Freemasons “Mr Smith’s”

CHR Foodservice Equipment Ltd

In 2011 , CHR worked with Chef owner Steven Smith to help create a new kitchen, ripping up the old gas kitchen and replacing with a very energy efficient sustainable solution. The project provided Steven and the team at Freemasons a kitchen that would help them deliver a consistent product, and propel Freemasons to become one of the best pubs in the UK.

In January 2019 Steven chatted to our Paul Neville about his dreams to push Freemasons on; Steven was imagining “Mr Smith’s”. An idea to turn one of the best pubs in to the UK to one of the best pubs in the world.
The new development would see Freemasons invest in its new luxury bedrooms and create one of the first pub kitchen chef tables in the UK to deliver a whole new experience in fine dining.

The brief was to design and deliver a world class kitchen environment that would allow various revenue opportunities for the business while allowing the existing business to continue to grow and develop in to one of the best pubs in the world.

• Strip out of the existing bespoke kitchen;
• Re-modelling of bespoke items delivered in 2011, service and re-install as part of the refit space;
• Extension and modernisation of the ventilation system;
• Introduction of a new “Mr Smith’s“ open kitchen table and chef’s bench;
• New stills and dishwash area;
• Utilisation of equipment to form a temporary kitchen space to keep the business running throughout the refurbishment

Client Satisfaction

“Firstly, I’d like to express our thanks for all the support you have given us in our recent new kitchen here at Freemasons at Wiswell, we would be absolutely delighted to support your entry into the ceda awards.

“Mr Smith’s is a forward-thinking, progressive kitchen space that has allowed us to develop a new offering (allowing us to reach out to a new demographic), and revenue stream for the business, while retaining and extending our existing offer at Freemasons itself.

“The support we have had from the team at CHR spans over a decade, and your knowledge, commitment and delivery in supporting our vision has been quite simply invaluable.

“It’s been a tremendous six months at the pub since we opened up our new space. The most heard expression when our guests arrive here at Mr Smith’s is wow. And that’s how we feel about the environment in which you helped us create. There’s simply nothing else like it in the North West, which gives us that vital point of difference and creates numerous reasons why people should visit us – whether it’s for a cooking lesson, a tasting menu or a celebratory meal in Mr Smith’s – we now have a rich and diverse offering which appeals to many.

“With that, we look forward to supporting your entry into your industry awards and extend this offer to any potential clients you have who wish to visit our fantastic new facility and see the impact it’s had on our business.”

– Steven Smith, Managing Director/Chef, Freemasons at Wiswell