FEM gets cooking

Dushan Lukovic, chef and writer, offers advice and training on all Foodservice Equipment Marketing’s cooking equipment

Dushan Lukovic is FEM’s new Executive Chef, working with customers on product testing, menu development, training, advice and consultancy. Based near Lincoln, Dushan travels throughout the UK visiting FEM’s customers as well as running hands-on cooking demonstrations at the specialist FEM kitchens in Glasgow.

“I’m not a salesman, I’m first and foremost a chef,” says Dushan. “I love working with the customers and seeing what pleasure they get when they realise what more they can achieve with their cooking equipment. I attend shows as well as working closely with chefs to explain how to get the best yields whilst creating simple, tasty and well-presented food.  I’ve got 24 years of experience to share and am available for troubleshooting as well as advice.”

Growing up in South Africa, Dushan has learned and perfected his skills working as Executive Chef and Head Chef in Rossete and Michelin star restaurants, as well as high volume production and service kitchens.

“FEM is a great company,” he continues. ‘I feel we are merging knowledge and experience whilst testing and developing products together.  I think it is important to sharing this expertise with our customers because if I was about to open my own restaurant, I would want advice on what products to buy and how to use them effectively.”

One piece of kit that has especially impressed Dushan is the Alto-Shaam combi smoker.

“This is a unique piece of kit,” he says. “It is so simple to use and keep clean. You can hot or cold smoke cheese in 15 minutes and eight sides of salmon in 20 minutes. The chef controls the flavour and degree of smoking with no hassle – there’s no need to send out to a specialist smoking facility or buy ready smoked produce. I enhance the wood chips by using left over red wine, herbs or dried fruit but for convenience you can buy ready-flavoured woodchips.”

One of Dushan’s tips for the combi smoker is to smoke left over tomatoes, then blitz them to make a simple smoked soup which is delicious served with mozzarella boccacinni, fresh basil and a slice of focaccia bread.

For more information and details of local stockists call FEM on +44 (0) 1355 244111, email sales@fem.co.uk or visit www.fem.co.uk