Commercial Kitchen: Information for Caterers

Hello and welcome to Gymea Retreat!  We hope your work stay here is rewarding and enjoyable.  Here is some information to help the smooth running of your stay.

Firstly, we request that, before you begin, you take photos of how the kitchen is organised, so at the end of your retreat, you can easily return it to how you found it.

 

Refrigeration:
We have a tall 3 door fridge in the panty and 2 under bench fridges.  Our freezer is bar fridge size.

Cooking:
Pilot lights will need to be lit in ovens.  For the large commercial oven, please follow the instructions near the oven knob.  You will need a firelighter, if misplaced or not functioning you can light the end of a wooden skewer (found in white cupboard in pantry) – does the same job! 😊
For smaller oven, lift bottom section away and light pilot.

Please note, grill plate is out of action, apologies.

Dishwashing:
For best washing results:
It is best that dishes be soaked in white buckets before placing in dishwasher.
The instructions to the Dishwasher are on the wall.
Dishwashing powder is in a square container under the sink near dishwasher.
More dishwashing powder is found in the pantry, as is dishwashing liquid.

Gas:
If gas runs out, please read sign near large cooker for what to do.  Basically, you need to go downstairs and outside to where gas bottles are;  it is a simple task of switching off the empty one, moving the valve over and switching on the new bottle.
Please text 0418-678-088 and let Sonia know you have done it so she can order another.

Water:
Our water is tankwater and harvested off our roof, so please BE MINDFUL of water use.
e.g. Make sure dishwasher is well stocked before turning on.
Water is filtered and UV sterilized.

Benchtop Filter and Chilled Water Dispenser:
Please keep these topped up with water during the retreat.  The chilled water dispenser needs to be plugged in if you want chilled water for the guests.

Urn:
Please keep urn topped up, and always TURN DOWN the temperature knob when retreat group is not in dining room.  If it stops working or happens to dry out and stop working, there is a reset button underneath the unit.

Rubbish: We have one pink bin in the kitchen for rubbish. When full, please take rubbish bag out the back kitchen door to the end of the ramp where the red (lid) bin lives.
Please empty this bin before you leave.

Recycled refuse: Yellow (lid) bin is located at end of ramp.  Please SQUASH all cardboard down.

Polystyrene:  Polystyrene boxes need to be taken with you and not left on the property.

Compost: we have an indoor compost bin (white bucket with lid) and 2 compost wheely bins outside the back door on the ramp.  Please empty the white bucket into the wheely bins as you go along.  We ask that you don’t over fill the wheely bins (halfway is great) and no eggs or animal products please. Wheely bins get emptied on weekdays.

 

DURING THE RETREAT:

Kitchen: Please keep kitchen in a tidy state whenever possible.
Floors should be swept daily.

Dining Room: Keep dining tables tidy, brush off crumbs with feather duster provided,  push chairs in neatly whilst guests are out.

Toilets:  Please use your own room toilet, or, if you are not staying overnight, ask Gymea Staff what room you can use.

 

At night before retiring:

Leave servery and entrance porch lights on. These have a blue dot next to the switch.
(See sign near switches.)
Remember to switch off entrance porch lights in the morning!!!

Close ALL doors!  Please check that the balcony doors are closed as well.  Or bush rats will visit!

 

AT THE END OF THE RETREAT:
The kitchen must be left in a clean state with crockery etc all put away.
Please don’t put crockery away wet.. it gets stinky!
All surfaces clean and wiped down.
Turn off and drain dishwasher & wipe down.
Empty and switch off fridges.
Turn of pilot lights in oven and make sure all gas hobs are OFF.
Sweep kitchen floor, no need to mop.

If you run out of supplies you can shop at:

  • Uki Supermarket (4.8km – 6mins)
  • Guineas fruit and vege stall (weekends only – 8mins)
  • Coles in Murwillumbah (14km – 15mins


INVENTORY:

What we have:

2 cookers: one commercial, one domestic
3 fridges (one large 3 door tall fridge, 2 under bench fridges)
1 small bar fridge on servery for milk
1 freezer (bar fridge size)
1 Steriliser (dishwasher)
Large Urn

For you to prepare your delicious meals with:

Pots and pans of all sizes
Fry pans – bit lacking here… please bring your favourite!
2 large, 2 medium baking trays
2 oven trays
3 x short sided gastronomie trays
4 x gastronomie trays
lots of stainless prepping bowls

For you to serve your delicious food with:

Long thin white melamine trays
4 x Ikea medium shallow salad bowls
3 x melamine salad bowls
6 x large white shallow bowls
3 x pink medium sized platters

At the guest end:
All crockery: dinner plates, salad plates, 2 sizes of bowls, glasses, mugs
All cutlery
Glass tumblers for dessert
Coffee plungers

 

Please byo:

Your chef knives
Serviettes, cling wrap, baking paper, foil
Mortar & pestle
Food processor
Blender