Drawing up the (refrigerated) drawer options

Williams on why the refrigerated drawers market has expanded exponentially in recent years

Chefs are getting into drawers, big time.  Specifically, refrigerated drawers.  Williams says the market for drawers has expanded exponentially in recent years.  As a consequence, the company has developed a comprehensive portfolio of refrigerated drawer options – ranging from individual drawer units to speciality counter drawer models to store products such as ice cream and frozen chips.

One of the big factors in favour of drawers is access.  With a drawer, it’s easy to get at everything stored inside.  With a standard cabinet-with-door, getting at the food at the back can be tricky.  The last thing chef wants to be doing is constantly bending over and stretching for the ingredients they need.  Open a drawer and you can get at everything inside, easily.

Both standard counters and individual drawer units, such as Williams’ Chef’s Drawers and Under Broiler Counters (UBC), are usually sited in the kitchen.  Counters and undercounter cabinets sit under, or provide part of, the worksurface, while individual drawer units are space-savers that can be sited out of the way, in nooks and gaps that otherwise might be unused.  UBCs can even go directly under prime cooking equipment.  The point is, they all give staff access to ingredients right where they’re needed – in the heart of the kitchen.

The Chef’s Drawer

These flexible, individual refrigerated drawer units are a huge bonus to kitchen designers trying to pack more storage space into smaller kitchens.  The latest versions by Williams are especially versatile, for a variety of reasons.   First off, they’re variable temperature models, so they can be instantly switched from chilled to frozen storage, keeping up with chef’s changing menu.  Because they vent through the front, they can be squeezed into the tightest of spaces, with no need for gaps at the side.  You can stack them, one on top of the other.  What’s more, the VSWCD1 Chef’s Drawer still fits under a 900mm high worktop, even when stacked.  Plus, they can hold more than the average individual drawer, since they can accommodate a 150mm deep 2/1GN pan.

The counter argument

Counters and undercounter cabinets with drawers have proved so popular that Williams not only offers them as options in its standard models, but has also developed specialist drawer units for specific applications.  For example, the Jade range offers no less than 33 standard door / drawer configurations, including mixed drawer and door models, with or without counter wells for food prep on top.  Even more bespoke is the Jade JSC2-ID, which combines open drawers behind doors and was originally designed to store product such as ice cream.  Then there’s the Aztra range of space-saving undercounter cabinets.  They come in narrow and wide formats, both of which can be specified with one or two drawers.  The drawer versions of the ultra-compact AZ5CT also have an innovative ‘fry station’ option, including optional fry basket hangers that can support up to four baskets.  The fry station offers an ideal storage solution for frozen chips and other fried ingredients, while the hangers help speed up production.

Under Broiler Counters

These low-height drawer units are the lynchpins of many kitchens, since they’re built for strength.  That means they can handle the weight of prime cooking equipment, such as grills, griddles and chargrills.  So you put your UBC at the bottom with your cooking appliance on top and voila, you have a chef’s station with everything in one compact footprint.  Williams’ newest model is the UBC16, a four-drawer unit which is capable of storing 2/1 and 1/1 GN pans simultaneously and is wide (and strong) enough to hold two prime cooking appliances.

All Williams Chef’s Drawers, counters and UBCs use natural, hydrocarbon refrigerants with low or zero ODP and GWP.  Williams is committed to sustainability and reducing its carbon footprint.  Find out more at www.greenlogic.info

Williams Refrigeration offers a comprehensive range of commercial refrigeration including gastronorm cabinets and counters, specialist bakery equipment, coldrooms, multidecks and blast chillers.

To learn more about Williams extensive product range visit www.williams-refrigeration.co.uk.