Steamer Grand Hotel Reference

On an island that looks like time has passed it by, a high-tech wonder hides. The place is Michigan’s Mackinac Island, where motor vehicles are prohibited and historical monuments abound. Tucked inside the kitchen of the world famous Grand Hotel the AccuTemp Steam'N'Hold™ steamer quietly works its 21st century magic.

Grand Hotel’s Food and Beverage Director Hans Burtscher has plenty of experience with conventional steamers and their water lines, drain lines and deliming routines. There were several of the old type steamers on the island before they began replacing them with new Steam'N'Hold units.

Cooking with the old units was rather inconsistent. In the mornings, when many of the hotel guests were showering, the water pressure would drop, directly affecting the performance of the conventional. The Steam'N'Hold™ operates without a water line, so it is not affected by fluctuating water pressure. Simply pour in three gallons of water at the start of the day and that’s usually all it takes. An ordinary steamer consumes hundreds of gallons of water each and every day.

Lime build-up is a common problem in conventional steamers anywhere you go. And Grand Hotel was certainly no exception. Their old steamer would even shut down from the lime build-up. And deliming chemicals are expensive. But the Steam'N'Hold™ never needs deliming.

All of their vegetables are prepared in the steamer. Chef Burtscher says they also cook a lot of fish in the the Steam'N'Hold™, sea bass being a popular menu item. The versatile Steam'N'Hold™ is also great for holding food for long periods without any deterioration in quality. “That’s something we couldn’t do before,” he says. “We do a lot of reheating and holding now.”

The Steam'N'Hold™ also warms up faster than the old unit. Before, they had to wait for the steamer to pressurize. But because the Steam'N'Hold™ isn’t a pressure cooker, it can start steaming food much faster. “It goes quick. That’s why we like it,” Burtscher says.

At Grand Hotel they serve approximately 600 to 800 people each day. Two more of Chef Burtscher’s restaurants on the island also use Steam'N'Hold™ steamers.