Category Archives: Rational
29 Nov |
Countdown to Christmas |
After the year we have had as a country and with the FIFA World Cup due to end literally a week before Christmas; there is no doubt we’re living in very strange and uncertain times. Yet those in the hotel, restaurant, pub, café and farm shop trades know that in order to make money, we need to be prepared to serve demand as it occurs. Hence our Christmas countdown.
Some of that demand is predictable with bookings for Christmas parties and events. While other demand is more ad hoc. It could literally depend on the weather or on the consumer’s feeling of the need to go out. A long run for England or Wales might dampen demand for those premises without television as people stay in; or become a place of escape for those desperately avoiding soccer.
Being Prepared for the Predictable
When demand comes, you’ll want service to function seamlessly from start to finish. For your Rational ovens this means ensuring that you have all the cleaning supplies you could need for the next 6 weeks. Regular cleaning optimises Rational performance and reduces the likelihood of a failure.
Check your cleaning supplies. Order by 2nd December and there is a reasonable chance that we can deliver before Christmas. If you order no later than 10th December and we have it in stock then you will also beat the 10-15% price increase, which Rational has had to bring in globally effective 1st December. Order either online or call the team on 01454 322222.
Being Prepared for the Unpredictable
If you haven’t already booked a Rational service or maintenance visit before the Christmas and New Year break, it’s probably too late. But we’ll happily arrange a date for January for those in our area.
Most oven breakdowns are unpredictable, but often seem to happen at times of peak demand. While many of AC Services Southern staff take a break over Christmas, there is always an engineer on call dealing with whatever crops up.
For ease of contacting us to resolve your breakdown, below are our opening hours:
In all instances, dial 01454 322222 and choose the relevant option.
- Friday 23rd Office closes at 5.00 p.m.
- Saturday 24th Engineer on call for emergencies
- Sunday 25th CHRISTMAS DAY CLOSED
- Monday 26th BOXING DAY CLOSED
- Tuesday 27th Engineer on call for emergencies
- Wednesday 28th Office open 8.30 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Engineers available
- Thursday 29th Office open 8.30 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Engineers available
- Friday 30th Office open 8.30 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Engineers available
- Saturday 31st Engineer on call for emergencies
- Sunday 1st NEW YEARS DAY CLOSED
- Monday 2nd Engineer on call for emergencies
- Tuesday 3rd Normal office hours resume
While we cannot predict the outcome of the football; working with our catering colleagues, we can make the season less stressful and more productive by using our Christmas countdown!
Published Date: 29th November 2022
Category: Blog, Catering Business, Cleaning Products, News, Rational
Tags: AC Services, Catering business, Cleaning Products, Rational Ovens, service, Servicing
27 Sep |
World Cups and Catering Reality |
September has been a month of change and upheaval in the UK. The last quarter of 2022 will present increased challenges to the catering sector. Some are unavoidable. The increases in the costs of food and drink and in energy will not go away. These increase uncertainty on the ‘normal’ Christmas rush. While others provide possible opportunities such as the 4 World Cups.
Energy Costs
The Energy Bill Relief Scheme will fix gas and electricity prices for all firms for six months from 1 October. This provides some relief for businesses on their energy costs but they will still remain very high compared to last year. Now is the time to take those longer-term measures that catering businesses have been putting off. These will pay off in the short and medium term. Consider:
- Using plug appliance monitors to identify the energy vampires in the kitchen and elsewhere
- Using LED lights eg for the floodlights for outside areas where 30-90% savings can be made
- Food prep and storage areas account for 40% of energy use in restaurants. Defrost, maintain and clean fridges and check the door seals for leakages. The same applies for ovens!
The cost of living crisis will make trade more variable. This might mean turning appliances off, rather than just leaving them on standby. And closing off some areas to use heat more effectively.
It’s good to take some learning from the management of the Queue for the lying-in-state. What is key is effective communication so that the public can understand and be prepared.
