Brooks Restaurant

As part of a £45m estate redevelopment, JGA were commissioned to design the new catering facilities within the Barnes Wallis Building. This was a complete refit and change of use for the three-storey block.

The catering facilities comprised of a Student Refectory on the first floor with the Skills and Restaurant Training kitchens on the second floor. 

Features: For the Skills Kitchen cooking stations, we have two island arrangements. The ranges are suited side by side and divided by a vented services spine that sits virtually flush with the range tops. Aesthetically, the symmetry of the mirrored arrangement looks great as it gives the impression of a single surface. The client wanted a facility that would be “cutting edge” and they are really happy with the result. 

The highlight of “Brooks Restaurant” Training Kitchen is a fully suited Mareno island suite sitting centrally to the open kitchen that serves out to a 45-seat dining space and bar.  The Catering Equipment contract value was £740k 

Challenges: The original catering facilities were demolished and the new, had to fit within refurbished spaces.  Working within an existing area is often a test of design ingenuity particularly when it is a repurposed building as little if any of the services required are in place. While the areas within the training spaces were quite restricted, with some creative thinking, we were able to produce designs that met all the client requirements for equipment and student numbers.