It’s been a long road promoting the second year of the FE&S Kitchen Storage Makeover sponsored by Metro. After completing a very successful year one (Fort William Henry Hotel & Conference Center) we’re proud of the judges next selection for 2019. Introducing this year’s winner… JCC of Greater Columbus.
To provide a bit of commentary to the process Id thought I’d start with a little background. The contest had a slow start but gained momentum as entries rolled in throughout the last month totaling over 100. Which is excellent due to the commitment and effort to provide a quality entry. Our large showing of trade ads, digital exposure, sales team persistence, and word-of-mouth were key to this success. In mid-March, the judging ceremony was held in Chicago. The select panel consisted of a top Consultant, an Operator and a Dealer within the Chicago Metropolitan area. Judges came to a decision based upon scope and need, as well as Metro’s ability to make a meaningful difference. Metro did NOT select the winner.
Who won… and why?
Well, we can’t be 100% certain why this entry sparked interest, as we were not in the closed review process, but we can give our professional opinion. The JCC of Greater Columbus was a very deserving winner. We believe that their commitment to the community and the immense needs of the service they provide added flair to their entry. You see, the JCC is a 100% kosher kitchen and provides kosher meals of much of the Columbus area… that’s a lot of meals. This is a huge challenge for a storage and productivity perspective. Aside from completely gutting the kitchen and renovating the space, the best solution is to optimize and maximize what the current layout would allow. That’s were Metro can help. We provide a complete range of solutions that fit this entry… Wire & plastic shelving, high-density track shelving, holding and proofing cabinets, Insulated food carriers, wall shelving, ware handling like dish dollies, drying racks & utility carts, worktables, workstations, and so much more.
Take a moment to watch Episode 1: We have a winner. Here you’ll meet Matan Gutwaks and the JCC team. You can gain perspective to what they mean to the surrounding community. Also the challenges they face.
What challenges face a kosher kitchen?
Let’s keep it simple… we can focus on storage and productivity. In a nutshell a kosher kitchen has double the need in the same space. Kosher needs are for the complete separation of meat & poultry from dairy. This pertains to anything used to store or prepare the meals… double pots, pans, utensils, ovens, holding cabinets, plates, silverware, prep areas… you get the idea.
The following images give you an overview of the current storage process…or lack thereof. Notice the red and blue paint on all the items… BLUE is dairy only and RED is meat & poultry only.
In the next blog I’ll provide a rundown of our assessment and what the specific challenges we face in our quest to improve the output of the JCC. You’ll meet our ESP Pro Specialist/Space Magician Lauren Norika and follow the process we use to transform the space.