Cafe Valentino
Christchurch, New Zealand
After serving Christchurch residents and visitors for over a decade with their distinct Italian menu, Café Valentino’s heart was broken with the 2011 earthquake that ripped through the garden city. While everyone escaped the Colombo Street premises on the day, the quake made the building suitable only for the bulldozer. What followed was an odyssey typical of most businesses in Christchurch, one of site quests and insurance adventures. Just as true love endures so to has the popular restaurant overcome every hurdle in it’s path. Now with its new premises at 168 St Asaph Street, Café Valentino has transitioned smoothly into a post-quake landscape, and it’s stunning, distinctive kitchen is winning praise from a wide range of sources.
Key to the success of Valentino 2.0 was the discovery of a suitable location – and in how the space was prioritized and designed around the kitchen. The former Social Credit building fits the bill perfectly according to Nils Danielsen. The Wildfire Commercial Kitchens and Bars consultant knew it provided everything that Valentino owner Michael Turner was looking for.
For Michael, it was important that the kitchen acted as the beating heart of the restaurant. “People often start with the bar, then the seats, then the kitchen has to take whatever space is left over, but the design of a kitchen is absolutely fundamental to a restaurant.” The result for Café Valentino is nothing short of stunning. Emerging from the chaos of the earthquakes with a re-invigorated business is testament to the focus, vision and sheer hard work of Michael, the team at Café Valentino and everyone involved in the design, construction and fit-out of the popular restaurant.
THE COLOUR TEST
Café Valentino’s bright beauty was the inspiration behind the introduction of Moffat’s custom-made colour. For Moffat’s Brian Davies, the choice in colour was “a winning one from the start, especially when (Valentino owner) Michael arrived at the factory in a car that was the same colour”.
The Waldorf Bold range has recently debuted from Moffat, and the test case of Valentino provided the perfect opportunity to push the envelope with this technology. “The product is world class,” said kitchen consultant Nils Danielsen. “They’ve come up with a burgundy cook line for us, and pulled out all the stops to make that happen”. Nils understands the work behind the scenes that went in to ensure the final result. He said the, “enamel cook line is a world first, and no easy feat to produce. The process of enamelling a rich colour is very complex, with special firings needed, and chip tests”. The final result was spectacular however, and the technology is the pride of the new kitchen.
IN THE KITCHEN
The Café Valentino keeps one eye on the past while stepping into the future with its kitchen. The burgundy of the Waldorf Bold equipment echoes the glamour of an earlier age, while the technology ‘under the hood’ ensures power and efficiency are never compromised. The Waldorf Bold lineup provides a huge part of the kitchen. A gas cooktop, pasta cooker, gas salamander, fryer, benchtop, chargrill and gas range combine to give Valentino consistency in style and, as importantly, consistency in quality. Latest technology is assured with the addition of a Convotherm Easy Touch electric combi steamer.
