Miguel Mahieu, a representative of Alto-Shaam Benelux, located in Utrecht, holds up a plateful of smoked salmon. “You really have to try this, it’s freshly smoked. Any chef can do this, in his or her own kitchen.”
Not in the least disappointed that he is talking not to a chef, but to a journalist, Mahieu enthusiastically starts extolling the virtues of his products.
“These smokers are perfect for use in a restaurant kitchen. We also sell combisteamers, in which you can smoke all kinds of products, but a specific smoker has better results.”
The small smoker that uses woodchips has a capacity of about eight salmon sides. The smoking time is around 45 minutes, he explains. “The first twenty minutes are used for the smoke to give flavor to the salmon, the next step is for the actual smoking process.”
Apple wood chips
He also sells all kinds of woodchips to go with the smokers. “Like applewood, hickory or beech, to give chefs an opportunity to add a personal touch.”
It’s a great way for chefs to present their customers with fresh smoked salmon, he continues. “Here at Gastvrij Rotterdam we let people taste what the possibilities are with our ovens and smokers. At our showroom in Utrecht we do lots of demos too. Anyone interested can give us a call.”
