Education catering facilities can be a challenging environment, so it is vital that caterers have to properly designed counters to match the operation.
The first consideration when fitting counters and food display into school dining rooms, is whether you have the space and the budget for a fixed counter, or do you need or want to consider a mobile servery. Fixed counters can be made bespoke with special finishes, surface materials and frontages, but will require design input from a kitchen designer and manufacturer.
It’s important to weigh up what your kitchen needs before making the decision, such as whether your operation can manage with a standard modular unit, or whether a bespoke counter would be required.
Bespoke solutions can be built and tailored to suit both the environment and operation, but tend to be at a higher price point. Modular units can be finished to look bespoke and are a generally more cost-effective option.
Mobile serveries are great where space is limited, allowing you to choose from separate or linked units. They are extremely effective in multi-use rooms and have the ability to create multiple points of sale with minimal investment, and also serve to reduce pressure on the main serving area. These versatile products can be configured to suit the space and should be considered where budgets are limited or, as is more and more the case, there is a dynamic demand environment.
Make sure you are considering the working height of the counter and servery for primary schools versus secondary and comprehensive schools, as these will differ. Aim for good visibility of food and visual contact between server and customer, with no visual obstructions created by gantries, for example.
If you need assistance with creating serveries and counters for a kitchen design project in a school environment, we can help – contact the Corsair Engineering team on 01295 267021.
