Pans on top, storage underneath
A refrigerated prep counter keeps fillings and toppings cold in gastronorm pans across the top while the cabinet below holds backup stock, so staff can build orders without walking to the cool room. Williams lists 13 models here: four Banksia counters, three Jade SC counters, three Jade PC counters and three Thermowell pan wells. The pan layout matters as much as the litres, so start with your menu.
Small pans for many fillings
Sandwich bars, salad counters and burrito shops tend to use lots of small pans, one per ingredient. The Jade SC counters take 10, 18 or 24 pans of 1/6 GN size over cabinets of 250, 500 and 750 L, and measure 1,152, 1,815 and 2,476 mm wide by 771 mm deep. Two Banksia models, the SP18 and SP30, take 18 or 30 pans of 1/6 GN over 250 or 500 L. Banksia counters stand 1,307 to 1,337 mm tall because the pans sit under a raised canopy, which suits a counter where customers watch their order being made.
Bigger pans for volume
Where a few ingredients go out in large amounts, larger pans mean fewer refills during a rush. The Banksia SP3 and SP5 take three or five full 1/1 GN pans over 250 or 500 L. The Jade PC counters take 5, 9 or 13 pans of 1/3 GN size and have the biggest cabinets in the group, at 400, 710 and 1,072 L. At 1,050 mm tall they are the lowest counters here, leaving a flat working top for rolling dough or assembling pizzas.
Thermowell pan wells
The TW9, TW15 and TW18 hold 4, 7 or 9 pans of 1/3 GN size in units 980, 1,510 and 1,862 mm long. They are only 241 mm high and 385 mm deep, with no cabinet underneath, so they suit a kitchen that already has bench or shelf space and only needs cold pans. Pans are not included with the Thermowell, so add them to the order.
Things to check first
- Footprint and working room. Counters here are 771 to 880 mm deep before you allow for the person standing at them. Leave enough aisle behind for staff to pass while someone is working.
- Pan count against menu. List every cold ingredient on the line and give each a pan, plus a spare or two for specials. Choosing a counter that is a few pans short leads to containers balanced on the lids.
- Heat from the line. Prep counters often sit opposite ovens and grills, and the pans on top are open to that heat every time a lid lifts. Keep the lids down in quiet spells and top up from the cabinet below with cold product, so food stays at 5 degrees C or colder as FSANZ requires.
- Power. Make sure an outlet sits where the counter will go, not across a walkway with a lead trailing to it.
Delivered and installed
Sam delivers the counter, positions it, levels it so the pans sit flat and lids close properly, and checks the space around it for airflow. He runs it down to temperature and checks the pans and the cabinet before he leaves. If an old counter is coming out, ask Sam about removing it. Williams prep counters can also be sent by courier if you are fitting them yourself.
Keeping it running
Prep counters handle food spills, steam and constant lid traffic, so blocked drains, worn gaskets and dirty condensers are common faults. Sam services and repairs Williams prep counters across Perth. A call-out is $75 + GST, labour $180 + GST an hour plus parts, and he fixes the price of the repair with you before starting. Find out more about repairing commercial fridges and planned maintenance, compare the Williams foodservice counters with pan wells, or see every Williams category.