When I was young and the pub was getting full, the landlady allowed us to use the back bar. She always told us: “the room will take an hour to heat; and mind we turn off the thermostat, the lights and shut the door when we leave, putting our glasses on the bar”. The same applies today: people will respond positively, if told nicely what and why.
World Cup Opportunities?
World Cups take time from the opening matches to the grand finals. Spread over October to November we have:
- In New Zealand, the Women’s Rugby Union
- In England, the Men’s Rugby League
- In Australia, the Men’s Cricket T20.
While on 21st November the Men’s Football World Cup kicks off in Qatar and runs through to December 18th. With England and Wales both in Group B, like the other world cups, the early matches could be useful opportunities for one-off events. Then it may be a case of how far England progress as to what events could be laid on to bring people together profitably. Although for some catering businesses a big football-related event the Sunday before Christmas, would not be ideal!
Catering Business Necessities
At AC Services, we ‘ve had a very busy summer working with catering businesses to make sure their Rational ovens are serviced and ready to deliver. This year more than previous years, it’s important to think early about the end of year demands.
- Calling us in October, means we can schedule a service that’s convenient.
- Ordering your cleaning materials on-line by 1st November, means we can manage our stocks and lead times from Europe and deliver in good time.
- If the unfortunate occurs and you have a breakdown, as always, we’ll get to you as soon as we can so you’re back in service and making money.
Why? Because we want to be still working with as many of our catering colleagues as possible, when the Coronation comes in the summer of 2023; whichever forecast is right.
Published Date: 27th September 2022
Category: Blog, Catering Business, News, Online Sales, Rational
Tags: Catering business, Cleaning Products, Maintenance, service
01 Sep |
Rational Oven News |
Globally there are only 1,200 certified Rational Service partners. AC Services Southern is one of the 35 serving the UK.
We are responsible for the service needs of Rational users in the South West of England and Southern Wales. This includes the maintenance and breakdown needs of the units and supply of cleaning consumables.
AC Services is also an authorised Spare Parts supplier.
But enough about us. We thought in this month’s blog we’d update the catering trade on people and developments at Rational, they might have missed.
Rational UK people successes
In August, Rational UK announced it had successfully secured the Gold Standard of the Investors in People accreditation. With fewer than 1 in 5 UK companies achieving this status, it demonstrates Rational’s ongoing commitment to developing their own 60+ staff to help customers better.
This news comes a month after Brendon Lane began his new role as MD on 1st July 2022. Brendon brings a wealth of international management experience to the role, most latterly at Honeywell UK, but previously at Fluidra, Epson and Samsung.
Already he has identified the need to continue to focus on increasing uptake of the iVario Pro. Given 2021’s award for Energy Efficiency Innovation in Heavy Catering Equipment at the Irish Foodservice Suppliers Awards; this is sensible with electricity price hikes and over 50,000 sold globally. He is also focused on tackling UK issues around order delays and supply chain in these challenging times.
Interesting Rational developments
In July 2021, the foundations were started on a new factory at Wittenheim, France. This is one of Rational’s two historic production bases. With an investment of over 30M euros, the 10,000 square metre building is due to open in Spring 2023. It will provide the capacity to make 25,000 cooking systems per year when up and running.
Perhaps more immediately useful for UK catering businesses is the development of 10-minute live webinars accessible by Microsoft Teams. Each of the new webinars covers a menu for a specific sector, including pubs, hotels, care homes, food to go and education. Check out the Rational UK website for details of these and other useful Rational oven webinars.
Published Date: 1st September 2022
Category: Blog, News, Rational
Tags: AC Services, Catering business, Rational Ovens
28 Jun |
Making Rational Oven Cleaning Easier |
Often, we are promised something which will make our lives easier, only for us to be disappointed by the reality.
Which is why we are not going to overhype the changes that will make life easier for school catering staff in 50 Gloucestershire schools this summer; and could be suitable for your kitchen and Rational oven cleaning.
