The Rieber Varithek Pasta Cooker features 5kW electric heating elements, sitting under a basin bottom made from Rieber’s unique SWISS-PLY multilayer material, aluminium sandwiched between stainless steel, which ensures even heat distribution.
- The pasta cooker produces up to six portions at any time – pasta baskets are available in single and double portions.
- With 5kW three-phase power and a maximum of six portions on the go at once, the Rieber Varithek Pasta Cooker module is highly price-competitive per portion compared to the rest of the market.
- It is also compact at 400 x 708 x 212 mm.
- The Varithek ACS features Rieber’s self-ventilating Air Clean System, which means the Varithek can be used without the need for overhead ventilation canopies.
The combination of modules means chefs can cook up and serve anything from a fixed restaurant kitchen, but with the added advantage of being mobile, which facilitates Front Cooking without the need for overhead ventilation.
How can the Varithek Pasta Cooker help chefs to create a more diverse or bespoke selection?
The Rieber Varithek Pasta Cooker is compatible with the two or three-module ACS Varithek Front Cooking Station. Other Varithek modules include hobs, woks and griddles, and a frequent combination is Pasta Cooker with Flat Hob and Wok modules.
The combination of modules means chefs can use the Varithek ACS Front Cooking Station to serve any pasta with sauce. The Wok and hobs can be used for sauce, to fry (frequently done with gnocchi) and to finish the garnish or the dish itself.
It would be a crying shame if creating premium bespoke and artisanal pasta dishes is not carried out in front of the customer. The Front Cooking Station is perfect for selling up a menu and in the case of pasta this means dishes inspired by specific regions.
One artisanal dish (served up by a BGL Rieber customer) is the Genovese favourite, Salsa di Noci – walnut sauce – served up with Pansoti, an alternative to the well-known ravioli, but made with a filling including borage, chard, greens, cheese, nutmeg and marjoram. The walnut sauce is ideal for selling up a menu because it is an alternative pesto made with walnuts, cheese and pine nuts.
Operator Feedback
Many operators want the flexibility to cook out front but have their equipment work in the central kitchen alongside fixed equipment.
The key concerns of operators – after the cooking qualities are considered – are customer and staff safety, hygiene and ventilation. Rieber’s stainless steel and shatterproof glass Varithek Front Cooking Station protects staff and customers, and – with rounded corners, drain tap, and fully sealed construction – it is also straightforward to keep clean.
The self-ventilation capability means Varithek ACS can extend the service area of existing serveries and counters, even under relatively low ceiling heights.
Some operators ran into problems when they wanted to give their customers Front or Theatre Cooking because some local fire regulations prevent cooking without fire safety systems overhead.
BGL Rieber solved this issue at their customer’s request by working with the tried, tested, and industry-recognised Amerex fire suppression system, which can now be fitted inside the Rieber Front Cooking Stations.
Combined with the existing and highly efficient self-ventilating capability which ensures no cooking smells escape from the Varithek, there is now no reason for caterers not to use this mobile catering equipment anywhere because this development satisfies the demands of the most earnest fire regulations.
Varithek cooking modules in use within the Varithek ACS Front Cooking Station (also fitted with Amerex fire suppression). This site uses Varithek ACS to provide a rotating menu of specials, including pasta, noodles, griddled burgers, Soup Kitchen, Curry House, Wok Stir Fry, fresh fish on Friday, etc. The spare cooking hob modules, seen here on the right, are being used to hold food hot and to cook off items fresh to order, such as fried eggs.