Back to School for the Space Catering Team

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As an established commercial kitchen design company serving the whole of the UK there aren’t many sectors we haven’t worked in over the years.

The Space Team have designed and executed new kitchen and foodservice areas in cricket clubs, stadiums, hotels and theatres but one area in particular that has proved to be a growing part of the business is education.

In the last 5 years we have completed kitchen design projects in schools and colleges across the UK and we are pleased to announce that we have recently been commissioned to undertake over 10 separate installations this summer from Manchester to Bristol to London.

Keep an eye on our portfolio section for details of recently completed projects. In the meantime, here’s a quick overview of some of the education-sector projects we’ve done so far…

All Saints Academy, Cheltenham
Space saw off the opposition in a competitive tendering process to win the contract to design and install the foodservice areas for this brand new college opening in 2011. The brief contained 3 specific areas: a large kitchen for delivering meals to 1500 students and staff, an educational foodservice training area and a mini kitchen for snacks at break time.

Gloucester College, Gloucester
As with every new project brief, there are challenges and mandatory requirements, the resolution of which form part of the bespoke service our kitchen design team provide. In the case of Gloucester College, space was at a premium whilst a specific number of workstations were needed, including an adapted station for students with special needs. The Space Team stepped up to the challenge to deliver a project that left the client ‘extremely happy’.
Petroc College, Barnstaple
The north-Devon catering college had outgrown their thirty year old facilities and needed to bring the training kitchen up to date for their increasing student numbers.
Space Catering were able to provide the College with a 21st century design with green credentials, ultimately achieving 50% more capacity and increased workstation space for each student.
What’s more, the modular design ‘future-proofs’ the kitchen allowing for contents of the room to be moved should there be a requirement to relocate the foodservice area in the future.

Gram UK launch Twitter Campaign

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In what must surely be a first for the industry, Gram UK have recently launched a social media-focussed campaign with a twist.

The company are asking its Twitter followers to Tweet them with photos they have spotted whilst out-and-about of Gram catering refrigeration equipment products in situ.

Anyone can enter so whether you’re going about the daily routine of kitchen equipment inspection and safety checks or enjoying a well-earned drink at the end of the day, don’t forget to keep an eye out for one of their commercial fridges and take a quick photo.

A quote from the Gram blog: “The idea behind it is simple: if you see a Gram unit at work while you’re out and about, or if you happen to be in someone else’s kitchen, then get the site’s permission and take a photo of it, tweet us with the hash tag, and you could be in with a chance of winning a £50 voucher for Waitrose.”

Space Catering have been working with Gram for several years, installing many of their quality refrigeration units in our commercial kitchens to our clients’ design specifications.

To view some of our commercial kitchen design projects visit the portfolio section.

Click here to follow Space Catering on Twitter

 

 

Space goes Carbon Neutral – its official!

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The total carbon foot print for Space was calculated at 195.46 tonnes of CO2 a year which works out at 6.11 tonnes per employee. The results were calculated automatically using DEFRA and other internationally recognised metrics using data on all energy usage supplied by Space, to find out more details check out the scheme at www.carbonfootprint.com.

Space takes its corporate social responsibility seriously and this programme is just one of a host of measures we take to improve our carbon footprint. Check out our Sustainability section for more information on our Green Footprint initiative.

A new Development Kitchen for Creed Foodservice

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Space worked closely with Creed to design and supply the facility which will be used by Creed’s clients to use for trying their products and developing new menu ideas. Creed are suppliers of high quality food, non-food products and related services to more than 1700 customers in the ‘out of home’ sector, employing some 250 staff at our two distribution centres in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire and Ilkeston Derbyshire. The acquisition in 2008 of fresh produce and speciality foods supplier Mise en Place extended their range of products resulting in a genuine ‘one stop shop’ for the busy caterer.

“Space and Creed are both successful Gloucestershire companies working in the foodservice sector offering complimentary services and share many customers without competing in any way, so the collaboration made perfect sense.” said Space MD Mike Mellor.

Space specified equipment from Electrolux, who supported the project and worked closely with Space to deliver a cookline that could be used for almost every commercial kitchen scenario meaning that Creed client can experiment with many different ingredients and cooking methods.

The new facility is already in regular use and has been key to developing new key account business for Creed Foodservice.

Shown from left to Right:
Phil Creed of Creed Foodservice
Mike Mellor MD of Space
Robin Stock – Exec Chef, Creed Foodservice
Nick Wood – Gloucester Rugby
Sian Mellor – Space Catering Equipment
Steven Creed – Creed Foodservice

Charvet announces premier distributor award for Space Catering

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“Contract Catering Equipment and Space Catering Equipment have once again proved outstanding in their use and support of Charvet prime cooking equipment,” said Wayne Cuomo, MD, Charvet Premier Ranges. “As in 2011, both companies have been recognised because they consistently deliver exceptional added value, beyond the supply of product itself. Charvet’s policy is only to work with professional catering equipment distributors and it is a pleasure to work with partners such as these.”

