Ministry of Accelerated Cooking

22nd May 2007

Merrychef Ltd has supplied Sodexho Defence with accelerated cooking ovens to power the MOD’s HUB! Café Bars.

The deal, to supply Merrychef 403 ovens to barracks across the UK, includes the trademark MenuKey® option, allowing Sodexho Defence to manage one menu over several locations.

The HUB! Café Bar offers a varied menu from Breakfast Muffins and Paninis, to Omelettes, Chicken Wings, Pizza and Sausage Rolls.  Typical cook times start at 45 seconds for a Cheese & Onion Slice to three minutes 30 seconds for a Double Bacon and Cheese Burger.

Renee Yarshon, Development Chef at Sodexho Defence, said:

"The HUB! Café Bar has been designed as a bright new meeting place, complete with gaming and internet areas, to purchase drinks and snacks out of normal “mess” meal times.  Some of our HUB! facilities are new build, but others have been created within smaller barracks with minimal or no kitchen facility.” 

“The 403 has been a god-send, particularly in the smaller barracks.  It takes up very little space yet is capable of cooking our menu so much faster than a conventional oven.

“Not only has the 403 significantly reduced cook times, it is particularly useful when the shift quietens off later in the day.  Custom is less frequent yet we still provide freshly prepared, hot food in a matter of minutes.”