The modern school kitchen needs to provide consistently good, healthy food at a price point that is manageable for parents. To keep control of budgets as food costs go up, we, the school kitchen designers and suppliers, need to find ways to supply equipment that helps schools keep control of costs. Sure, this can be done with workflow and worker productivity but installing the right equipment is key as it can reduce the amount of energy used and put out dishes that are perfectly cooked and that pupils will enjoy eating. We believe that pupils should be treated as consumers and that they should expect a meal that is tasty and nutritious (whilst at the same time adhering to the food standards). We can supply equipment that can cope with new food trends coming to the market and that both contract caterers and children will want to see on the school menu while keeping kitchens working as efficiently as possible.

Innovation is moving fast and equipment is becoming ever more intelligent. In a school kitchen this new technology can allow increasingly more applications from fewer pieces of equipment and the returns are huge. Combination ovens are the best example of one piece of equipment that can cook near enough any style of dish. They can roast, steam, gratinate, sous vide, toast and combine any of these cooking styles to cook the perfect dish every time. The right piece of equipment can help eradicate problems like inconsistent food quality, rising food costs (due to less wastage and food shrinkage), food safety, energy management and overhead reduction. With ovens that clean themselves at the end of service, you can also save valuable staff time!

Recent surveys tell us that 80% of the energy used in commercial or school kitchens could be saved by using energy-efficient equipment that is turned on and off at the right time. For example, a good combination oven can heat itself up from cold to 180 degrees in under 2 minutes which also reduces cooking time dramatically; their efficiency means that you can cook an oven full of baked potatoes in 35 minutes.

Equipment Type

We have many years of expertise in designing and supplying school kitchens from replacing one piece of equipment to a complete refurbishment, or designing and supplying a brand new kitchen into a new build school. Equipment can vary depending on the school and the menus they want to provide for their pupils, but the most popular pieces of equipment are:

Ranges Or Cooktops

The most popular pieces of equipment in a school kitchen, and though they are being partly replaced by combination ovens you would still want 2 or 4 rings to make a custard or hold a sauce. Our preference is to go induction if you can. Our preferred manufacturers are Falcon and the Opus Range by Lincat, due to their build quality and price.

Combination Ovens

These are fast becoming the most important piece of equipment in the school kitchen. They can cook any style of food, but even as a traditional steamer they will do all your vegetables in no more than 12-14 minutes. They have intelligence where the cook can bring up the menu for the day, and tell it what time everything needs to be ready and the oven will inform the staff when to load items and onto which shelf. Our preferred combi manufacturers are Convotherm, Houno and Retigo.

Convection Ovens

If you do not have the services to be able to fit a combination oven a convection oven is still a great piece of kit. Our preferred manufacturer is Blodgett as they are very well made and come with a 5-year warranty for schools and colleges.

Refrigeration

Every school kitchen needs fridges and freezers and choosing an energy efficient unit will save the school lots of money in electricity bills. We recommend Foster refrigerators because of their energy usage, quality and reasonable cost.

Dishwashers

Most school kitchens have replaced their sterilising sinks with hood-type dishwashers. We have always used Maidaid as they are well-built, energy-efficient and reliable.

Mixers

Most school kitchens need a 20-quart planetary mixer or bigger and we prefer Chef Quip as the model we put in. The mixers are all gear driven and come with a spare bowl & stand as part of the special schools package.

Featured Products

CALL US: 0121 816 0301

Convotherm Maxx Electric 10-Grid Combi Oven (MAXX10.10)

£3,400.00 ex VAT

Blodgett 10-Shelf 11kW Double Deck Convection Oven (Zephaire ED)

£8,089.00 ex VAT

ChefQuip 40L Planetary Mixer (SP40HI)

£3,329.00 ex VAT

Maidaid Hood Type Dishwasher (EVO2121)

£4,999.00 ex VAT

Why Choose Kitchen Solutions

We understand the need for quality and service. We know that school kitchens need to provide hot meals 5 days a week 32 weeks a year. The school meal may be the only hot nutritional meal that a child gets during their day so it needs to be delivered without fail. Schools also need to provide breakfast clubs and sometimes after-school clubs. We have been designing school kitchens for over 25 years and have designed templates for schools of all sizes: from ½ form entry primary schools to some of the largest senior schools in the country, serving 1600 pupils in one lunch sitting.

With modern wi-fi connected equipment, we can address some equipment faults without coming to the site. We can access the equipment remotely, access its diagnostics and then, when necessary, send an engineer to the site with the right parts to fix the fault the first time.

Specifically for school customers, we can offer bespoke additional warranty periods that last up to 5 years. We know that the equipment is only used from 7 am until 1.30 pm 5 days a week and not during the school holidays so we are also aware that the equipment should last longer if looked after correctly.

Contact us now

To get some professional free advice on equipment selection contact us now or phone our friendly sales team who will be more than happy to help you select the right equipment for your school.


WHY CHOOSE US

Free Delivery

All prices listed on this website are inclusive of delivery to addresses in mainland UK except the Highlands and Islands. If you are looking for delivery to Northern Ireland, the Highlands, or any of the Islands, please contact us by phone or email to get a quote.

Price Match Promise

We will match or beat any genuine quote on stainless steel fabrication and always give you the best value on all commercial catering equipment

Pre-Sale and Ongoing Support and Advice

We’re a friendly team and we’re always here to offer advice and help, from equipment options to full kitchen designs and project management. No obligation, just give us a call!

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Kitchen Solutions has over 25 years experience supplying catering equipment to the UK foodservice industry. We design, manufacture and supply kitchen equipment and fabrications to restaurants, hotels, bars and more.