Williamsburg Lodge, part of the Colonial Williamsburg
Resort Collection in Williamsburg,
Virginia, has been using Alto-Shaam products
since the property’s renovation in 2003.
The historic hotel’s main kitchen uses four
Cook and Hold ovens, a Quickchiller, and
two Combitherm combi oven-steamers.
“Some of our crew members were skeptical
of the digital touch pads on the combi
ovens at first,” says Rhys Lewis, executive
chef of the Lodge. “But when they saw how
simple they were to operate, they started
using them to prepare their own meals in
addition to guest meals.”
Alto-Shaam’s combi oven technology allows
food to be steamed and roasted at the
same time and features an option that allows
the oven temperature to increase gradually as
the internal temperature of meat or fish rises.
“We use the ovens for everything—fish,
veggies, rice, and egg dishes such as quiches
and tarts,” Lewis says. “And when we cook 100
pounds of meat, we still have 90 pounds left
when it’s prepared, which is a huge savings.
“And I like the fact that the oven does not
have a water boiler,” Lewis adds, “which means
it uses less water and power than comparable
products, and you don’t get a lot of hard-water
buildup in the internal workings. Cleaning the
combi oven is as easy as spraying it down with a
hose and getting rid of excess water through a
conveniently located drain at the bottom.” —CB
Williamsburg Lodge, part of the Colonial Williamsburg
Resort Collection in Williamsburg,
Virginia, has been using 
