Wasabi: healthy hot food, fast
In 2003 Wasabi became the first company in the UK to sell individually wrapped pieces of sushi. It was new, different, healthy and popular. The chain’s philosophy has remained to provide quality Japanese food at affordable prices with a speedy, efficient service.
There are 27 Wasabi sites in London and the ambitious chain plans to expand, including overseas. One of its key attributes is speed: city workers know they can get healthy, great tasting Japanese food quickly, even during busy lunchtimes. When it comes to serving hot food fast, Wasabi uses Samsung CM1929 heavy duty commercial microwave ovens.
“We use a lot of other cooking equipment of course, such as rice cookers and wok burners,” says Su Park, Wasabi’s operations manager. “But every shop has at least two Samsungs, some have as many as eight. They get a lot of use.”
The microwave ovens are supplied by Uropa (uropa-distribution.co.uk).
So why choose Samsung? “It’s the best machine on the market,” says Su Park. “The Samsungs are very reliable microwave ovens. They’re also very well built – they need to be because of the use they get. For example, the doors are very tough. We’ve used other brands in the past and had the doors break regularly, simply through hard use. This doesn’t happen with the Samsungs.”
Wasabi customers have high expectations and they are usually in a hurry. “Lots of our dishes go into the microwave just before they are served. We need to be able to heat them quickly and effectively. The CM1929 is compact, powerful and fast. It heats very evenly and thoroughly.”
The CM1929 has a touch control pad, seven power levels and a digital display showing status and mode of operation. A facility to pre-program settings for popular menu items further speeds up cooking procedures and cuts down on mistakes.
“As in any catering operation in London, staff change regularly, so it’s important that equipment is easy to use. The Samsungs are simple to operate – push the button and the job is done. It could hardly be simpler.
“Reliability, efficient heating, power, ease of use – the Samsung gives us exactly what we need.”
Samsung at Wasabi:
The Samsung CM1929 used at Wasabi is designed for busy kitchens that rely on microwave cooking for speed and efficiency. With a power rating of 1850W, the CM1929 has an internal capacity of 26 litres – 35 per cent more than comparable microwaves. This means that as well as an increased cooking capacity, it can also accommodate over-sized dinner plates, unusual-shaped serving dishes and 2/3 gastronorm pans.
To ensure an even cooking pattern the CM1929 has a dual-magnetron top-feeding microwave source. It is easy to clean and operate with a wipe-clean, stainless steel finish both inside and out. Robust and reliable, the CM1929 has a large pull open door handle and glass front for monitoring the item being cooked. With external dimensions of 464mm (w) x 386mm (h) x 577mm (d) the CM1929 can be stacked, further increasing capacity and throughput. Supplied ready for use, with a full three year warranty, it can be simply plugged into a convenient 13A socket.
Samsung is one of the world’s largest microwave oven brands. Samsung Professional Appliances distributes throughout the UK and Europe and offers a comprehensive choice of commercial microwave ovens, from large-capacity, ‘super-heavy duty’ 1850W units down to light-commercial, budget-priced 1100W models. All are backed by a full parts & labour warranty. For more information visit www.samsung.com/uk/professional/microwave