Chef Ben Says: Appliances Bring Heat, Tech, and Color Like Never Before
Ok, I know this is a bit of a departure from my usual posts. I have really been focussing on food. More specifically, I have been focussing on the basics of food. Any cuisine worth learning is worth learning from it's roots. No quantum physicist ever created a groundbreaking equation without learning how to add and multiply, it just doesn't work.
It is natural that in a discussion of food lovingly prepared in the home might involve the choice of appliances that we use through all stages of the process. We are talking about machines that help us store, prepare, heat and cool our most spectacular kitchen achievements, and maybe even a few defeats.
The folks at our local National Kitchen and Bath Association asked me to give a little discussion on what I felt were pertinent trends in the current appliance market. With emerging technology and an incredibly competitive market, there sure is a lot to talk about.
New ways to apply heat to food: The best of the restaurant kitchen comes home.
There are a myriad of devices that are allowing a level of precision and power in the home kitchen that can only be brought by a synergy of technology and design. Cooking appliances that have been imagined for decades have finally reached a place where they are practical and accessible.
Keep it juicy
One of these innovations is steam cooking. Don't get me wrong, it's pretty easy to make steam in your kitchen. We've been improvising it with baskets, strainers and racks for centuries. But what we can't do is provide any level of thermostatic control of the temperature. We turn the dial, cross our fingers, and hope we don't use the formidable power of heat charged water vapor to wreck our dinners.
The appliance market has provided a number of solutions to this problem. With assistance from the simplest countertop models, to the most advanced built-in models featuring a combination of convection, steam and broil functions, the benefits of steam in the kitchen can be fully harnessed.
This countertop steamer takes the simplest approach. A boiler, a thermostat, and a few inserts. Enhanced control, and great visibility
A built-in combination unit with a reservoir. Great power in a variety of locations.
The whole enchilada: Powerful built-in unit, plumbed, with convection and a wicked little broiler. The ultimate in home steam cooking.
Go, go go, get it now!
Speed ovens appeal to a whole different set of needs. Hectic life meets multiple heat source whallop. These units often employ convection with a carefully measured dose of nukey goodness. Oven quality results when the juniors are screaming for nutrition between volleyball and dance lessons.
The Jenn-Air speed combines microwaves and convection, and an innovative crisping pan to provide second oven performance with convenience foods quick.
GE's Advantium adds halogen browning for rocket fast cooking and crispy edges.
The Miele speed oven bridges the gap between high-gourmet and high-speed.
Precision and ease? Think Induction.
Induction cooking stormed onto the scene to stay about 10 years ago. It's innocuous looks disguise a fierce culinary performer. Gas cooking has been the gold standard for years, but this magnetic marvel sings higher highs and whispers lower lows than just about any gas burner you will find. Consistent, repeatable performance and rock-solid temperature control make this newly perfected technology impossible to deny. Let's not forget the cleanability only a neat-freak can fully appreciate.
Monogram's Induction cooktop features a unique finish and a precision temperature controller suitable for sous vide cooking.
The new 42" induction cooktop from Miele allows freedom of movement between 3 zones.
See the screaming heat!
Gas cooking has also found a renaissance. High performance burners abound on the surface. Dual stack and dual ring burners provide a level of power and control not available on more conventional surfaces. The BTU counts go ever upward, often topping 20,000 on a single burner. The simmers go below "cooking temperatures, traditionally starting about 140 degrees. Gas ovens have benefitted from variable thermostats and screaming infra-red broilers.
Serious, true professional open gas burners drive boil times down, and wok temperatures up.
Dual stack professional style sealed burners give admirable temperature range and comfortable cleanability.
Infra-gas broilers char your steak in the pit of hades.
Cook with color
Along with the ample list of performance innovations, many strides have been made in unique finishes for today's appliances. Variations of color in stainless steel provide a fresh contrast to the industry standard of brushed, bright traditional stainless. Glass-over-color finishes have added incredibly easy maintenance to a stylish color statement. Many brands have looked to automotive-style finishes, and offer the full RAL color spectrum on ranges, wall ovens, and refrigerators.
KitchenAid's black stainless is a game changer.
Miele proves white is back, elegantly shown under glass.
BlueStar's truly professional range meets truly pretty in cobalt blue, or 749 other available colors.
Bake mobile
The most undeniable of current kitchen appliance trends mirrors technological trends in just about every other facet of our lives. More and more often, we are seeing integrated controls, touch controls, and application driven cooking. In short, your wall oven controls feel like an Ipad, and can be driven remotely from downloadable apps for your mobile devices.
Dacor provides a tablet experience on it's Discovery IQ series, and a Discovery IQ series experience on your tablet.
Your phone is not off-limits as a way to access your oven.
Miele enables a touch pathway to multi-stage precision.
Jenn-air's touch control leaves no mistake as to what's going on in your oven.
Today's emerging appliance trends aren't only pushing the limits of cooking performance. They are also pushing the limits of the consumer's imagination. Unprecedented customization is leading to a unique experience for each cook. I would expect the next ten years or so to bring further enhancements to precision of heat delivery, and custom expression of style.
It's your kitchen...Cook and look how you want to!
Cheers,
Chef Ben