Introduction
An exquisite collaboration of art and design is to come to play as we try and describe the expanded container and its content. The container in question is an 8m by 4m by 2.5m custom made a container that just by the push of a button will open up from the inside of its enclosure and display a spectacular array of kitchen equipment, serving area, storage facility and part of the customer compartment of the hotel. The container has been considered because it can hold both dry foods and foods that need refrigeration for a long time. This is necessary to achieve maximum returns from the project thereof. After its expansion, the container should also display a bar or a display unit for the drinks and beverage compartment of the whole setup. In essence, the container should be the focal point of the evening arts festival that is taking place in a prestigious hotel in the south coast region. It is important therefore to note that every detail should be done to precision and accuracy.
The expanded container: General View
The type of container that is being used is termed “expanded” since it is more than just the normal storage facility in a shipping dock. Its ability to literally open up from the inside automatically and display its content from within is the reason why it has been branded this name. It is a relatively expensive project that involves a lot of technique, innovation and art. One wing that comprises part of the length and height of the container is going to be opened up and will serve effectively as the counter, more or less like that of a restaurant or a bar. Orders are also going to be made from this point to an extensive area where the customers are comfortably seated waiting to be served. The type of container to be used is a Collapsible Expandable Container (APL Limited 2010, p1) Installed within the container is a refrigeration compartment. Part of the container comprises a regulated temperature department that uses a device that regulates the temperature of all things that are placed in it. Around 5 to 10 pounds of dry ice is used after a 24hr period in order to keep the food and beverages at regulated temperatures (Bragg 2010, p.1).
General details of the container are given below. The container will also have a dried-in food area where foodstuffs that require low moisture content will be kept well. This will be the larger of the two sections since this compartment contains a larger amount of foodstuffs than the other storage compartment. A fixed area that will be used both as the storage and the display section of beverages like wines and whisky will be set right behind the display point of the container. The display area will be a cabinet-like section with the front of the area having a slide-through glass door, just for the sake of elegance. The display area of the container will be a 5m by 1.5m areas in the middle of the open end of the container and just next to it will be a temporary passage area: more or less like a door. Attached to the opening is a small area of protrusion, where meals from orders made are going to be served from the waiting team to the customers. Part of it will also come in handy as a small counter in which drinks will be effectively served.
The middle upper area of the container will be the working area of the container. It will be used in the same way as the kitchen area just like is done in any other hotel, showing a display of a mobile kitchen fully equipped with all necessary facilities to hold such an event as the one at hand. Since most of the food is the ready-to-take type of meals it will take less time to serve the meals yet due to customer satisfaction, the area that is used, as the kitchen should be adequate to allow fast and effective customer service. As for the customer service area, this will be widely discussed later. The area will consist of a relatively large sitting area that can house forty people at a go while they are seated. To do so, an umbrella-shaped tent that contains a seating capacity of four people per tent will be adopted.
The diagram below is a general layout of the container that is to be used together with a proposed set-up of the surrounding area. The container opens up to display its contents that include a dry store area, a high moisture content store area, a kitchen with its extension, and a display area for service. Externally, both sides of the front of the container contain some display area whereby different arrays of food are presented for the sake of attraction. The round service tables are also shown. This is where the customer will be seated as he is served.
Display of the General Expanded Container Plan and its Surrounding
The Service and Kitchen Area of the Container
The kitchen and general working area of the container cover a great deal of the containers. It constitutes the feature of a medium-sized kitchen with the facilities capable of serving a full three-course meal, every three times a day. To do so, the kitchen must be fully equipped with some of the utilities of a modern-day kitchen in a hotel. With the facility being operated as per every Food Code that the authorities address (US Department of Health 2009, p.1), it will be run and overseen by a trained chef, who will be assisted by five to six other cooks who perform high-quality hygienic tasks in the kitchen. Some of the equipment to expect when one enters the kitchen will include a SS Square Tandoor cooker, which is a low-powered gas/electric cooker that is silent in operation providing accuracy in performance. A Pot Rack will also come in handy. This takes care of storing some of the utensils that are contained in the kitchen. Grinder machines, blenders, frying pans, hotplates, and stirrers are other important pieces of equipment that will feature in the interior of the kitchen (APL Limited 2010, p.3).
