(Chicago, Ill.) - January 16, 2008 - The National Restaurant Association
today announced 25 recipients of the prestigious 2008 Kitchen Innovations�
(KI) Award. This year's KI Awards address the growing needs of foodservice
operators, including energy/water conservation, improving productivity
and food safety. Each of the cutting-edge products will be showcased in
the interactive KI demonstration area at the National Restaurant Association
Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show at Chicago's McCormick Place, May 17-20.
"This year's unprecedented number of innovations illustrates that foodservice
equipment manufacturers have stepped up to meet the needs of the restaurant
industry," said William C. Anton, FMP, convention chairman for the 2008
Show, and chairman and founder of Anton Airfood, Inc. "The 2008 KI Award
recipients provide solutions to the many challenges facing restaurateurs
and culinary professionals, including utility costs, labor, quality and
efficiency."
Advanced Composite Materials, LLC - Silar® Microwave
Grilling and Speed Cooking: Silar Microwave grill with reversible flatstone
is an innovative ceramic composite microwave heatable oven insert, enabling
high-speed authentic grilling and baking of paninis, sandwiches, subs and
made-to-order fresh pizzas. Silar significantly increases restaurant productivity
and menu variety, while improving the quality of service and menu options
for patrons.
Cambro Manufacturing Company - Camtherm Hot/Cold Bulk Food Holding
Cabinet: This product is an energy-efficient thermoelectric heating
and cooling unit with no compressor, no heating coil, and no humidifier.
This cabinet provides maximum flexibility and steady temperature control,
holding hot or cold foods plugged in or during transit.
Campus Products, Inc. - CPI Stemshine GP8A: Campus can
document the savings in labor while insuring employee safety during the
glass polishing process, guarantee consistency while improving quality
and eliminating the need for dedicated personnel for Stemware drying and
polishing. This will assist in supporting the industry's image of innovated
and exceptional cuisine and inspired décors.
Carter-Hoffmann, a Middleby Company - EnduraHeat Transport Carts:
This innovation is a heat retention system based on a patented "solid
to solid" phase change technology. The system disperses heat up to two
hours after being charged and unplugged, providing flexibility for heated
transport of bulk food and/or pre-plated meals, while eliminating the need
for canned fuels.
Ecolab, Inc. - Apex TSC Dishmachine: The first all-solid, low-temperature
dishmachine to use EPA-registered solid sanitizer, and an attached controller
to optimize operational efficiency and reduce environmental impacts within
the dish room. The controller enables Ecolab to monitor the warewashing
process and provide operator guidance.
Electrolux Professional NA - S90 Full Surface Induction Range: This
full surface induction range has four adjustable temperature zones with
one powerful 5kW induction coil per zone. The 33" wide surface allows an
operator to use up to 16 pots simultaneously, maximizing the productivity
of hood and floor space.
Everpure, LLC - Exubera Pro: This a customized system based on
in-depth certified lab analysis of the operators' water source and tailoring
the appropriate filtration solutions. It is integrated with equipment and
merchandising to serve still, sparkling, chilled alternatives to bottled
water.
Follett Corporation - Ice Manager� Diverter Valve System: The
Ice Manager automatically delivers ice to two dispensers from one Follett
Horizon icemaker. Eliminate manual handling for worry-free operation, and
reduced risk of ice contamination and slips and falls. One ice machine
instead of two means lower upfront expenses and ongoing operating cost.
Frymaster , LLC, an Enodis Company - Protector� Fryer: The Frymaster
Protector Fryer with SMART4U� technology has a 30 lb frypot that uses 40
percent less oil, but has the production capacity equal to 50 lb frypots.
Its high-technology features automatically monitor frypot oil levels, replenish
oil as needed, and alert the operator when the in-cabinet jug-in-box (JIB)
oil supply needs changing.
Garland Commercial Ranges, an Enodis Company - Garland Restaurant
Range: This new range has a unique, patent-pending, gas delivery design
using a venture and porting configuration that equalizes the heating around
the burner thereby avoiding "hot spots." The consistent, even heating enables
the operator to create improved quality and patron satisfaction.
Garland, an Enodis Company - HE Broiler: This new charbroiler
features continuous sparking to ensure constant flame and has no standing
pilots that need to be shut down or restarted, or temperatures needing
to be re-established. With the HE Broiler, gas is turned off electrically
and when relit, is turned on to the same pre-set temperatures across the
burners.
Goslyn, LP - Goslyn Grease Recovery Device: Goslyn's patented
technology utilizes hydrostatic pressure and specific gravity with no moving
parts to continuously and permanently remove and recover fats, oils, and
greases (FOG) from waste effluent. There are no messy grease traps, and
it requires less than two minutes per day for cleaning.
Groen, Unified Brands - Tri-Res20 with Tri-Res Boilerless Technology:
A full-size gas combination oven offering steam, convection, and combination
modes. Its unique boilerless system features three separate boilerless
reservoirs with high steam capacity, precise control for different cooking
modes, and operators can change modes without any down time.
