Grease Management for GAIL’s Bakery at King’s Cross

Grease Guru was pleased to support GAIL’s Bakery again at a new bakery opening, this time on the mezzanine floor at King’s Cross. It looks fabulous from the outside and offers a great experience inside, but behind the scenes, the site presented an unusual grease management challenge.

As GAIL’s trusted grease management supplier, we can advise from project inception on the right solution for each location. We were invited to do exactly that at King’s Cross, working alongside the property and shopfitting teams to plan the equipment before the bakery opened.

The challenge: a bakery connected to vacuum drainage

Drainage at this location is not gravity fed. Instead, the station uses a vacuum system, similar in principle to those used on aeroplanes. Rather than relying on water volume and gravity to move wastewater away, the system uses a difference in air pressure to pull it through the pipework.

That arrangement makes grease management particularly important. Food solids, fats, oils and grease entering the drainage network can build up and interfere with its operation. At a busy transport hub, the solution also needed to fit the landlord’s requirements and the practical demands of a working bakery.

We needed to protect the drainage connections serving the pot wash sinks, dishwashers and ovens, while minimising the fats, oils and grease entering the public sewer system. The landlord also wanted the coffee machines included so that coffee grounds could be captured before reaching the vacuum drainage.

Capturing grease from the sinks and dishwashers

By focusing on the sinks and dishwashers, we were able to specify and install a GreaseShield 1850-PF with pre-filter baskets. This automated grease recovery unit is designed to capture and remove food solids, fats, oils and grease before they can solidify or accumulate further along the drainage network.

For the bakery, that means the equipment deals with grease close to where it is produced. It supports cleaner, more efficient drainage while helping the site manage the waste generated by its day-to-day kitchen operations.

The equipment choice was only part of the job. It also had to be positioned where staff and maintenance teams could access it, without disrupting the layout and operation of the new bakery.

Keeping coffee grounds out of the vacuum system

The landlord requested that the coffee machines form part of the grease management solution. This made sense: coffee grounds are a separate drainage concern and could cause blockages if allowed to enter the vacuum system.

We used GreaseShield FS1000 units for this task. The FS1000 is a passive food and solid waste removal unit designed to capture sediment before it reaches grease traps or drainage systems. At King’s Cross, it provides a way to intercept coffee grounds at source and protect the drainage serving the bakery.

Planning the installation with the fit-out team

Retrofitting a GreaseShield 1850-PF after a kitchen is complete can be difficult. Working with Alexandra Mihali, GAIL’s Property Project Manager, and Adam Kerr of AK Shopfitting gave us the opportunity to identify the right equipment and its requirements during the fit-out.

That early planning enabled Adam and his team to fit the cabinets, plumbing, drainage and electrics around the grease management equipment. It helped everyone work towards a solution that met the landlord’s and regulator’s requirements while keeping the project on time and cost efficient.

Now that the bakery is open, the grease management system works quietly in the background every day. It helps protect the site’s vacuum drainage and keeps more fats, oils, grease and food solids out of London’s public sewers.

Why Choose Grease Guru?

Grease trap maintenance isn't simply about removing waste. It's about protecting your business from avoidable disruption.

At Grease Guru, we understand the demands placed on commercial kitchens and provide reliable nationwide support designed to minimise downtime and keep drainage systems operating as they should.

Our team offers flexible maintenance schedules, professional grease trap cleaning, compliant waste disposal and ongoing management solutions for businesses across the UK. Whether you require a one-off clean or a fully managed maintenance contract, we provide a dependable service you can rely on.

Grease management for commercial kitchens

Whether you are opening a new bakery or updating an existing commercial kitchen, Grease Guru can help you plan a solution around your equipment, drainage and operational needs. Contact our team to discuss your project.

Frequently asked questions

Why was grease management more complex at this GAIL’s Bakery?

The bakery is connected to a vacuum drainage system rather than conventional gravity fed drainage. Grease Guru had to choose equipment that would capture waste from the kitchen and coffee machines while working with the site’s layout and drainage arrangements.

What does the GreaseShield 1850-PF capture?

The GreaseShield 1850-PF is designed to capture food solids, fats, oils and grease from connected kitchen equipment, including the sinks and dishwashers served by the unit at this site.

Why were FS1000 units installed for the coffee machines?

The landlord wanted coffee grounds kept out of the vacuum drainage system because they could contribute to blockages. The FS1000 units capture those solids before they enter the wider drainage network.

When should grease management be considered for a new kitchen?

Ideally, it should be considered during the design and fit-out stage. At King’s Cross, early coordination meant the shopfitting team could plan the cabinets and services around the selected equipment.