No ‘Green Wash’ to be heard…

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Using a fictional owner of the ‘Red Alert Inn’ faced with increasing energy costs, Mike carefully set out practical steps which identified how, as a conservative estimate, savings of over £5,000 each year could be achieved. With additional input from representatives of the Carbon Trust and the Sustainable Restaurant Association, the hour long seminar was anything but ‘green wash’ and delivered real energy saving advice along with a clear message that if you are looking for a greener and more sustainable catering business call the experts at Space Catering today.

Space provides 300 Jiko’s for Kenyan households

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Lots of families benefitted directly from the Jiko project as can be seen from the photos, showing the Space Jiko’s at the factory in Kenya and subsequently in use in people’s homes.

The Jiko, or Geo-cooker has a number of benefits to the families and communities that use them including:

  • As Kenyan cooking methods traditionally use firewood, more and more trees are cut each day to provide each household with their daily materials for cooking. The Jiko reduces the use of firewood, as the heat is trapped within it. Families can save money from buying firewood and use the money to buy other important basic needs for the family.
  • Improving the health of guardians and orphans. Studies show that household using firewood without a Jiko causes respiratory tract infections to the family. The more firewood they use the more smoke emissions coming from the wood, thereby contributing to respiratory diseases of the family. The Jiko is smokeless hence will greatly reduce CO2 emissions, the use of firewood or charcoal and thus deforestation will also be reduced.
  • Saving on cooking times. Households that use the Jikos found out that it saves considerable time in cooking. The surplus time will be used for farming, income generating activities, girls’ education and women’s participation in community life. Added to which families are able to do other household activities while cooking.
  • Families are able to cook more than once in a day due to minimal use of firewood.
  • The type of housing in Western Kenya is very poor and most families live in one roomed grass thatched roofed shanties that pose a lot of danger to the women and children when cooking is done indoors. Kitchen accidents are significantly reduced since cooking pans are held stable on the Jiko.

    • Its heart warming to know that we really can make a difference to people’s lives. Added to which, we are reducing the carbon footprint of in Kenya as well as in the commercial kitchens of the UK.

    Freaky Hair Friday at Space Catering

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    The charity exists to improve health, well-being and self-esteem amongst the vulnerable, disadvantaged or seldom heard particularly through catering related activities. Check out their website…

    thewigglyworm.org.uk

    Space had installed a Swear Box in the office to make some contributions for the charity, but after a couple of weeks, pockets, purses and paychecks were emptied and we all learnt to curb our language, so we had to come up with something new!

    The hair day is just one of many ideas Space had come up with to raise money for the charity, watch this ‘space’ to see how and what we’ve done by the end of the year.

    The best Freaky Hair Friday award has to go to Colin for his magnificent Mohican hair effort, but one thing is for sure – we were all sooooo worth it!

    Meet the sales team at the Care Show 2012

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    We’ll be there to offer advice on kitchen design and on equipment with ‘green’ credentials that will reduce operating, energy AND waste costs but that will also help improve the quality of the food offering, an important prerequisite for homes and hospices for the elderly.

    Stop by and meet our new Commercial Director Ian Bidmead, who will be teamed up with Malcolm Ball, our Sales Manager.

    The Care Show is at the NEC Birmingham from 13th to 14th November 2012
    Space will be on STAND 25 – HALL 11

    Space Catering Equipment announces sponsorship of Nick Wood

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    Nick joined Gloucester’s academy in 2001 and since then has spent his entire professional career at Kingsholm. As a first team regular, Nick embodies everything that is special about Gloucester Rugby.

    2010-11 saw a fantastic effort from Nick as he made more than 30 appearances for the first team, and he carried this form over into 2011-12 when he was named Player of the Year by the club’s supporters and was one of 5 players shortlisted for Aviva Premiership Player of the Season.

    “We jumped at the chance of sponsoring Nick for the 2012/13 season, added to which he is celebrating his testimonial season this year,” said Mike Mellor, MD of Space Catering who is a season ticket holder and keen follower of the Cherry and Whites. “He is a class player who loves to carry ball, and is an excellent scrummager, a real stalwart of the team” he added.

    Visit Nick’s testimonial website at www.woodysbenefityear.co.uk.

    Don’t know where to start?

    Call one of our specialists today on 01452 383 000 or you can email us at mail@spacegroupuk.com

    Imaginative design for foodservice facilities.

    Tel: 01452 383 000
    mail@spacegroupuk.com

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