What makes the Oktoberfest such a mega event?
Between 5.9 and 6.1 million visitors are expected during the sixteen days of the 2007 Oktoberfest. Beer consumption is predicted to reach roughly 62,000 hectolitres - or 6.2 million traditional one-litre steins of beer. Forecasters are anticipating sales of 460,000 traditional fried chickens and approximately 160,000 pairs of pork sausage.
Ludwig Hagn is one of the most prominent Oktoberfest landlords, the honorary president of the BHG (Bavarian Hotels and Restaurants Association) he is the operator of the Löwenbräu tent. He says the trend towards "fine dining " is on the rise: "As kitchen equipment is becoming more and more advanced and efficient, we can fulfil our guests' demands for meals featuring ingredients like duck, roast knuckles and suckling pig."
The food on offer will be served on porcelain tableware, with drinks served in thousands upon thousands of traditional beer steins and other kinds of glasses. Getting all these not only clean but also perfectly hygienic is both an obligation and a challenge!
Oktoberfest - highest performance is required
Visitors get only a vague impression of the behind-the-scenes organization and logistics needed for this gigantic event. Oktoberfest requires caterers to meet the highest standards. Consequently, the quality of the dish and glasswashing must meet the highest standards, too - there's no possibility of a second run or a touch-up later. And taking time to polish cutlery by hand is simply out of the question. So, for example, nearly every Oktoberfest caterer uses an additional cutlery rinsing machine from Winterhalter, for perfectly hygienic cutlery that needs no polishing.
A look behind the scenes - dishwashing organisation:
Winterhalter, the Complete System Solution Provider from southern Germany, is supplying around 90 percent of the dishwashers at the Oktoberfest. To be sure of having perfectly hygienic ware, Winterhalter detergent products, water treatment equipment and the appropriate accessories will also be used. Non-stop peak performance will be ensured by a wide range of equipment such as specialist Bavaria beer stein glasswashers; tailored rack pass through and flight dishwashers with different table systems for glasses, tableware and cutlery; and utensil washers, such as the GSR 36 and GS 600 series, as well as cutlery rinsing machines. Smaller stations will be using compact frontloading dishwashers and glasswashers.
Winterhalter takes responsibility
Regular inspections by Food Control and the Public Health Department have become standard procedure at the Oktoberfest. Every third day dishwashers and tableware are swab tested, while daily HACCP protocols are mandatory. The regular inspections are a big relief for all involved, because they mean that hygiene will be documented and guaranteed. Winterhalter took on the challenge of increasing hygiene requirements and for decades has been providing solutions through technical innovations. For example, a new hygiene log, developed for the rack conveyor and flight type dishwashers of the MT Series, which automatically documents and archives all HACCP-related data.
Fast help in emergencies
At every large-scale event caterers shudder at the thought of logistic bottlenecks or equipment breakdowns. At the Oktoberfest they can be catastrophic. That's why the Winterhalter Service Team keeps a comprehensive stock of replacement parts direct on the site.
The on-site engineers stand by to take care of any emergencies that may arise, twenty-four hours a day. In fact, the Winterhalter Oktoberfest Service Team is regularly congratulated for its flexible, customized support and rapid response times. Everyone knows everyone else in the big Oktoberfest family. And, of course, the caterers rely on dishwashing systems from Winterhalter in their own premises for the rest of the year.
One thing is certain: the Munich Oktoberfest is an advertising vehicle and a prestige event with the highest quality standards. Karl, Jürgen and Ralph Winterhalter, and the whole Winterhalter team, are proud to have been able to play their part for the past twenty years, supplying dish and glasswashers to this unique, world-class event.
www.winterhalter.de / www.oktoberfest.de
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