How to Cook for 30 in a Really Tiny Space!

[bobschunk]

Hi, everybody:

I'm an enthusiastic cook, but also a naval architect, who currently has a desperate need to fit a 5 foot by 7 1/2 foot galley into a ship intended to feed a personnel complement of 30. I've found space, so far, to include one stovetop/oven range (sufficient to bake 6 loaves of filling bread per 30 minute bake time) as well as one kitchen sink sufficient to allow washing of cooking vessels and serving dishes for 30 persons, a standard-sized refrigerator, and four cooktops (sufficient to cook pasta or rice for a crew of 30), but such an arrangement leaves my cook no space for a cutting board or other food-processing space.

While I realize that such an arrangement leaves little room for anything but meals specifically tailored for such a confined space (as the roasting of meat in the oven would conflict with the baking of bread in the oven, and the preparation of sauces would require stovetop space required for pasta or rice), does anyone on this forum have some idea as to a more efficient manner of preparing food aboard a ship with such a confined kitchen space?

 

[sparrowgrass]

How about a cutting board/work space that fits over the sink? And, of course, a slot to put that board into when you aren't using it.

(Good luck with this task--sounds impossible to me.)

 

[bobschunk]

Sparrowgrass:

Thanks for the tip.

I should have thought of it myself, as I once lived in one of those Manhattant tenements with the bathtub in the kitchen, and we used to cover the tubs (when not in use) with removable countertops.

Anyways, remembering that a ship's galley contains only food preparation equipment, and no food storage (that's done in dry ingredients lockers, chill lockers, and frozen food lockers (I've decided to replace my in-galley refrigerator with a steam kettle)), plating (that's done in pantries or serving lines)) or dishwashing (that's done in sculleries), I noted that my galley is about one-fourth the size of that aboard a World War Two-era Fletcher-class destroyer, which had to feed eleven times as many men (including the baking of all bread, as the "tyranny of the cubic foot" favors the stowage of the dry ingredients for the baking of bread over finished loaves due to the greatly decreased stowage space requirements for the former). So, I believe my galley space to be sufficient, with the inclusion of your suggestion.

Thanks again, and a tip of my chef's hat to you!

 

[vagriller]

Why not consult a professional? There are no doubt people that specialize in galley kitchen design. They would know the right equipment, and how to put it all together.

 

[bobschunk]

vagriller:

I recently consulted the construction plans of a Fletcher-class dstroyer, and have discovered that, at best (and this is an exaggeration, as I know that the Fletcher-class galley didn't include the entire breadth of the main deck midships deckhouse), contained six times the space of my galley, which enabled her to feed at least eleven times my projected crew.

The Fletcher-class destroyer fittings consist of two ranges each twice the scale of mine (total of four times the scale for eleven times as many men), three steam kettles of the scale of mine (once again, for eleven times as many men), and one large floor mixer (which, aboard my ship, can consist of a mixer one-eleventh the size, which could easily fit into the overhead cupboard above the sink).

The only question I had was how to find space for a cutting board, to which sparrowgrass suggested a solution, in the face of which suggestion I've already confessed my own idiocy, in that I've already experienced the solution she suggested, without even realizing it.

In other words, should YOU ever wish to consult a professional, you know how to reach ME!!!!

Cheers!

 

[vagriller]

Bob,
What sort of boat will this galley be in? And where are you? Plenty of boat and shipbuilders in my area! You may find the pics at this link familiar. Reminds me of my USN days, although I didn't spend much time on the mess decks.

USS New Mess Decks

 

[bobschunk]

vagriller:

I am in Rhode Island, and I'm designing a 165' civilian auxiliary ship that amounts to a supply/repair ship with a significant hospital suite. Thanks for sending me the photos of the mess decks aboard your DD, and, I must say, the equipment visible in the photo of the galley brings back memories for me (although I don't really know what that site means by the term "large steam kettles": if you want to see my meaning for the term, see the rice cookers aboard a Yamato-class BB (scroll down to the bottom photo at:

http://yossiehttp://yossie.jp/senkanyamato/index.php?%C2%E7%CF%C2%A4%CE%BF%DF%CB%BC.jp/senkanyamato/index.php?%C2%E7%CF%C2%A4%CE%BF%DF%CB%BC

Anyways, as I've indicated, I've figured out the logistics and mechanics of my galley space (I'm certainly not attempting anything luxurious).

Thanks for your kind and helpful input!

Bob

 

[vagriller]

Ah, Rhode Island! I drove through there a few times when I was stationed in Groton. Yeah, I had no idea what steam kettles were either. So of course I had to google it! They are large self contained cooking pots that allow you to cook pasta, soup, stew, chili, etc.

Cleveland KEL-40-T Tri-Leg Electric Tilting 40 Gallon Steam Jacketed Kettle 208V

 

[bobschunk]

vagriller:

I'm in Rhode Island . The ship I'm working on is a 165' civilian auxiliary vessel, essentially a supply/repair ship with a sizable hospital suite.

Thanks for the photos: the photo of the galley definitely sparked memories of the galley spaces aboard Fletcher, Allen M. Sumner, Gearing, and Forrest Sherman class DD's (although, if you really want to see LARGE steam kettles, you'll have to check out the rice cookers aboard the Yamato-class BB:

ÂçϤοß˼ - PukiWiki

Thanks for your helpful input, but I've already figured out the logistics and mechanics of my galley design.

Bob

 

[bobschunk]

vagriller:

My last reply was originally intended to supersede my previous reply, but my responses have proven a bit dilatory due to the excessive heat and humidity causing me massive computer problems. The latter reply offers a larger photo of the rice cookers aboard a Yamato-class BB together with more certain directions as to how to locate that photo.

Anyways, thanks again for your input!

Bob