Sparkling speed for dish and glass washing at Le Gavroche by Winterhalter

Winterhalters are ‘Rolls Royce’ warewashers for Michel Roux Jr.
Le Gavroche recently re-opened after a total kitchen refurbishment. “The kitchen is sparkling and shiny and beautiful now, so it’s full speed ahead,” says Michel Roux Jr.  To help keep things sparkling and shiny, and to help ensure service goes at full speed, three new Winterhalter warewashers have joined the kitchen’s brigade.

The dishwasher at Le Gavroche is one of Winterhalter’s new PT passthrough machines.   “Crockery and cutlery needs to be treated with the utmost respect, especially in the environment of a two Michelin star, fine dining restaurant, where only the best is good enough,” says Michel.  “You need to know that everything is going to come out pristine, and it certainly does with the Winterhalter.”

The quality of the wash is not only a result of Winterhalter’s advanced technologies, but also because the dishwasher can be finely tuned to match the local conditions of the restaurant.  “An engineer installs the machines and checks everything, such as the water hardness and what type of ware you are washing,” says Michel.  “He can make sure you get the best out of the machine, and that’s very important.”

It doesn’t stop there.  “There’s the follow up as well, when the engineer returns and makes sure the machine is delivering the best possible results.”

Speed is critical in a restaurant like Le Gavroche and the PT is faster than conventional passthroughs – so fast that it can handle back-to-back rack washing, virtually non-stop. An energy control system speeds up the washing process, increasing rack capacity per hour by 28% and reducing heat-up time by 50%.  It means the dishwasher can process up to 72 racks per hour.

“We are incredibly busy and need to turn the crockery round very quickly,” says Michel.  “A fast machine is very important. The Winterhalter PT delivers: it washes at an incredible speed and it washes well.”

Glasses at Le Gavroche are washed in two Winterhalter UC undercounter machines.  “As you can imagine, we have got some expensive glassware,” says Michel.  “Some of it costs £100 per glass.  It’s crystal and it’s very, very delicate. We need to have the ultimate machine, which not only cleans the glassware but looks after it, too, and makes sure it comes out safe.”

The UC’s VarioPower system allows the operator to quickly optimise the programme to suit the delicacy or dirtiness of the wash items.  All staff have to do is push the relevant pictogram on the control panel to select the wash they want.  VarioPower adjusts pressure, temperature, time, detergent and rinse aid to ensure perfect results are guaranteed, even with the most delicate glassware.

“Sustainability is important in any kitchen, even more so when you are washing dishes and glasses,” says Michel.  “Winterhalter’s technologies, such as their internal heat exchangers, improve energy consumption.”  Both the UC and the PT models have an Eco mode, which can save 11% in energy use.  The PT dishwasher is the first passthrough on the market to have heat exchange technology fitted as standard, reducing energy consumption by around 10%.

“When we came to specifying the equipment for the new kitchen I chose Winterhalter because I had one before and it was just indestructible.  It would go on forever, producing the goods.  I think they’re the Rolls Royce of warewashers.”

Winterhalter provides a total solution for warewashing, from pre-sales advice to after-sales service, training and maintenance.  Alongside its market-leading dish and glasswashers, the company’s range includes utensil washers, advanced water treatment machines, cleaning chemicals and detergents.  For further details, call Winterhalter on 01908 359000, see www.winterhalter.co.uk, or www.winterhalter-scout.biz or email info@winterhalter.co.uk.