McMahon 8 At University of Washington
By Donna Boss -- Foodservice Equipment & Supplies, 5/1/2004
McMahon 8 photos courtesy of Mesher Shing & Associates
Flexibility was a key consideration for our judges when they considered the design of this university's residential dining marketplace, which was named the winner of FE&S' 2004 Facility Design Project of the Year award. Versatile equipment installed in food concept platforms that can be opened and closed to accommodate peak and off-peak customer traffic helps to support a sophisticated menu. Engaging décor provided by local artisans is another customer draw.
|
||||||||||||||||||
When entering McMahon 8 on the campus of the University of Washington in Seattle, student-, faculty- and staff-customers are offered a feast for their senses. The comfortable yet contemporary environment here features stained maple, including wood cabinet faces, which is juxtaposed against granite and poured terrazzo counters, rust-colored slate countertops, granite wainscoting on back walls, 24-inch square natural slate flooring, Italian blown-glass pendant fixtures and other dramatic lighting, and decorative glass set into walls. These materials, selected by Mesher Shing & Associates of Seattle for their longevity, versatility and custom-designed features, were combined with state-of-the-art equipment and supplies specified by Ricca-Newmark Design of Centennial, Colo., and positioned at eight food concepts (thus, McMahon 8). The result is a $9 million, 30,000-square-foot facility that includes a 7,000-square-foot marketplace servery and an 11,000-square-foot kitchen so impressive in its appearance and practical in function that it was selected by a panel of professional design consultants as FE&S' Facility Design Project of the Year. The 675-seat McMahon 8 is one of three major renovations undertaken by the university's Housing and Food Services (HFS) department during the past several years. "We had always offered a good foodservice," explained Paul Brown, director of HFS, "but what our customers had been experiencing during recent years in commercial, off-campus retail operations was much different than what we were offering at UW. We're in an urban environment and our customers are exposed to every type of cuisine and style of dining. We had to become more contemporary."
After a strategic master plan was developed by The Ricca Planning Studio, Seattle firms URS Facilities Group and Mesher Shing & Associates were retained by the university to design and implement the on-campus foodservice redevelopment program. Ricca-Newmark Design was then brought in as the foodservice consultant. The architects, designers and consultants worked closely with the university's team, which included Brown; Vennie Gore, assistant director for Residential Services; Dan Farrell, assistant director for Retail Food Services; and Jean-Michel Boulot, executive chef.
 |
This team's first renovation was the student union's Husky Den dining facility, which was re-opened in January 2002. McMahon 8 was their second project, while Terry Hall, also a residential dining facility, will open in the fall of 2004.
In order to fulfill McMahon 8 project's mission to "equal or exceed the local restaurants in Seattle and thereby attract non-residents, faculty, staff and visitors," the architects and designers took several steps. They first worked on an existing facility that blocked spectacular views of Lake Washington and opened up views of it on three sides. Next, they developed a "hybrid" servery that allows a "corralled" service at peak traffic times and a walk-up retail opportunity during late night operations. Lastly, this team saved existing kitchen/dishroom assets while creating a new marketplace serving system. According to the judges, "These features, along with the beautiful interior design, raise the bar for projects done in on-site environments."
Views of Lake Washington and the Cascade Mountains are visible in McMahon 8's 12,000-square-foot dining area that contains 600 seats, as well as an additional 55 and 20 seats each in two private dining rooms. Adding to the comfort and aesthetics of the dining area are various styles of seating positioned on different levels. A fireplace adds another warm, inviting touch for customers.
 |
The "hybrid" servery includes an inner "corral" where customers (now averaging 3,600 per day) can choose among food and beverages offered at eight concept platforms: Pagliacci Pizza, the Broiler Zone, Jangar, Abundo, Imagination Bar, Wild Greens and Boss Tucker, The Nook, and Seconds. Customers also may stay on the periphery of the marketplace and select foods at Pagliacci Pizza and the Broiler Zone. "The outer platforms, which are also accessible on the inside, determined the marketplace's configuration," noted Tom Ricca, founding principal, Ricca-Newmark Design.
The outside area of the servery is open during the marketplace's busiest periods, as well as at night and on weekends. According to the judges, the facility's flexibility that allows staff to close off sections when they aren't in use or when traffic is slow without interfering with the overall look or function of the environment is admirable. Competition judges also described the layout of the design as "an avenue" that lets stations flow from one to another easily and conveniently.
 |
Ingenuity was demonstrated throughout the servery's design. Each food platform features an exhibition-cooking element that was designed to convey freshness, energy, value and entertainment to customers. One station, Abundo, incorporates a signature "Euro kitchen" concept. The judges particularly liked the layout of equipment, which they believed to be "quite efficient because designers eliminated duplication and clearly kept the need for labor at a minimum, given the fact this is a display cooking operation that is by its nature labor-intensive." Platforms are also clustered so minimal staff can attend to all stations during slow periods.
