Litmus began working with University College School two years ago when they were asked to manage the tendering process for a new catering facility.
Litmus carried out a robust review which resulted in identifying a clear need to redesign the outdated kitchen. Litmus created the design and specifications for the new layout of the kitchen and carried out the tendering process for the supply and installation of the kitchen and catering equipment.
Restaurant Design Associates secured the contract and managed the delivery and installation of coldrooms, ventilation canopies, bespoke fabrication and servery counters and worked in collaboration with Litmus, the main contractor and the school.
Part of a major refurbishment of the University College School, RDA split the project into two phases to coincide with the main contractor’s works, and to minimise disruption to students’ education.
As a listed building with no lift, the kitchen and catering site on the first floor of the school also presented its own unique challenges.
RDA first surveyed the site in detail, before assisting Litmus in specifying equipment, counters and bespoke fabrication designed to suit the access restrictions, working within short timeframes.
Joe Parfitt, Partner at The Litmus Partnership, said: “This is a great example of how to effectively manage a catering refurbishment from start to finish and how important it is to find the right supplier who can also fit in with the existing contractor. Schools continue to work with us because of our best value approach to delivering quality improvements; we put student and client satisfaction at the centre of our work and our depth of resource is second to none in the sector. We are delighted with the results and proud of all the hard work that RDA and Litmus have put into this project.”
Alex Bradley, Director at Restaurant Design Associates, said: “The age of the building made this project particularly interesting for us. Having worked on over 300 projects to date, we’ve experienced many different spaces. However, working in a listed building brought about its own unique requirements. As a result, watching the transformation take place was truly special, and we are extremely proud of the achievements of both RDA and Litmus.”
Nigel Stock, Director of Operations at University College School, said: “The installation at UCS was challenging due to the first floor location, heavily restricted access and short timeframe. RDA was responsive and efficient throughout this project. The new catering facility has transformed the working conditions for our catering team and RDA played a key role in making this happen. Our catering facility required a complete re-think in terms of operational flow and space usage. Litmus created a great design that addressed each of these challenges and ensured we engaged the right supplier to complete the installation. Our new kitchen and service spaces will allow us to provide the highest quality food to pupils and staff at UCS.”