Britain’s first catering exhibition centre offering a permanent home for more than 50 top equipment brands has opened its doors in Bristol.
The National Catering Equipment Centre (NCEC) showcases products from many of the leading equipment brands, offering a one-stop location for anyone interested in the catering world.
Unique venue
The NCEC is being called a centre of excellence within the catering industry and aims to offer a unique venue in which everyone from chefs and consultants to dealers and operators can train, network, discover and learn more about all aspects of the catering equipment sector.
The centre has a fully-operational demonstration and training kitchen. This is the home of the onsite development chef at the NCEC, Dean Starling. He is available to offer advice on every type of equipment, from commercial warewashers to any other item sold by the likes of www.247cateringsupplies.co.uk/. He is also on hand to help with onsite catering enquiries and give tips on menu development.
Some of the leading brands to commit to the NCEC project include Samsung, Olympia, Dynamic, Thor, Hoshizaki, Burco, Winterhalter, Pira, Lincat, LEC, Polar, Waring, Buffalo, Steelite and Churchill.
Laura Clarkson, the manager of the NCEC, said that the centre was the new home of the hospitality industry in the same way that Twickenham is home to rugby and Wembley is a footballing base. She added that the NCEC look set to quickly become a must-visit location for anyone with an interest in catering equipment, including chefs, consultants, operators, distributors and dealers.
Keith Warren, the director of the Catering Equipment Suppliers’ Association, or CESA, has welcomed the new effort.
He called the project an “exciting initiative”, offering customers the chance to test equipment before buying it and offering a vital service for the supply chain and operators alike.
Official opening
CESA chairman Glenn Roberts officially cut the ribbon at the centre on September 19 before an audience of 200 invited guests.
The centre will now offer visitors an opportunity to view, touch and test out a huge array of equipment, ranging from combi ovens to tableware.
Mr Roberts said that the NCEC could become an extremely valuable educational venue, offering a location in which to gain practical experience to back up the knowledge learned in training schemes like the CFSP and Principles of Foodservice from CESA.
