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DISTINCTIVE FEATURES : Interactive and retail aspects t
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F & B : KITCHEN DESIGN
the 4,500 sq ft ( 418 sq m ) of available space had a total budget of US $ 1.3 million for equipment . It was divided among a trim 1,200-sq-ft ( 111-sq-m ) back-of-house kitchen for prep , room service and general foodservice ; a 250- sq-ft ( 23-sq-m ) lobby pantry kitchen with beverages , baked goods and light snacks all day ; a 375-sq-ft ( 35-sq-m ) cold larder kitchen for salads , charcuterie , cheeses and breads ; and a 400-sq-ft ( 37-sq-m ) expo kitchen to service the 120-seat three-meal upscale restaurant .
Each display kitchen is packed with innovative features . In the ground-level pantry , which anchors the hotel ’ s lounge , a cast-iron Chandley oven from England anchors the space and fills the level with the aroma of baked goods , while two marble-topped islands hold offerings that vary by time of day and include baked goods , fruits , sandwiches and cheeses . Banks of cabinets below and above counters accommodate the hot and cold beverage service necessary for an all-day welcome station . The back-of-house kitchen is also on that level to handle the prep cooking for the café , five cellar-level 28-person meeting rooms and the second-level larder and restaurant .
Upstairs , the larder is at the top of a grand staircase , while the restaurant ’ s working display kitchen is in the back of the restaurant overlooking Wall Street . The former , open and airy , is a central island with two service stations , while the latter sports a distinctive Europeanstyle range suite that runs counter to the American trend of long equipment lines backed up to walls . The concept , which dates back to 12th century France , turns the ovens and cooktops into an island so the work takes place on all sides , and everything is prepared on counters that line them .
“ Instead of yelling down a long line , cooks can look at each other and know what ’ s going on ,” McConnell notes . “ The layout makes it much easier to communicate while they ’ re sautéing and saucing .” It also makes it much easier for guests in the restaurant — especially those at a 12-person chef ’ s table bordering one end of the kitchen — to communicate with the chef . “ The most important question we ask our chefs when we ’ re hiring is , ‘ Do you like to entertain at home ?’” Harrison jokes .
Action-packed
With Riyadh lacking any interactive display kitchens , there was an opportunity for Four Seasons to give guests a more experiential meal .
PROPERTY : Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh
LOCATION : Riyadh ,
Saudi Arabia
TYPE OF KITCHENS :
Display
PROJECT DESIGNER : EDG Interior Architecture
+ Design , San Francisco
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES : Interactive and retail aspects t
Remodeling is a necessity every decade or so in a busy facility to update equipment and refresh decor , but it also offers a chance to make significant changes that can optimize operations and increase profits . The process starts by knowing your audience , and in the case of the Four Seasons Hotel in Riyadh , it wasn ’ t just tourists and hotel guests . Located in an upscale mall , the hotel ’ s two restaurants — Seasons , a buffet-style 180-seat three-meal eatery with a broad menu , and Rosso , a 96-seat lunch and dinner venue focused on Italian cuisine — had “ a very large and loyal following in the local community ,” explains hotel F & B Director Roy Buitenkamp .
EDG in its research , meanwhile , found the city lacking any interactive display kitchens . “ So we wanted to create action and give guests a more experiential meal in both restaurants ,” explains Project Manager Steven King .
In Seasons , the challenge was dealing with existing parameters and expanding options while shrinking the back-of-house kitchen ’ s area . “ We realized we had to take it down by about half and put stations out in the open ,” King explains .
In Rosso , a display station had to become interactive , and the hotline had to be brought into view . Also , EDG couldn ’ t move the utility lines due to budget — US $ 3 million for Seasons and US $ 1.5 million for Rosso — and decided to keep some of the stoves .
The renovations were staggered so one restaurant would always be open , with Seasons up first . Its 6,692- sq-ft ( 622-sq-m ) back-of-house kitchen was cut 47 % to 3,546 sq ft ( 329 sq m ), while the newly enlarged and opened interactive elements were a 65-sq-ft ( 6-sq-m ) hotline ; 553 sq-ft ( 51-sq-m ) pastry / juice station ; 249- sq-ft ( 23-sq-m ) ethnic food station for Arabic , Asian and Indian fare ; and a 144-sq-ft ( 13-sq-m ) sushi / seafood station . The semi-circular pastry / juice station got the lion ’ s share of space and prominent positioning
52 HOTELS April 2012 www . hotelsmag . com