The Potential Oven Cleaning Issue
Rational ovens are well-built and designed for busy catering establishments. As needs increase through busier service or an older machine is replaced; so another Rational model is deployed with the latest technology and optimised features. That optimisation goes all the way down to the choice of cleaning tablet for the oven. And that is where the potential issue lies when the wrong tablet is used for the wrong machine. This may cause it to fault.
Rational Red Cleaning Tablets (56.00.210) supplied in a round drum, are used for SE, SG, SH, and SI ovens. While Active Green Cleaning Tablets (56.01.535) in the rectangular tub, are for use in i Combi Pro (SJ) and i Combi Classic ovens (MJ).
The good news is that if you have the new SJ and MJ modules and older Self Cooking Center models White Efficiency (SH) and (SI), their software can be updated to take the new Active Green Cleaning Tablets. This removes the chance of using the wrong tablets in the new ovens. It also makes ordering and stocking the right tablets so much easier.
Please note the Care Tablets (56.00.562) are still used in SG, SH, SI, SJ, MI, and MJ ovens whether you use Red Cleaning Tablets or Active Green Tablets.
Update Now or Later?
As a proactive partner, AC Services engineers will offer to update the software on any kitchens they visit where there are a number of different oven models. After all we’d far rather prevent an issue occurring so that our clients have peace of mind; than to have to respond to an emergency.
Alternatively, like with the schools, we’re happy to go out specially to update software to make everyone’s cleaning regime easier.
Published Date: 28th June 2022
Category: Blog, Catering Business, Cleaning, News, Rational
Tags: Cleaning, Cleaning Products, Rational Ovens
31 May |
Saving Cash and Service |
With the Jubilee celebrations, you can imagine the week of service phone calls AC Services had last week!
But to be honest being prepared is good. What we’re not looking forward to are the crisis calls during the celebrations. Those times when with the peak number of paying customers, a machine fails.
Sometimes it’s the result of a small fault ignored, that then has expensive consequences. And with everyone trying to save money after Covid, the number of those type of calls is increasing.
Small faults can become big problems
Running a catering business today is stressful enough without people adding to that stress with scare stories. But the ones below are real examples that have happened to catering colleagues recently:
- Door gaskets over time wear or become damaged and so need replacing. Stacking ovens increases the chances of knock-on effects. The top oven leaks from a worn gasket onto the oven below. This takes out the control PCB and other components. Depending on the model, prices for a replacement PCB costs from £1080 upwards; while door gaskets start from £60.
- Another result of worn door gaskets is that steam escapes. One effect of this is the ovens don’t cook correctly interrupting the smooth flow of service. Another is putting the oven on overnight clean, can end up coming back to a flooded floor.
- Steam can cause no end of damage to various components and PCBs. An easy way in is through the overlooked cracked glass on a light bulb fitting. Or it could be a steam or drain hose failing that takes out the fan motor starting at £560.
Servicing is the cost-saving answer
Staying in business is about balancing cost with risk. Regular Rational servicing reduces the risks of fault repairs in mid-service that create lost revenue and unhappy customers. Don’t let the maintenance niggle grow into a costly fault from lack of servicing.
When servicing, we check multiple parts. To see what we cover please check out our May 2022 service checklist. A booked service call allows us to spend up to 2 hours on your oven. Servicing prices start from £195 plus VAT, dependant on model and avoids potential untimely costly repairs.
After the weekend is over, just check when you last had your Rational ovens serviced or whether there is a small fault that needs fixing. Then give our friendly team a call on 01454 322222.
Published Date: 31st May 2022
Category: Blog, Catering Business, News, Rational, Service plan
Tags: Maintenance, service, Servicing
25 Jun |
4th July Catering Celebration or Bust? |
When the Prime Minister announced yesterday that most pubs and catering businesses could re-open or extend beyond a delivery service on 4th July, many in the sector were already wondering how. In the end it will boil down to an individual business choice.
A Bit of a Muddle
Official guidance and guidelines on what’s required were not available on 23rd June. Indeed, googling catering guidance brings up the Scottish government response as the first option. Given that the opportunity to open only applies to England, that’s not particularly helpful. But we are assured that the guidelines will be updated soon. In reality this will be too late for a 4th July opening for those who decide to open.
