Henny Penny cracks consistency at Chik’N

Development Chef, Ash Mair explains need for ‘Smart Fryer’ technology

A concept launched early in 2017 following the success of sister brand, Chick ‘n’ Sours, Chik’N, is a quick service restaurant, conveniently located on Bakers Street in the heart of London. With a menu targeting the top end, fast casual market, founders David and Carl work in conjunction with Ash to create a stand out menu.

“Our main focus is using the very best ingredients for our offering.” Ash starts. “Organic, free-range chicken, sourced from a farm in Somerset where they’re free to forage outside on a diet of corn and cereals. Fresh and seasonal vegetables, the finest potato buns and even a range of homemade sauce helps us to really stand out in this market.”

Open daily from 11am to 11.30pm (midnight on Fridays and Saturdays) and with a menu consisting primarily of fried chicken and fries, Ash understands how vital it is to use the correct oil and the latest frying technology. Having had experience of working with Jestic, and Henny Penny frying equipment in previous roles, Ash researched the latest innovations from the brand to see how they would fit with the bespoke requirements at Chik’N.

“I’ve used Henny Penny pressure fryers before and been impressed by the results. We knew we were looking for a more traditional open fryer for Chik’N, but equally wanted something that could deliver the quality and consistency expected by our customers, so for this I took the trusted advice of the Jestic team.” Ash explains. “Testing the Henny Penny Evolution Elite range at Jestic’s development kitchen, I was able to see just how the technology in these smart fryers work, and how it could benefit us as a business.”

As oil prices continue to rise and businesses making a conscious effort to do more to look after the environment, particularly when it comes to the disposal of waste oil, Ash and his team were keen to find a suitable solution for the new restaurant, going on to say, “Right from the start, we wanted a way to re-use our waste cooking oil. We found a solution whereby we store it onsite in a large tank, before it’s collected and transported away to be turned into bio-fuel for trucks. There are only certain fryers that are able to operate with this sort of system, but thankfully Henny Penny was one of those. What’s more, they claim oil savings of up to 40% compared to other commercial fryers thanks to the technology incorporated and the unique design - having used them, I’d say these savings are justified.”

As Development Chef, Ash does not spend all of his time at the restaurant, but still demands the same great quality regardless. Using a bank of four Evolution Elite fryers, his team of dedicated chefs can ensure this, even with minimal training. “The fryers are able to deliver remarkable consistency across our menu. Whether it’s the precision temperature control, the pre-programmable options or the smart monitoring that accurately measures the quantity of a product placed in the basket and adjusts the oil temperature and time to accommodate for it. This means we get a uniform finish, texture and taste whether we put one piece of chicken, or twelve pieces of chicken into the fry pot at the same time.”

With Friday and Saturday evenings being the peak trading times for Chik’N, it is important to maintain output and minimise anything that could affect this. The Henny Penny Evolution Elite range features an automatic filtration system, which after a set number of cook cycles for a particular product, drops the oil through the filter, before returning hot, clean oil back to the fry pot within minutes.

“The filter system is a brilliant concept and really helps us maintain service times during our busiest periods. No longer do we need to manually filter oil, having waited for it to cool first, as the Henny Penny fryers automatically do it for us. It means we don’t need to rely on one of our team to remember either, as it’s set to a particular number of cycles, depending which product is cooked in that fryer. The ease of use has helped us greatly with efficiency in the kitchen, allowing us to de-skill our training to some extent and at the same time improve our output.”

Having used Jestic in the past, Ash knew of the services and aftercare provided. Testing the Evolution Elite fryers in the Jestic Development Kitchen, he then worked with the culinary team to design a bespoke basket that suited the makeup of the product at Chik’N. “I’ve always found the service at Jestic to be excellent. Right from the initial enquiry, through to installation and staff training, it’s seamless.” Concludes Ash. “In addition to the Evolution Elite fryers, we also use an Ayr King breading table and Irinox blast chillers at Chik’N, all purchased from Jestic. I would have no hesitation in recommending Henny Penny and Jestic to others looking for a quality, reliable fryer or an equipment distributor who offers great service and ongoing support.”

For more information on Chik’N please see

www.chikn.com, call 0207 935 6648

or email hello@chikn.com.

For more information on Henny Penny, please see