no doubts as to the end result, which is absolutely extraordinary”, commented Chbeir.
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Amonti & Lunaris

AMONTI & LUNARIS

Project : Amonti & Lunaris
Category : Wellnessresort 
Where : Steinhaus im Ahrntal – South Tyrol – Italy
Line : System 850
Partner : Niederbacher

Every day the Amonti & Lunaris wellness resort in Alto Adige delights its guests with dishes that are always fresh and made to order. Thanks to the team of chefs Christoph Stolzlechner, Günther Niederkofler and Matthias Kirchler, the cuisine on offer at the hotel has now reached very high levels.

The day begins with a rich buffet breakfast with organic products and continues until lunchtime with a selection of salads, soups, Italian antipasti and pastries made in house, available throughout the day. Food service continues in the evening with a varying menu made up of five courses and a dessert buffet. “All dishes are made on the premises with organic and regional seasonal ingredients”, explained Siegfried Steger, who heads Lunaris. “With great creativity, passion and a focus on details, every day we create a gourmet Alpine-Mediterranean menu, simple and light, traditional and, at the same time, international”.

The brief

  • Opened in 1964 as a guest house, the facility was first turned into a hotel annexed to the sports tracks and, following further renovation and extension work, into the current Amonti & Lunaris wellness centre. In 2018 the entire group of hotel buildings was remodelled, including the kitchen.
  • The previous cooking island from the Ambach System 900 line, installed in the 90s, ensured high reliability. With capacity for 1,000 covers a day, it was no longer able to meet the centre’s new requirements.
  • The client needed solid and robust kitchens which would guarantee high productivity, hygiene, safety and the most innovative technological levels. Furthermore, the kitchen had to have large work surfaces and compact equipment which would not take up too much space.
  • The biggest challenge was to meet the 120-day deadline set for completing the renovation work on both buildings that make up the hotel, including the kitchen, and the building of a link via an underground tunnel.


The solution

  • The choice fell on the Ambach System 850 line, with its high performance and low energy consumption.
  • Thanks to its flexibility and modular design, the cooking island perfectly adapted to the client’s needs, allowing optimal use of available space. “The design of a kitchen is the basis for success of a restaurant as it guarantees fast and fluid cycles”, explained Siegfried Steger. “We are totally satisfied with the Ambach solution”.
  • While the old kitchen ran on gas, the new one uses induction technology.
  • Working alongside Prostahl, firm specialising in the production of stainless steel furniture for industrial kitchens, buffets, self-service restaurants, bars and workshops, it was also possible to meet high standards of hygiene in the kitchen.
  • Niederbacher, catering equipment leader in Alto Adige, was responsible for planning, design and machinery. “The timelines for the project, which also included the planning stage, were extremely ambitious and left no room for action”, explained Hofer and Schöpfer. “It was all made possible thanks only to teamwork and flawless coordination of all those involved in the project. Only through careful and accurate planning was it possible to carry out this large, complex project in such a short space of time, fulfilling the needs of the client”.

https://www.niederbacher.it
https://www.wellnessresort.it

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C’EST LA VIE MAI HOUSE SAIGON

C’EST LA VIE
MAI HOUSE SAIGON

Project : C’est La Vie – Mai House Saigon 
Category : Restaurant 
Where : Ho Chi Minh – Vietnam
Line : System 850
Partner : BTInternational (BTI)

The luxury Hotel Mai House in Ho Chi Minh City combines the fascination of the past with the elegance of the modern age.
A location for glamorous events, it houses a ballroom covering an extensive area of 500 square metres and a magnificent swimming pool with a breath-taking view.
In its interior the restaurant C’est La Vie is open every day for lunch and dinner, offering à la carte menus with Vietnamese and French fusion dishes always using ingredients in season.

The true outstanding feature is the open kitchen, real nerve centre of the restaurant. It has seating capacity for 144 and is designed as an independent island, used both as a counter for the breakfast buffet and as a stage for the chefs at work.

The brief

  • The chef wanted a modern and attractive kitchen where everything was organised rationally in order to follow the natural workflow.
  • The new kitchen had to be open. “We wanted guests to see the chefs at work with their own eyes”, said Maximo Ares, F&B manager with Mai House Saigon.
  • “We needed a firm that would meet our needs through a custom solution crafted right down to the smallest detail”, added Ares.


The solution

  • When it was contacted, the international consultancy BTInternational (BTI) was tackling a layout already designed by other consultants. “We started by pinpointing a series of crucial problems on the basis of which we rethought the layout in order to better meet the client’s needs”, explained Le Van Ha, CEO of BTI.
  • A cooking island from the Ambach System 850 line was therefore designed with hygienic one-piece worktop and equipped with a fryer, an electric pasta cooker, gas grill for barbecue and a wok built into the cooking block.
  • Produced in the exclusive Ambach colour range, the finishing touches include coloured control panels, side panels and doors, brass control knobs and a brass rail. BTI also supplied made-to-measure stainless-steel articles for the rest of the kitchen, including extractor hoods, cabinets, sinks, shelves and trolleys, as well as refrigeration equipment such as cellars, display units, refrigerators and freezers.
  • BTI supplied also all the kitchen and bar equipment, including the main hotel kitchen and the open kitchen of C’est La Vie, also supervising installation and after-sales service. “I had never worked before with Ambach and Mai House Saigon was the perfect place to start”, commented Le Van Ha.
  • Several challenges had to be faced, starting with transport of the impressive island which had to be taken up to the first floor where the restaurant was located. “We worked synergically with Ambach to divide the island up into small modules to transport it more easily and faster”, explained Le Van Ha. Only after having brought the island inside the kitchen was building of the wall closing off the restaurant completed.
  • “All critical issues were brilliantly resolved thanks to the teamwork. Ambach quality speaks for itself through the projects carried out all over the world. The final cooking island is incredibly sophisticated”, he said. “The matte black finish combined with the stainless steel embellished with the brass is truly incredible”, concluded Ares.

https://www.btinternational.vn/home.aspx
https://www.maihouse.com/saigon-cest-la-vie

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