As the AC Services’ region is South West England and South Wales, we have some customers who can consider opening and some who won’t hear until 9th July. This is when the Welsh Assembly is next due to announce its decision.
In catering, timing and communication are everything. All catering businesses need to consider whether they wish to meet the opportunity of opening on 4th July or to start communicating to their clients the date when they will be open. They can then plan accordingly and manage the risks.
What might catering businesses need to do?
Details are sketchy of what might be required. It became further confused with the reduction of the 2m to 1m rule. What may be needed is to:
- Provide mandatory table service for drinks as well as meals
- Require staff to wear face masks and wash hands every 20 minutes
- Use app-ordering by customers at table
- Reduce the numbers of tables to comply with distancing rules
- Provide options for sitting outside and perhaps Perspex screens between tables for those inside
- Take all customer details to enable contact tracing should an outbreak occur.
Consider your team and your catering equipment?
Ultimately to open or not after 4th July is a business decision. This should consider whether there is sufficient demand from your customers to fill your restricted venue delivered by a trained team of staff supported by fully operational equipment. This was the decision faced by AC Services at the beginning of lockdown.
As we maintain and service Rational ovens in hospitals and other key services, we could not fully close. We did however have to furlough staff to balance demand against potential income.
With clients already preparing to re-open, we’re getting increasing calls to service Rational ovens. This allows us to unfurlough engineers as the sector begins to get back on its feet.
Calling us before opening allows us to schedule the engineer visits outside of service hours. This minimises both covid-19 risks and the chaos caused when a machine fails in-service. We’d recommend that if your machines have not been used for some time, that they are serviced first as the best way to save costs.
But we also recognise that some businesses will take the risk given Rational’s reputation for reliability. We’re sure that those businesses will understand if we are unable to respond immediately, as we used to, until we have our own team back at full strength. And if it does happen do call us on 01454 322 222 so we can discuss your options.
Published Date: 25th June 2020
Category: Blog, Catering Business, News, Ovens, Rational
Tags: AC Services, Catering business, Servicing
01 Apr |
We’re Still Open for Key Sites |
While this will be our last blog for a while due to the impacts of coronavirus, we are still open for key sites with our core crew. If you’ve had to close please follow our Rational oven close down tips below.
So, if you’re a hospital, care home or an off-site food company with a maintenance contract with AC Services you’re still covered for any breakdowns that occur. If this does happen please call the normal number 01454 322 222 and speak to Helen. She will arrange for our engineer to visit to repair the breakdown.
If you’re already a connectedcooking kitchen, we are able to remotely monitor and identify the fault, which can minimise the time we need to spend with you.
New Customers
If you’re a not a regular AC Services customer, but have a breakdown on a Rational oven in the area we cover of South West England and Southern Wales; we might be able to assist you if you are a key site such as a hospital or care facility.
As we’re sure you understand, we are prioritising our established client base and responding to their breakdowns. This unfortunately means we cannot promise to assist you as promptly as normal and may mean our engineer will be diverted elsewhere. But for key facilities, we will try to help repair your Rational breakdown if we can.
Continuing Business and Key Sites
Obviously, we need to continue to operate within the guidelines issued by the government to minimise the spread of coronavirus. We are considering what impacts this has on the need to regularly service Rational ovens to prevent breakdowns and how we can deliver this over the longer term.
In the meantime, we’d urge customers to ensure that the weekly and daily maintenance routines are adhered to using the approved products. These are available from our on-line shop if your stocks are running low.
Rational Oven Close Down Procedures
If you have closed your kitchen then please do the following for your Rational oven close down.
For Rational SH, SI and Combi Master Plus please watch these handy videos first. Steam tank emptying. CM P tank emptying which is a download.
- Find the water supply and isolate the unit.
- Use the Handshower until it is empty.
