Consistent, fresh steak frites with less labour

Consistent, fresh steak frites with less labour


36

Different products

40

Years of experience in potato processing

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Relais de l’Entrecôte and L’Entrecôte are two closely related restaurant chains that trace their origins back to the iconic Le Relais de Venise – L’Entrecôte, founded in Paris in 1959 by Paul Gineste de Saurs. Following his passing, his children continued the concept, leading to the two restaurant groups that exist today: Le Relais de l’Entrecôte (including locations in Paris and Geneva) and L’Entrecôte (including Toulouse, Lyon and Barcelona).

Although the companies operate independently, they share the same brand identity and signature concept: a single menu item consisting of premium entrecôte steak, homemade French fries and the famous secret Café de Paris sauce, served in a classic Parisian bistro setting. The simplicity of the menu, combined with the consistent quality of both the steak and the fries, has made the concept an international success.

To ensure perfectly consistent French fries across every location, each restaurant has been equipped with a Marcelissen Slitmaster 85.

The challenge

For a restaurant concept built around a single signature dish, consistency is everything. At every (Relais de) l’Entrecôte location, French fries were still being cut by hand. This required several hours of manual labour every day and relied heavily on the skills and experience of the kitchen staff.

As a result, the restaurants faced several challenges:

  • Significant preparation time every day

  • Variations in the size and quality of the French fries

  • Inconsistent production output between different locations

For a restaurant chain focused on efficiency and standardisation, this manual process had become a clear bottleneck.

The solution

Both restaurant groups selected the Marcelissen Slitmaster 85, our automatic potato cutting machine that precisely cuts potatoes lengthwise. Thanks to its intelligent cutting technology, the Slitmaster produces the longest possible French fries—exactly as expected for a classic steak frites experience.

Each restaurant was equipped with a dedicated Slitmaster 85. Designed for intensive daily use, the machine complies with the strictest CE safety standards and offers:

  • Maximum fry length through intelligent potato positioning

  • Perfectly straight, consistent cuts every time

  • Safe and intuitive operation for kitchen staff in every country

Implementation was straightforward and plug-and-play, requiring no major adjustments to the existing workflow.


The results

With the Slitmaster 85, each restaurant now saves between one and two hours of manual labour every day. This valuable time can be redirected towards other essential kitchen tasks and improving overall operational efficiency.

At the same time, the machine delivers a consistently uniform end product: French fries with the same length, shape and appearance in every restaurant, regardless of location. This consistency strengthens both the brand identity and the customer experience.


The impact

The investment in automation has delivered measurable benefits across the organisation:

  • Greater efficiency: kitchen staff can focus on food preparation and customer service

  • Lower labour costs: less manual work and reduced time pressure

  • Consistent quality: uniform French fries reinforce a recognisable brand experience

  • Scalability: new restaurant locations can immediately operate to the same high standard

As the customer puts it:

"Every new restaurant will definitely be equipped with a Marcelissen Slitmaster 85!"

This statement reflects both the confidence in the solution and the satisfaction with its results. With the Slitmaster 85, (Relais de) l’Entrecôte is well positioned for continued growth—without compromising the quality that has made its restaurant concept so successful.


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