Henny Penny Corporation - WaveClean� Automated Cleaning System in
SmartCombi�: The Henny Penny SmartCombi with WaveClean is an automated
two-in-one, clean-and-rinse, cartridge system that self cleans and will
power off at the end of the cycle. There are three different cleaning programs,
using the same minimal water by recycling.
Lincoln Foodservice Products, LLC, an Enodis Company - 8005 Return
Toaster: The new conveyor return toaster incorporates the proportional-integral-derivative
controller that self-regulates the toasting based on sensing amount and
thickness of bread products in process. This innovative controller delivers
99% consistent look, texture and taste.
Market Forge Industries - Eco-Tech Plus� Steamer: The patented
water management system is the innovation which enables this pressureless
atmospheric steamer to operate on 15 gallons/hour or less, about 20 percent
of most other steamers in its class. It creates steam on demand, and as
demand decreases, the burners will automatically cycle off to conserve
gas and water.
OilFresh� Corporation - OilFresh OF1000 Series Oil Extending Catalytic
Device: This revolutionary oil-conditioning device fits in most open
gas fryers. Using high-tech ceramic pellets, oil is prevented from rapid
break down at a molecular level. Key benefits are extended oil life, reduced
gas consumption, better quality fried foods, and labor/disposal cost savings.
Paloma Industries Inc. - Pulse Combustion Gas Fryer: Paloma's
unique pulse combustion burners accelerate transfer of heat into the frying
medium to provide short cook time and rapid oil temperature recovery during
cook time. In a ready-to-cook standby (idle) mode, the Paloma has a low
energy rate of 3,420 Btu/h. So operators can achieve high efficiency during
heavy load surges or on idle.
Revolutionary Cooling Systems - Stock Chiller: This patented
rapid chilling process uses only ice and water, and quickly chills five
gallons of soup or stock from 190 degrees to 40 degrees in six minutes,
which allows the operator to make larger quantities for greater cost efficiencies
without the food safety risks associated with slower chilling methods.
San Jamar - Saf-T-Wash� Food Sanitizer: The Saf-T-Wash is wall-mounted,
which diverts water from the sink tap and charges it with ozone before
it's dispensed through the aerator for produce cleaning. The ozone-charged
water is 300 times more powerful than bleach at killing pathogens on produce,
with no residue.
Stellar Steam � Polaris: The Polaris utilizes a patented gas
fired heating system and propane tank that can be used anywhere without
electric or plumbing hook-ups. Its boilerless cooking chamber is constructed
of anodized cast aluminum, which acts as a heat sink, allowing for heat
retention, quick recovery, and reduced energy consumption.
Sterilox, a division of PuriCore - Sterilox Model 2100: The Sterilox
system uses water, salt, and electricity to produce a food-safe sanitizing
solution on site, on demand. The patented process produces a pH neutral
solution that is highly effective at killing pathogens like E. Coli, Salmonella,
Norovirus, and MRSA, and is FDA approved for food contact. It does not
require mixing, dilution, protective equipment, or special disposal.
Twirl Pasta Company - Twirl Pasta/ Cucina 2000: A fully automated
foodservice concept with self-service and operator models that uses patented
equipment and process technology to perfectly cook and dispense fresh pasta
meals in 80 seconds. Proprietary software precisely manages the enclosed
cooking environment from delivery of the pasta to the multi-chambered kettle
to final dispense.
Unified Brands - AVTEC - EchoArch Ventilation Systems: The AVTEC
EcoArch combines the patent-pending arch top and front mounted high velocity
exhaust slot. This innovative design creates a rate of speed faster than
the updraft that captures contaminated air at very low exhaust requirements.
The net result is an annual kitchen energy savings of up to 50 percent
of the conditioned kitchen room air.
Vulcan - C24EA3-C24EA5 Counter Steamer: The innovation is its
mineral eliminator with a unique "smart drain / power flush" system. The
interaction of the sloped bottom and timed power flush create the Venturri
Effect that increase the velocity and rids the accumulation of mineral
deposits and need for frequent de-liming.
Now in its 89th year, the annual National Restaurant Association Restaurant,
Hotel-Motel Show is the largest single gathering of restaurant, foodservice
and lodging professionals in the Western Hemisphere. The 2008 Show will
be held May 17-20, at McCormick Place in Chicago, Ill. The Show attracts
nearly 2,150 exhibiting companies and 74,000 attendees and visitors from
all 50 states and 115 countries. More information can be found on the Show
Web site at www.restaurant.org/show.
The National Restaurant Association, founded in 1919, is the leading
business association for the restaurant industry, which is comprised of
945,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a work force of 13.1 million
employees - making it the cornerstone of the economy, career opportunities
and community involvement. Along with the National Restaurant Association
Educational Foundation, the Association works to represent, educate and
promote the rapidly growing industry. For more information, visit our Web
site at www.restaurant.org.