Modular refrigeration
Today, many seek not only the performance of chef-grade appliances, they want a ‘pro look’ as well. Iconic, traditional brands, such as La Cornue of France and the UK’s Aga, have seen a renaissance of interest amongst gourmands. In part connected to the nostalgia trend and the comfort found in traditional forms, these cavernous ranges also deliver supreme results. Often hulking, always attention-grabbing, freestanding cookers feature tough commercial styling – they are the focal point and the workhorse of any design. Though both La Cornue and Aga have come out with smaller adaptations of their original designs, today the consensus is ‘the bigger the better’ (if space permits).
La Cornue recently introduced Grand-Papa 180 – a 180cm-wide masterpiece devoted to the culinary arts. It includes two cavernous ovens and a solid stainless steel cooktop that can be configured to taste: for example, equip it with four Centenaire gas burners and a solid top cooking plate or a huge induction plate, or choose to have the other side of the central work surface fitted with an additional module of your choice such as a large induction plate, an induction wok or an electric teppanyaki plate. This classically styled range now includes La Cornue’s new oven cooking system with vaulted ovens for improved results.
Earlier this year, at Living-Kitchen 2015, introduced the European market to its American-style range cooker. The large-format HR 1956, a 1.22m-wide freestanding unit, includes two ovens, with the larger oven cavity pairing an oven with microwave. An additional warming drawer is also included. The fully-loaded cooktop includes six gas burners and a stainless steel griddle for contact grilling.
California based Dacor recently introduced a 1.22m-wide freestanding range with some sleek added smarts, dubbed Discovery iQ. With an integrated Android tablet that features a near-18cm glass touchscreen, the range now puts wi-fi capabilities, like looking up recipes or streaming music, at the chef’s fingertips; or provides text reminders to check what’s baking in the oven. The company’s iQ Cooking app’s control feature also includes: guided cooking, quick start, ‘greenclean’ self-cleaning oven setting and ‘my modes’ for favourite dishes.
Italian appliance-maker SMEG, best-known for its 1950s-style refrigerator, has extended its popular Symphony cooker collection with the just-released SY93I dual-fuel three-cavity range cooker with induction hob. Finished in stainless steel or black gloss, it features the contemporary and distinctive square aesthetic that the Symphony range has become known for. The main oven has a net capacity of 63 litres and includes nine functions, such as ‘Circulaire’ with upper and lower element, to offer a similar result to rotisserie and to allow food to be cooked quickly and effectively. It has a digital electronic clock/programmer, air cooling system for added safety, four cooking levels and closed-door grilling.
“Rejuvenated classics are in demand now as never before,” states a trend report from German home furnishings fair Ambiente. “Tools our grandparents used to conjure up great dishes are coming back around; it’s partly down to nostalgia but now they also incorporate modern technology.
“What makes a design into a classic? Beauty is not enough. A classic must be built to last and embody values such as ambition, experience and confidence. Above all, a classic must be open to trends and new technologies.”