Representatives for celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s new television show are looking for the newest healthy food equipment at this year’s NAFEM Show in Orlando, Florida.
Among the equipment that struck their interest was SpinFresh, a salad-spinner-style oil machine that creates healthier fried foods for restaurants.
“They just came up to us literally as the lights on the show room floor were going off yesterday evening,” says Rory Millikin, president of the company. According the Millikin, Oliver is creating a new show that converts greasy fast food joints into healthy quick serves, and SpinFresh is exactly the type of equipment to make the transformations possible.
“You can’t do volume with a frying pan and olive oil,” he says while frying up french fries for show attendees. The equipment’s Centrifugal-frying technology spins off excess oil, which allows for healthier fried foods without taste loss.
“The Jamie Oliver people were specifically interested in the fat removal and the health benefits,” Millikin says.
The Spin Fresh can handle both traditional fried foods like french fries as well as fresh vegetables, which Millikin says fits well with Oliver’s focus on fresh, organic foods.
“We’re flying out to Los Angeles as soon as possible to show them the technology,” Millikin says, as he waves the fry basket over his head and arm to prove that the product doesn’t drip greasy residue.
“You don’t have to force yourself to like this food because it tastes just like traditional fried food,” Millikin says. As proof, the company stopped salting the fries it’s serving on the show room floor to let the full flavors of the potato come through. So far, no one’s noticed the difference, Millikin says.
With opportunities to reduce both oil and sodium consumption in fried foods, it’s no surprise that companies like Firehouse Subs are attracted to the technology. Since Firehouse does not serve fried foods, this type of equipment could allow the company to maintain its anti-fryer stance.
The NAFEM Show runs through Saturday, February 12, in Orlando, Florida, and is for North American foodservice equipment manufacturers.
By Blair Chancey
