In 2009, Hyatt Regency Mexico City decided to refurbish their Teppanyaki Grill restaurant… a masterpiece of their catering pole. The Teppanyaki restaurants belong to the most challenging show cooking projects. It is probably the type of restaurant where the proximity between chefs and guests is the highest one. In fact the guests plates are extremely close from the grill surfaces. This kind of show cooking area points to customer requirements for efficiency and ergonomics in a more undisputable technical environment. The high expectations of Hyatt Regency Mexico City in terms of energy savings combined to the amazing architectural concept of Mister Murai (Hisashi Murai Architect) led to one of Halton’s biggest challenge.
Hyatt Regency Mexico City
Mexico City, Mexico (2012)
The best expression of the show cooking concept for Nikko’s Hotel Teppanyaki restaurant (Mexico)
JAL Hotels is a Japanese-owned global hotel management firm which operates in Asia, Europe, North America, and South Pacific two brands: JAL City hotels and Nikko Hotels International (NHI). It was a subsidiary owned by Japan Airlines (JAL) since it has been acquired in 2010 by Okura Hotels group. Nikko Hotels International story formally began in 1972 with the opening of its first hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia. However, its oldest hotel opened in 1959, in Ginza, Japan. Nikko Hotels International is a luxury hotel chain providing facilities and services to meet a wide variety of guests’ needs in locations ranging from major urban centers to popular resort destinations around the world. NHI benefits from its close relationship to the JAL Group through use of Japan Airlines’ worldwide transport system and extensive information network for marketing outreach.
Service in the spirit of Japanese hospitality is a distinguishing feature of all NHI properties, both in Japan and overseas.
Nikko Hotel has chosen Halton solutions for the ventilation of its Teppanyaki restaurant with a combination of several major benefits: up to 50% reduction in energy consumption within an audacious architectural design, low emission levels at the discharge point, best level of hygiene and fire safety. For a project involving international actors, Halton played with its global operation.
An international team managed the project… from design, to manufacturing, installation and commissioning on site.
Challenges & Solutions
A Teppanyaki restaurant is based on the use of iron griddles at the same level than the guests table… all the way to create most of the time a unique table. It allows the chefs to cook in front of the guests who are comfortably installed around the grill to enjoy a really nice live cooking and dining experience. The projects consists in creating 11 independent dining areas, each of them equipped with a Teppanyaki grill, in a fully open and large space. This space is completed by two private dining lounge. The main challenge was to achieve perfect air comfort for the guests in this wide open. Smoke spillage and drafts never forgive in such kind of live cooking. Our experience and knowledge on professional kitchen ventilation systems was the key in designing the accurate technical solution and exact required airflow rates (supply and exhaust) to achieve the best IEQ (Indoor Environment Quality). Our factory in Germany, specialized in ventilated ceilings conception, designed eleven Creative Capture Jet™ ventilated ceilings of KCJ type. Combined with laminar flow supply units, the Capture Jet™ technology reduces the exhaust airflow rates required by 15% while preventing any smoke spillage. The Capture Jets protect as well the glass curtains installed around every table from dirt.
As there was strong energy savings requirements, these 11 ceilings have been equipped with M.A.R.V.E.L. technology. This innovative Demand-Controlled Ventilation system adjusts every ceiling airflow according to the actual activity of the kitchen equipment. Its combination with the Capture Jet™ technology leads to up to 53% reduction in exhaust airflow rates… resulting in more than 40% savings on energy costs. M.A.R.V.E.L. contributes also directly to improve the global comfort of the restaurant by adapting permanently the ventilation system depending of the restaurant occupancy.
Halton delivered a comprehensive package which has included several Halton products/technologies manufactured in different regions of the globe combined with a full service. The ceilings and lamanar flow units have been manufactured in Germany; The EcoloAir exhaust units, with an advanced air purification technology have been manufactured in the United States, as well as two Air Handling Units of 15,000 cfm (25,500 m3/h). The Fire Suppression Systems (FSS) which equip the eleven ventilated ceilings have been pre-installed from factory. They constitute the best solution to provide the highest fire safety level for both the restaurant and the whole building itself.
To facilitate the installation and commissioning operations for the HVAC company and our supervisors, the ceilings and supply units have been equipped with connection plenums to reduce the number of connections to the ductwork and save a lot of time.
All in all, Nikko Hotel Mexico has a High Performance Show Cooking Area which is based on the most effective solutions of Halton’s High Performance Kitchen concept.
All in all, Nikko Hotel Mexico has a High Performance Show Cooking Area which is based on the most effective solutions of Halton’s High Performance Kitchen concept.