- Power off unit and leave door partially open
When returning unit to operation, return power and water
- Use hand shower to rinse water feed system
- Run unit in steam for 30 minutes
- Run short cleanjet
Or for Rational CareControl SG range
- Find the water supply and isolate the unit.
- Use the Handshower until it is empty.
- Follow instructions above to empty tank. If this does not work with the door closed, repeat with door open
- Power off unit and leave door partially open
When returning unit to operation, return power and water
- Use hand shower to rinse water feed system
- Run unit in steam for 30 minutes
- Run short cleanjet
Keeping in Touch
While there won’t be any blogs for the next few weeks, please follow us on Facebook for any updates. Or if you are spending time creating a new strategy for your business why not check out our earlier blogs on trends in catering businesses and show reports.
Published Date: 1st April 2020
Category: Blog, Catering Business, Cleaning Products, News, Ovens, Rational, Self Cooking Centre
Tags: Catering business, Coronavirus
05 Mar |
Hospital Food Improves |
Hospitals will be increasingly in the news over the coming months as the country copes with coronavirus. AC Services Southern already maintains a number of hospitals’ Rational equipment to ensure that their kitchens are fully functioning, whatever the demands.
We were particularly pleased when Rational UK decided to film conversations with the Royal United Hospital Bath about the reasons why they choose to go with Rational. Find out about the savings, HACCP benefits, ConnectedCooking and improved product for their 46,000 meals a month on the video.
What the video doesn’t show is the support provided by ourselves on a service contract as the local certified Rational Service Partner. This support is both regular service and maintenance calls and through alerts generated through the ConnectedCooking functionality. This combination enables the Rational equipment to deliver consistently high standards with lower stress for the chefs.
Looking after Catering Staff during the Coronavirus Crisis
Hospital resources will be stretched with potentially 1 in 5 of the workforce affected. Thankfully most of these will be mild cases, but they will still be contagious. The official advice is if you have a cough, a high temperature or shortness of breath then phone the doctor. Don’t attend in person as this potentially increases the spread of the disease amongst those least able to cope.
For catering businesses themselves, then good food hygiene practices are key to reduce the potential to spread coronavirus. Hopefully already catering staff are:
- catching sneezes and coughs in disposable tissues and then washing their hands
- avoiding touching their eyes, nose and mouth
- washing hands regularly ideally with soap and water for 20 seconds as though they were a surgeon preparing for an op. So, no touching of taps without a paper towel afterwards.
A change in the routine might be the provision for staff of anti-bacterial hand gel to keep service flowing. This is less effective than soap and water, but for those handling crockery and cutlery allows more regular use. Be aware though that repeated use of hand gel can dry skin; out so perhaps provide some end of shift hand lotion. Alternatively, now might be the time to resurrect waiters in white gloves!
Please don’t be surprised if your AC Services engineer asks to wash his hands on arrival and just before leaving your business. We’re already planning how to minimise contagion so that we can give our hospital and catering clients the service they need at this critical time.
Published Date: 5th March 2020
Category: Catering Business, News, Rational
Tags: Catering business, mass catering
11 Feb |
Pub20 Show Report |
Olympia London played host last week to the only dedicated show for the pub industry, PUB20. The two days of the event brought together more than 200 innovative suppliers; 60 experts of the industry speaking across 30 talks and the latest food, drink and technology trends.
The first day of PUB20 saw a number of talks, all pertinent to the future of the pub industry. There were talks on the design of pubs, how to entice customers in and make them comfortable. This included an exclusive look at Harp Interiors’ at-show design masterpiece, the PUB Theatre, which demonstrated the top design trends to engage the next generation. The talks reflected the industry’s determination to combat the problems it faces and present positive solutions.
Social Media and Experiential Drinks
Social media was another subject covered; with a debate about the advantages of social media, asking questions such as whether Instagram or Facebook are the best platform for pubs. The session provided inspiration and a clear understanding of how to create effective content, grow brand awareness and engage customers. Similar talks included advice on photographing drinks and placing them on the right media to attract customers.