A gas stove will also come in handy for supporting the cooker that will be available. As much as we will have a cold room for storing our food, we may require the assistance of a much smaller deep freezer that will regulate the temperature of a particular food item as per the requirements of the chef. Other smaller equipment like garlic peelers, toasters, water-heating devices like kettles and boilers will also be included in the setup (APL Limited 2010, p.3).
The serving area has to be given a touch of elegance too in order to fit in with the event. Considering the type of event that is taking place, the type of customers that are expected in this event are elegant and sophisticated people with an acute taste of fashion quality and good food. In the kitchen though, we may need such utensils as skewers, cooking forks for raw meat and high heat scrapers steak weights. We may also require skimmers and different kinds of tongs, depending on the likings of the chef. Cooking forks are important and a myriad of kitchen knives, bowls, saucers and plates. Serving spoons and hot pots are a requirement, as are trays and plates used in the kitchen (Ace Mart Restaurant Supply 2009, p.1).
The Surrounding/Customer Serving Area
This is where the customer will be situated. It is therefore apparent that much care should be put on impression and attraction. The amount of glamour cannot be compromised when it comes to the exterior, where the customer is being served. As stated earlier, the customer shall be seated in one of the ten umbrella-type shelters to shield them from the sun. The whole facility houses a maximum of forty people. That means that one shelter will have the capacity of holding four people. The best-suggested type of shelter is the 47.2inch lead umbrella (Academy: 2510 Malt Avenue 2010, para. 6), which comes with a table and four chairs. For each chair, there will be a dressing. These dressings shall match the material that makes up the umbrella. Color is of the essence. For such an occasion as the one that we have at hand, it would be best that art will be represented even in the dining area. The dressing therefore will be adorned with a golden brown touch that symbolizes theatre art with artwork was done round about the umbrella tops. The lighting system that will be put in place shall be one that will give a cooling effect on the surrounding. We shall have lamps that are around 1.5m high; whose stands are customized artwork, based on the day’s theme (Shenzhen Elegant Lighting 2008, p.1).
This is just a touch of excellence that will raise the bar just a bit more. A good suggestion will be carvings that would be done in a manner to symbolize art. The best color thereof will be deep brown in order to match the theme of the event. Bulbs that are being used will be incandescent pure white bulbs with a glamorously decorated covering that give out a sparkling effect both during the day and during the night (Kremer 2010, p.6).
Entertainment will be achieved by setting up a podium at the center of the tables as a strategic point of focus for everyone to draw attention to. This platform shall be raised to a height of half a meter with the square sides of 3m by 3m. This platform will be placed at the center of the service place where live entertainment shall take place both during the day and at nightfall. Live performance is considered better and more appealing than audio or just simple karaoke (Speer 2010, p.1).
Other forms of decoration will include fabric material in white and brown that will run from corner to corner of the area in twists. The fabric brings about a blend of elegance and sophistication even though the setting is an outside one
The diagram below illustrates the kind of setup that is expected on the outside of the container. It gives room for a podium at the center of the customer table area where any speech or performance can be presented. Lighting setup is also shown for nighttime events.
Ariel View of the Surrounding Area of the Container
Reference List
Academy: 2510 Malt Avenue., 2010. Fabric Awnings and Canopies. On-line.
Ace Mart Restaurant Supply., 2009. Cooking utensils. On-line.
APL Limited., 2010. Equipment Specifications – Standard Containers. APL. On-line.
Bragg, R., 2010. Shipment of Perishable Products and Dry Ice Usage. Agricultural Extension Service. On-line.
Kremer, J., 2010. Types of Light Bulbs and Their Uses: Megavolt. On-line.
Shenzhen Elegant Lighting., 2008. Global B2B Search Engine. On-line.
Speer, B., 2010. What Happened to Dynamic Music: CD Mastering Services?. On-line.
US Department of Health., 2009. FDA Food Code 2009: Chapter 8 – Compliance and Enforcement. US Food and Drug Administration. On-line.