Running an 8-course tasting, 70 covers on weekends, one Pacojet is now the bottleneck for sorbets and herb purées during fire; considering either a second unit or a small batch freezer to move production earlier in the day. For those who’ve made this jump, did it free the pass and improve texture consistency, or just shift labor to prep without saving service time?
We pushed all sorbets to a small batch freezer (Musso Pola 5030), spun to about 20% solids and blast-froze in 1/9 pans, and kept the Pacojet just for herb purées; that freed the pass more than adding a second Paco. Caveat: without a blast, the batcher will drag service, especially at “70 covers on weekends.” Do you have a blast and space to park 6–8 pans on the line?
At 70 covers, a second Paco only helps if you’ve got another set of hands and a spare outlet on the pass; otherwise you’re still queued. Do you have a blast chiller and how many flavors on the 8-course? I’d push sorbets to a small batch freezer, hold in 1/9s, and keep the Pacojet strictly for herb purées; target 28–30 Brix and a -8 to -10 C draw for clean quenelles with low overrun, @kevlee.