January 2006
SHORT REPORT:
Milan Puts on a Show
By Robin Ashton
 

The new Milan Fiera trade show facility was the site of HOST and four related hospitality events last October. Equipment and supplies, including tabletop and coffee equipment, filled 12 halls. Read on for details on key products we saw. 

The corps des chefs at Electrolux put the new Libero Point modular, self-ventilating, mobile display cooking system through its paces.The newest versions, unveiled at Milan, can be configured with three cooking and holding modules. In the United States the line is marketed under the Dito/Electrolux brand. See www.electroluxusa.com/professional.  

Sister companies Sambonet and Paderno both showed this innovative buffet-serving system called Atlantic Buffet System.The innovation: unique induction-capable modular pans and hinged lids that can easily be stacked, stored and transported to where they integrate with chafing stands and/or induction hobs. Information is available at www.sambonet.com or info@sambonetusa.com.

Since many of the leading combi manufacturers are European, many of the very latest iterations of these flexible appliances were unveiled at HOST. Andrea Hagspiel, marketing manager for Convotherm/Enodis in Europe, showed us the brand new ConvoChill, an all-in-one, over-under, combi-blast chiller combo. Details can be found at www.convotherm.de. In North America Convotherm products are now available exclusively through Cleveland Range/Enodis.Among other combi innovations, we saw Rational’s new SelfCooking Center (www.rational-usa.com); “neural network” control technology on Electrolux Air-O-Steam combis (www.electroluxusa.com/professional); and the new fully interactive, automated cleaning systems on Angelo Po’s CombiStar line (www.angelopo.it). Angelo Po combis are available in the United States through Lang Mfg.We also saw the Multi-Grill line of combi accessories from Lainox/Ali Group (www.lainox.it). Lainox is now marketed here under its own brand name.

Sometimes synergy works. Since Ali Group owns both Italy’s Comenda and Sweden’s Wexiödisk, it can put a Comenda badge on this not new, but still unique utensil/pot washer that combines the sanitation benefits of waterbased warewashing with the scrubbing effects of Wexiödisk’s granular cleaning system. We found details on Wexiödisk’s Web site www.wexiodisk.se under “pot washers.”

Poor booth lighting challenged our photo taking abilities to the max, but this revolving gelato case from IFI is unlike anything we’ve ever seen and we wanted you to see it, too.The case holds 12 flavors of gelato at food-safe temps in a configuration that prevents customer contamination.The customer requests a flavor and the server revolves the case to the requested pan. Not currently available here, but someone should ask for it (www.ifi.it).

An American friend led us to Zio Pepe, a manufacturer of very creative equipment and smallwares for pizza. Silvano Speri, general manager and inventor, showed us a number of items, including round, revolving pizza merchandisers. They come in base-heated and unheated configurations; lazy-Susan versions that can be used on the table; and with covers. Again, they’re not currently in the United States, but look like an opportunity (www.ziopepe.com).

In addition to its stylish serving equipment and healthcare carts, the German company Blanco is also one of the world’s largest makers of hotel pans. At HOST, Blanco showed a new version of its silicone sealing system for pans and pan lids. The seals are air and water tight, reduce spillage, and can be sanitized in the warewasher.  The unique design extends through the pan, and reduces slippage when pans are stacked (www.blanco.de).

Moretti Forni has begun marketing its extensive lines of Euro-style pizza deck and baking ovens in the United States.Two years ago at HOST, owner Daniel Moretti showed us a prototype of a unique sliding deck oven.That unit is now in full production and can be seen at the back of this photo. But the company also has a line of electric conveyor ovens that tout the coolest “touch” in the business (www.morettiforni.com).

North Carolina-based consultant Hans Fasson helped us find this cutlery drying unit from Arex.  We saw these units from a number of other makers starting three years ago, but they never made it into the United States because of sanitation issues. Traditional units use UV light to sanitize the corn-cob-based drying medium. But Arex may have hit on the solution: add high temperature to the process (www.arexonline.com).

We know it looks like just another two-door reach-in, but it even impressed some competitors. Desmon, which manufactures in Italy and China, unveiled a new iteration of its high-end Gold Line, which can be configured with half-door refrigerator/freezer, blast chiller/blast freezer, or drawer variations. For example, this unit features a full-size refrigerator on the left with a blast freezer top right and a standard freezer bottom right. Desmon is beginning to distribute here (www.desmon.net).