When you think of Italian food, you picture steaming bowls of fresh pasta, wood-fired pizzas bubbling away, and the irresistible scent of garlic filling the air. What you don’t picture is a kitchen on the brink of collapse because the refrigeration failed during a 30-degree London heatwave.
Welcome to life at Trattoria di Luca, our family-run restaurant in the heart of Shoreditch.
The Day Our Kitchen Nearly Boiled Over
Last July, London felt like a giant pizza oven, and inside our kitchen was even worse. Our head chef, Marco, was in full flow rolling tagliatelle when he suddenly shouted:
“Why is the mascarpone sweating?!”
Our faithful old walk-in fridge had finally given up after years of loyal service. Within hours, our seafood, cheeses, and handmade desserts were at risk. We scrambled to borrow fridge space from neighbouring cafés, but it was a disaster waiting to happen.
Finding the Best Cold Room Installation in London
It was clear that repairing our fridge would only buy us time. So the very next morning, before service began, we reached out for the best cold room installation in London.
The team arrived within days to assess our kitchen layout, storage volumes, and produce needs. With a menu full of fresh mozzarella, cream sauces, cured meats, and seafood, we needed precise and reliable temperature control.
They designed a bespoke cold room for our back prep area, with racking arranged to keep dairy separate from raw meats and optimal zones for fish and fresh produce. Installation was smooth, professional, and scheduled around our busy service hours to avoid disruption.
How It Changed Our Kitchen
Chef Marco now calls the cold room his “secret fortress.” The mascarpone no longer sweats (and neither does Marco). Our seafood stays pristine, pasta holds its freshness, and food wastage has dropped dramatically.
Before, tubs of ricotta would spoil too quickly, and bunches of basil wilted within a day. Now, everything is properly organised and kept at the perfect temperature.
A Smart Investment That Paid Off
Yes, it was a significant investment – but it’s already paid for itself through reduced wastage, improved food safety, and smoother service. Our prep runs faster, ingredients stay fresher for longer, and our hygiene standards are higher than ever – a real win in the competitive London restaurant scene.
Final Thoughts
If you’re still battling with overstuffed fridges or unreliable storage, don’t wait for a breakdown in the middle of service. Investing in the best cold room installation in London was one of the smartest decisions we’ve made at Trattoria di Luca.
It’s kept our pasta fresh, our seafood safe, and our chefs calm through every heatwave the city has thrown our way.