Much was made of the dichotomy between alcohol and non alcohol drinkers. Club Soda DrinkX offered solutions for appropriate products to bring people together socially, rather than separate them based on alcohol. Experiential beverages are one of the key drivers behind the growth of the low and no market. The advice here is on “immersive, multi-sensory, premium, customisable serves which bring theatre and new rituals to excite modern consumers”.
Food in Pubs
RATIONAL contributed with a talk about the right equipment and how it can play a key role in delivering delicious pub grub in a timely manner to maximise any chef’s multitasking ability. Food featured strongly at the show, with the rise of the meat-free cuisine a hot topic. In a cooking demonstration, chef Neil Rankin showed how plant-based burgers can showcase the same skill and attention to detail as those containing meat; whilst being kinder on the profit margins as well as the environment.
There was a big focus on catering in pubs for flexitarians, those who do eat meat but are looking to reduce their consumption of meat. This group now make up 68% of UK diners, leading to diners looking to try something new while eating out. 78% of consumers think food quality contributes the most to the dining experience. And expectations of food quality has again risen in 2019. The show suggested Grilling Cheese as a solution to help address the balance between profitability and quality.
Of course, no PUB20 show would be complete without the great Sausage Roll Off. Here past winners returned to compete, create, roll and bake their own take on the sausage roll. The show returns in 2021 promising to be even bigger and better.
04 Feb |
Rational’s VarioCookingCenter |
As an authorised Rational Service and Spares Partner, AC Services Southern repairs and maintains the complete range of Rational units. This includes the VarioCookingCenter previously sold under the Frima brand. So this week we’re focusing on that as one of the units we service for clients across South West England and South Wales.
Rational’s VarioCookingCenter® is the ideal multi-functional appliance for any kitchen because it can do a multitude of cooking tasks at the same time. The beauty of the appliance is the value it offers – savings in time, cost, speed and ultimately, profits.
The VarioCookingCenter® is suitable for any catering requirements, from small caterers to high-end restaurants. With over 95% efficiency, it cooks up to four times faster than conventional appliances. And uses up to 40% less power consumption.
Moreover, it has cooking versatility, letting you cook several different dishes quickly at the same time. The multi-functional cooking technology lets you bake, boil, roast, toast, braise, deep fry and a host of other cooking techniques. So if you are serving a full English breakfast; you can serve up the fried bacon, boiled eggs, sautéed tomatoes and toast all at the same time.
Pressure Cooking
The appliance also offers a pressure-cooking feature, enabling the reduction of cooking times for a range of dishes. Times for soups, stews, casseroles and braised dishes can be cut by 30% without compromising taste or quality. The built-in cooking intelligence VarioCookingControl® ensures the desired cooking level is achieved precisely.
Another major benefit of the VarioCookingCenter is its space-saving value. If you are tight on space, then this system is the perfect solution. It has an integrated water outlet which allows draining without any movement to the pan. This prevents scalding and allows the appliance to be installed without a floor channel drain. Furthermore, because nothing sticks or overcooks, cleaning time is minimised.
Expert Design
The appliance has been designed by experts using intensive R&D, testing and analysis to attain the optimum cooking intelligence. As a result, the VarioCookingCenter works day and night with minimal monitoring or checking required. Because the appliance sensitively regulates the temperature at the touch of a button, you get a perfect cooking result the next morning. This is a major boost for larger cuts of meat that need overnight boiling like ham or cured pork, beef and brisket.
The VarioCookingCenter is a sustainable and holistic approach to everyday cooking designed for resource savings using the very latest technology. Contact us here at AC Services (Southern) for more details if you need it serviced or maintained on 01454 322 222.
If you’d like to buy one, contact Rational UK or attend a local cooklive demonstration to see its suitability for your business.
Published Date: 4th February 2020
Category: Blog, Catering Business, News, Ovens, Rational
Tags: Hotel, Installation, mass catering, Ovens, Pubs, Rational Ovens, Restaurant