On The Sept. Cover: Newick’s And Market Forge

It goes without saying: Operating a seafood unit demands reliable steam technology. At the Newick’s Lobster House unit in South Portland, Maine, two 10-pan steamers cook and heat everything from chowders, sauces and gravies to vegetables, beans, fish and the namesake item, lobster.

Along with reliability, volume is critical. Each compartment on these steamers, Eco-Techs from Market Forge, can turn out 25 lbs. to 30 lbs. of lobster, which is used for dinners, cold rolls and salads, says Jeffrey Ober, general manager of the Concord, N.H., Newick’s, one of three stores in the chain.

Newick’s relies heavily on the Eco-Tech hold feature, which allows the staff to hold various products hot right up to plating and serving. “Knowing that product is the correct temp while holding is reassuring to management and staff,” Ober says. “We are not second-guessing ourselves with the entrées being served to our guests.”

When it came to steamer choices, the South Portland Newick’s, which opened in late January, relied on the research done for the 2007 opening of the Concord store. “Upper management had done the homework, talking to service techs and sales personnel about which [steamers] gave the most bang for the buck,” Ober explains. “With our high volume throughout the year, we needed units that could be relied on at all times.”

As older steamers in Concord and the third store in Dover, N.H., age out of service, Newick’s plans to replace them with Eco-Techs. In the meantime, the lobster keeps coming.