Sets new standards Providing food for more than 600 people at any one time and for the special needs if the kitchen staff is hinged on strategically placed work stations, good equipment and design flow at New Zealand's newest prison kitchen. MARIANNE KELLY paid a visit. After 14 months of planning, a brand new central kitchen at the Department of Correction's Rimutaka Prison Upper Hutt was commissioned in early May. It is, in the opinion of catering manager Ray Wilson, one of the best layouts of any of the prison kitchens he has worked in. The equipment contract for this kitchen was a coup for the Auckland branch of Southern Hospitality - suppliers of a wide range of kitchen and catering equipment and Christchurch based equipment manufacturers, Moffat Limited - as it was their first contract with Department of Corrections. Dealing with an Auckland based company presented no logistical problems for Ray Wilson. " They are only a phone call or a fax away. Southern Hospitality were able to provide us with the equipment we needed, on time and the installation went exactly according to plan. "We only had one wrong-sized mixer and that was our fault because we ordered the wrong one. We talked to Southern Hospitality, and they replaced it. They have managed the entire process in a most professional way. They're very helpful, keep in touch with us constantly, always wanting feedback from us." He is particularly pleased with line up of the equipment and the ability to change power sources when and if necessary. If the kitchen is faced with a power cut for any reason, they have the ability to switch to gas which is their preferred source of power. As part of the line-up, a bank of four Convotherm combi ovens offer a significant benefit in this kitchen. These combi ovens are lower in height than any other brands and therefore prison staff are allowed a full view of the kitchen working area. "For security reasons it is important for us to be able to see what is happening throughout the kitchen," Wilson says. "We do not want any blind spots. We need to be able to see over the top of the ovens." Personal safety is also a concern in any kitchen and with the reduction in the height of the ovens, workers in the kitchen don't have to reach overhead to remove trays from the ovens. None of the trays are above eye level height. Completing the line up of cooking equipment are self-generating steam Crown jacketed pans, Crown tilting bratt pans, four Blue Seal convection ovens, Blue Seal deep fryers and Blue Seal ranges. The Convotherm combi ovens also provide the opportunity to turn out colourful, appetising meals. Compared to older-style equipment - "cook it until it's not burnt" - Wilson says modern ovens give people in the bulk catering business the opportunity to ensure nutritional value is retained and food looks appetising. He welcomes the Corrections Department new national menu and the balance it brings. While the core function of the kitchen is to feed the inmate population, its role as a training ground for inmates is extremely important and Ray Wilson believes inmates must be thoroughly trained before they use any equipment in the kitchen and should also be trained in the care and maintenance thereof. To this end. Erin Hall, Moffat's Executive chef, spend two days training the prison team on the many applications of all the equipment which included intensive training on the four Convotherm combi ovens. Inmates are also encouraged by prison staff to pursue NZQA catering unit standards and those who show aptitude are offered the opportunity to pursue Hospitality Standards Institute courses. Andy Rayneau, Southern Hospitality's Auckland general manager believes putting special effort into correct training is they key in all installations. "It's paramount, considering the capital investment, that equipment is correctly installed and staff are properly trained so they can maximise the potential and benefits of every piece of equipment". According to Rayneau, Southern Hospitality's philosophy in based on the belief that many companies believe their job is done when the contract is completed. They, however, believe that's when the relationship begins. When Catering Plus visited, the kitchen was feeding 450 inmates although the prison is designed to accommodate 671 remand, minimum security male inmates. Wilson comments, "Our kitchen differs from a restaurant kitchen which may have one or two apprentices and the rest fully qualified. The only qualified people in our kitchen are the instructors and for many of the inmates this is the first work they have had in years, if ever. "Whether it is our joinery, forestry or kitchen employment, we are giving them some work ethics which will hopefully be transferred to their lives outside. They are taught to work in a team and that can be an issue when operating equipment and getting bulk food out on time." "We're very pleased with the flow of this kitchen. It runs smoothly which is vital considering the inexperience of the kitchen workers. We haven't even had to deal with teething problems." As a final comment, Andy Rayneau is encouraged by the success of Rimutaka prison installation. "This is the first contract of its kind for Southern Hospitality and as a result of its seamless execution, we are quite confident that it won't be the last," he says.