The university went with this method because the State of Wisconsin Department of State Facilities prohibits using cooled water to cool compressors if compressors can’t be placed on the roof. “So, we specified the refrigeration system, and a system with pumps and circuits was specified to hook up with the refrigeration system,” Anderson says.
In the future, Schoonover hopes to expand production to include sous vide cooking. “The food tank is also a cook tank for sous vide,” she says. “We have a HACCP plan, and we know there will be an advantage to making certain items, such as chicken breasts and roasts in this style because we will have more control over quality. Our executive chef is quite excited to move in this direction.”
In the entrée and catering area, staff use a food processor, fryer, grill, kettles, charbroiler and blast chiller to prepare and chill lasagna, enchilada casseroles and other menu items, which are packaged and distributed to dining units and to support catered events.
A pot-washing area on this level handles all pots, pans and cutlery used on this floor.
The Main-Level Market
Staff use one designated elevator to transport food up to the main-level market. Once on the main level, staff place food and supplies into a dry storage room, four walk-in coolers, and two walk-in freezers. Refrigeration and freezers are also built into the convenience store and beverage areas. Each station contains refrigeration and/or freezers, prep tables and hot/cold wells so they are as self-contained as possible, allowing staff to produce a large volume of menu items throughout the day.
“Among our biggest challenges here was making sure the operation is flexible so staff have the ingredients they need at their fingertips in refrigerators or dry storage,” Pellegrino says. “Also, we placed utilities at each station, as well as wells that can be switched from hot to cold as needed. We had to plan for longevity here.”
In the support kitchen, staff working at the cold prep station assemble vegetables, salad ingredients and other cold items and prepare them for distribution to the market’s stations. At the hot prep station, staff use a broaster, combi oven, hot-holding oven, steamer, fryer and griddle to prepare whole chickens, bacon, vegetables and other foods. Staff distribute these products to stations. “Much of the food is produced in front of the customers at each station,” Luke says. “But items such as chicken must be produced in large quantity and continuously throughout production so stations will have access to what’s needed throughout the day.”
Adjacent to the support kitchen is Global Kitchen, an international made-to-order concept. Staff use a boilerless steamer, rice cooker and induction wok range to prepare ethnic entrées and sides from around the world.
Other concepts include:
• 1849: homestyle comfort foods such as fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, chef-carved roasted meats. Chicken is made in the support kitchen’s broaster, and mashed potatoes are prepared in the mixers.
• The Bean and Creamery Coffeehouse and Ice Cream Shoppe: custom coffee drinks, smoothies, premium ice cream treats, ice cream from Babcock Dairy (the campus dairy), grab-and-go baked goods, other beverages, sandwiches and snacks. Staff use serving equipment and a quick-speed oven for making breakfast sandwiches on rolls.
• Buckingham Bakery: fresh-baked goods including muffins, bagels, pastries, cookies, bars and hot and cold desserts displayed in a home-kitchen setting. Staff here share the proofer and oven with staff at Delicious.
• Delicious: made-to-order deli sandwiches, paninis and wraps served on freshly baked bread and rolls. Staff use two panini grills and a high-speed oven.
• Buona Cucina: daily pasta selections, featuring signature organic marinara sauce and other house-prepared sauces, rustic Italian entrées and accompaniments. Staff here use a pasta cooker and steamer.
• Capital City Pizza Company: signature pizza, calzones and breadsticks prepared to order and hearth baked in a custom hearth pizza oven; pizza sold by the pie and by the slice for dine-in, carry-out or delivery to resident rooms. Equipment includes pass-throughs, a dough press and hot/cold holding equipment. The back part of the station supports delivery operations and pick-up, while the front faces into the market.
• Cereal station: up to 30 varieties of cereal, hot oatmeal and a yogurt bar with toppings.
• Eggcetera: hot breakfast items including eggs, omelets, pancakes, French toast, fried potatoes and breakfast meats, all served throughout the day. Equipment at this station includes a six-burner range, hot/cold wells with a flattop display, and a flattop griddle.
• Fired Up: freshly grilled burgers and veggie burgers, chicken breast and other grilled sandwiches and french fries. Equipment here includes a charbroiler, griddle, hot top, bun toaster and fryers.
• Great Greens: bountiful bar of freshly prepared greens, fruit and vegetables, from which diners craft their own salads. A soup station offers two house-prepared soups daily. Equipment here includes induction burners and hot serving plates to accommodate sizzling entrée salads.
• Que Rico: daily prepared-to-order specials of Tex-Mex fare, including tacos, taco salads, burritos and quesadillas.
• Flamingo Run: convenience store offering brand-name items such as bottled beverages, groceries, health and beauty aids, school supplies and snacks in a hip retail setting.