Wherever practical, mobile equipment was specified to facilitate flexibility and ease of cleaning. Counter work heights, distances between equipment pieces and equipment aisles were all developed according to "measure of man" standards that are intended to reduce strain and fatigue, and enhance staff members' individual efficiency.
|
|||
For pizza, the university became a licensee of Pagliacci Pizza, a popular regional brand. The equipment package at the Pagliacci Pizza platform includes heated shelves on which slices are displayed, a brick-laid pizza oven and prep tables, a refrigerated salad station and beverage station. Comfort foods popular in regions throughout the United States comprise the cuisine du jour at McMahon 8's Broiler Zone. This station is equipped with a refrigerated prep table, a charbroiler for cooking fresh-ground hamburgers, a flat cooktop for making vegetarian griddle cakes and crab cakes, and two conventional ovens used to heat pork sandwiches and baby back ribs. A salamander, a fryer for French fries, a hot food well, food warmer and refrigerators also have been installed here. Breakfast is also prepared at this station.
Tall, bar-style seating situated here and at the adjacent Jangar platform was singled out by the judges as one of the elements that contributed to the facility's restaurant-style ambiance. In addition, judges were impressed by the installation of a Mongolian grill and a dramatic-looking circular hood at Jangar. Also in this area are refrigerated containers that hold ingredients that are presented salad-bar style for customers to select before they are grilled; built-in freezers that hold seafood offerings; a steamer for rice, tofu and vegetables; and a rice holder.
|
|||
At the Abundo station, located a few feet from Jangar, a rotisserie was installed. The conveyor oven at this Euro-kitchen platform is used to prepare slow-roasted brined game hen, turkey breast and boneless leg of lamb according to recipes from cuisines that originated in countries that surround the Mediterranean Sea. Additional pieces of equipment here include a 10-burner range with a 6-burner backup, a flat top, a salamander, a steamer, a hot plate with a sneeze guard and a carving station. Moving south in the marketplace customers encounter a soup station and the Imagination Bar, which is equipped with an induction burner, hot plate and sneeze guard, and features vegetarian cuisine.
Next in this direction is Wild Greens, which features a 20-item, custom-designed refrigerated salad bar. According to Jean-Michel Boulot, the facility's executive chef who has a restaurant background, all cold cases have thermal night shades that can be closed for inventory control, to maintain consistent temperatures and to help maximize the efficiency of individual cooling units.
At the nearby platform called Boss Tucker, which means "good food" in Australian slang, featured equipment includes refrigerated worktables for assembling made-to-order deli sandwiches; refrigerated display cases for pre-made Boss Tucker-labeled sandwiches and freshly tossed salads; a convection oven for cooking pastries and baking bread; and a fully automated espresso machine.
Another platform, The Nook, located near Pagliacci, is equipped with shelving for cereal display, a beverage station and stand-up refrigerator case. The eighth platform, Seconds, is fitted with refrigerated display cases that present its grab 'n go menu of sandwiches, salads and desserts, as well as beverages.
 At Abundo, a Euro-kitchen platform, a 10-burner range with a 6-burner backup, a flat top, a salamander, a steamer and a carving station are used to prepare cuisines originating in countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. |
Though many of the dishes served at McMahon 8 are assembled and cooked in front of customers, much of the food is prepared in a back-of-the-house kitchen. A great deal of attention was given to the dishwashing area. During the renovation process, existing kitchen/dishroom assets were preserved whenever possible. One efficiency-enhancing improvement made by the McMahon design consultants was the tying of a new tray carousel at the dishroom's exit into an existing belt conveyor that transfers soiled trays to the existing dishmachine.
When discussing their choice for the winner of this year's FE&S' Design Project of the Year competition, the judges concluded that the McMahon 8 team of Paul Brown, Dan Farrell, Vennie Gore, Jean-Michel Boulot, Bob Mesher, Tom Ricca and former Ricca manager Tim Trajillo, along with architects from URS Facilities Group in Seattle and personnel from equipment dealer Smith & Greene Co., of Kent, Wash., all worked together to raise the bar for on-site foodservice. The E&S installed here unquestionably made achieving this new high standard possible. — FE&S
View All Blogs
