The new look Fanum House staff restaurant at the Automobile Association headquarters in Basingstoke has re-opened after an extensive five week refurbishment carried out by Bettaquip.
Working with Host Contract Management, who operate the catering facilities for the AA, Bettaquip was tasked with creating a modern dining experience to meet the very different requirements of the large number of people working in the building. A wide range of foods often prepared in front of customers with theatre style cooking was an essential part of the project. A new all electric kitchen has been installed together with purpose designed serveries topped by Staron worksurfaces that have the look and feel of granite.
The restaurant now boasts an extensive meal choice from retail facilities, a Grab and Go area offering sandwiches and snacks, and an impressive looking Deli Bar complete with a Molteni Rotisserie which enables catering staff to cook meat in front of customers. Host Contract Management report that the rotisserie is proving very popular with customers, with gammon glazed with maple proving the most popular so far.
On the main counter is a pizza oven offering a pizza of the day and also a “build your own menu” which again is proving popular, together with a pasta station. Pizza and pasta are the original fast foods – pre prepared bases and pasta can be finished off in a matter minutes in front of the customers with toppings and sauces of their own choice.
Two induction hobs are also used for cooking food in front of customers – everything from eggs for breakfast to pancakes for pudding.
David Hinton, Property Manager for the AA, comments ‘our aim was to create a more modern image with facilities that reflect the current trends in meal preparation and display. The project was carried out very professionally and to the agreed timescale. Uptake among our 900 staff has increased from 50% to 70% with the new facilities’.
Since completing the new facilities at the AA headquarters, Bettaquip has designed and installed a new staff coffee shop serving drinks and snacks at the AA premises in Cardiff (see right). Designed to provide an alternative food offering to staff the coffee shop has been located away from the existing servery. To keep disruption to a minimum installation had to take place over the course of three weekends.
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