Michel Roux Jr is impressed by efficiency and versatility of iconic restaurant’s first SelfCookingCenters
Le Gavroche is one of the world’s iconic restaurants. The kitchen has just been completely refurbished and now includes two pieces of equipment that owner Michel Roux Jr had not had installed before: a pair of Rational SelfCookingCenter combi steamers. “Rationals were the kind of ovens I’ve always wanted in my kitchens,” he says. “Having worked with them for a couple of weeks it’s become apparent what we were missing.”
Maintaining two Michelin stars is no easy task. “The quality of the equipment is vital. It has to be the best,” says Michel. “The efficiency and the versatility of the Rationals make them stand out. The different cooking processes mean you can cook so many different things in them: sous vide, terrines, patisserie, roasting… absolutely everything.
“The Rationals are being used all day long, for mise en place in the mornings, getting food ready for service, and then during service as well.”
The kitchen refurbishment was carried out by Eximius Projects. The two six-grid Rationals at Le Gavroche feature a patented dynamic air mixing technology, called HiDensityControl, which precisely controls the speed of the unit’s fan to channel the heat and humidity to exactly where it is needed, giving ultra-precise temperature control throughout the cabinet. “Temperature accuracy is very important, especially for fine dining when you want to get everything absolutely right,” says Michel. “You know the temperature you see listed on the outside of the Rational is definitely the one that’s on the inside.”
HiDensityControl not only delivers the outstanding cooking quality Le Gavroche demands, it also allows chefs to maximise output, since they can load up to 30% more food, compared to previous models, into the same size cooking cabinet. That’s especially important in kitchens where space is at a premium.
Michel has been impressed by how simple the Rational combi steamers are to operate. “They are incredibly easy to use – the controls are concise and precise.”
Sustainability is a key buying consideration for Le Gavroche – for example, the new kitchen has replaced gas with induction hobs. “The Rationals are a sustainable choice for all sorts of reasons. For example, the self-cleaning system means we don’t have to have a separate water softener and it is very simple – it just leads you through the process. It really is child’s play.”
Myrational.co.uk has full details of Rational’s free live combi steamer cooking demonstrations, which take place at over 90 venues around the UK and Ireland.
The latest Rational SelfCookingCenter 5 Senses includes:
- HiDensityControl uses patented dynamic air mixing technology, which precisely controls the speed of the unit’s fan to channel the heat and humidity to exactly where it is needed. This not only delivers outstanding cooking quality, but also allows chefs to maximise output, since they can load more food into the same size cooking cabinet. It also reduces energy consumption and cuts production time compared to previous models.
- iLevelControl tells the user which different foods can be cooked together at the same time and intelligently controls the cooking time for each rack. It means that everything is cooked to perfection, every time.
- iCookingControl regulates the cooking processes – even the most complex of cooking routines can be initiated at the touch of a button, thanks to the simple control system. However, numerous new cooking options allow chefs to adjust the cooking process according to their own recipes. They always know exactly what’s going on, since they can see the status of the cooking process via the control panel. This means no more time-consuming routine tasks, such as monitoring food, and more time for essentials such as creativity.
- Efficient CareControl further enhances efficiency by detecting the build up of cooking residues in the SelfCookingCenter and always suggesting the appropriate cleaning level. This saves up to 40% in terms of energy, water and chemicals. .