Smith and Wollensky

Daikin helps high-end steakhouse serve full flavour – and comfort

Smith & Wollensky has enjoyed consistent success over eight US sites since its founding in 1977. It opened its 360-seat, 15,000 square foot London restaurant in 2015, taking a strategic street corner of the iconic Adelphi office building on John Adam Street.

Daikin helps high-end steakhouse serve full flavour – and comfort

Comfortable temperatures are assured on the ground and lower-ground floors with a 56hp bank of five Daikin VRV IV heat recovery condensing units, mounted in a sub-basement. Their output serves 19 FXSQ-type ducted fan coil units concealed in ceiling voids in public areas and four FXAQ wall-mounted fan coil units in service areas. Also in the plant area are two ZEAS condensing units, totalling 15hp, and a ZEAS booster unit, which supply the restaurant’s refrigeration requirements – including a steady 5oC in the all-important meat ageing room. Seven VAM heat reclaim ventilation units produce up to 13,000m3 of fresh air every hour.

Nathan Evans, European Director

"Alongside an excellent menu and top-class service, air conditioning is an important contributor to the overall customer experience. “People don't relax if they aren’t comfortable. Air quality and temperature are the keys to comfort.” They are also crucial for the menu-topping specialities: dry-aged American beef, certified prime by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)".

'Subtle' solution overcomes décor challenges

Décor inside the restaurant and the practical constraints of a Grade II listed, 1930s vintage, Art Deco office building in the heart of London presented several challenges for Daikin installer Dave Tilbury of Hampshire-based Maximum Air Conditioning. He says: “Everything is concealed, so we have been able to deliver a subtle climate control solution. The systems are managed with a Daikin i-Touch Manager, which we monitor remotely: that’s one thing less for the restaurant team to worry about.”