Much has been said on the other entries about how we started, what we had to do to get our food out and about. Even though we cater for a lot of weddings and private parties and events nowadays, there was definitely a learning curve when we got started.
But we haven't really said much about our catering equipment - which took us time to get together until we were comfortable enough that we had exactly what we needed at the right price.
The one million dollar question.
Before we started - well, I should said before I said to Katja I'd help with her business - she had purchased various bit and pieces through eBay... all electric.
Now, don't for get we didn't have a clue and she assumed what I would have assumed: markets would supply with electricity.
Which they do.... at times.
But, really, [thb_highlight]gas is your answer![/thb_highlight]
By the time we got together to sit in front of the computer and get the rest of the appliances, Katja already had:
- an electric fryer (which cost her a little over £100)
- an electric griddle (which cost her around £200 if my memory doesn't fail me - which usually it does)
- an electric soup kettle
- an electric (German) sausage cutter
- other bits and pieces
But all electric.
So, ready to start trading, we find out that many (MANY) places won't supply a street food trader with electricity 🙁
Gas is your answer!
What to do?
The problem is not so much the money... (which it is), but the fact that our hopes & dreams sank.
Katja had most of the equipment for Bish Bash Bangers, and it was no good. She'd already spent so much money, it was making me feel sick. The thought of having to start again was just awful. I couldn't bare it, but I felt a strength blossoming from inside... I love my friend and that love was more powerful than the sense of dread.
So, with strength that came to me as if by magic, I suddenly felt energised to look for each bit of equipment and at the same time keep Katja in good spirit.
So, NCASS again. Asking what equipment for gas (griddle, fryer, boiler). Where from, how much, which make, etc etc.
NCASS doesn't always give you the cheapest options and I found we had to do a lot of research online. But boy, was it worth it!
First of all, let me tell you that Katja had to drive all the way up to Yorkshire from London to exchange her griddle! But at least the company (ACE), agreed to exchange even though more than a month had passed. Lucky!! (Thanks guys).
The fryer was a HUUUGE problem. We just couldn't find a fryer below £500, and by this time Ka (as I call her) had spent so much!!! Believe me, I tried everything. But no luck.
I learnt that gas fryers are classified as LPG or natural gas fryer. We were learning a lot again (I told the guys at NCASS that soon I could even work at the office with them!) such was the learning curve 🙂
It was between a Lincat and a Parry fryer, even though we could never afford the Lincat fryer...
...and so we ended up with the Parry double basket fryer.
We've hated the Parry fryer with a passion.
Everything about it is 'wrong'.
- The oil spills on the sides (and we've tried everything).
- The knobs fall [(this we have found with most of the equipment. When asking Mo' from Galbi Bros, he shrouded his shoulders and said: "Well, they're not meant to be moved so much" (or something like that)]
- The oil cools down easily
- The back of the top panel gets so burnt it's horrible to clean
ad infinitum.
The worse thing is the oil cooling down... we had a Parry engineer come to look at it and he told us that we needed a fryer with more kilowats...
[thb_highlight]Why didn't someone MENTION THIS BEFORE[/thb_highlight]?$@?!!$@!??
It seems that our fryer is 5.8kW (the Lincat is 11.3KW, so more powerful.
Still, the guy said we would need a lot more (I think something in the region of 30+kw but I'm not 100 per cent sure now as I wasn't there when he came to look at our fryer).
Anyway - we had an electric fryer we couldn't use and an LPG fryer we hated (and still hate!).
Next in line was the boiler. Again, we had to choose between the standard Burco or the Deluxe Burco.
We went for the Deluxe version because we could have control over the temperature (like you would at home with the gas hobs, you can turn the heat up or down with the knob...); but, again, the knob kept falling off the boiler (grrrr) and neither of us felt we EVER HAD ANY CONTROL over the heat.
Basically: we would leave it until it boils, then we turn it off. There doesn't seem to be anything in between (keeping it at low temperature) so if anyone knows how to achieve this with the Deluxe Burco, please send us a message! (thanks).
The rest of the equipment and accessories we got here and there, mostly through eBay.
Once we got over the shock that we had to purchase everything AGAIN but in 'gas version', we just got on with it.
By this time Katja had spent A LOT of money and I really felt for her - but I knew we would get it back tenfold at some point in the near future.
And, at the end of the day, well... we have 2 fryers.
