November 2005
SPECIAL REPORT:
NAFEM Featured Products
The Editors

Take a look at some of the most innovative new products and technologies we found at The NAFEM Show. There’s simply not enough room in this issue to bring you writeups of everything we saw, so stay tuned for NAFEM products, Part II, in our January 2006 issue.—Ed

NEVER ROTATE BAKE PANS AGAIN
Looking for a bake oven that truly lets you load the pans and then forget about them? Alto-Shaam demo’d a brand new gas-fired convection oven, the Platinum Series ASC-4G, with airflow so even and smooth it cranked out pans of perfectly baked cookies hour after hour without ever needing to rotate them. The size, shape and speed of the fan is part of the explanation, and a transverse airflow that moves air top-bottom instead of side-side is another part. A 50,000-Btu burner and a lowered flue exit team up for plenty of power and efficiency. Construction is typical Alto-Shaam sturdy, with stainless front, top, sides and rear enclosure. A dependent 60/40 door system featuring a double pane thermal window is standard; the interior is available in porcelain or stainless. An electric version is coming too.
Alto-Shaam Inc. • 800/558-8744
www.alto-shaam.com

HEATED WELLS YOU CAN TRUST
Most heated wells have their strong points. Trouble is, they usually have their not-so-strong points too. So Hatco decided to take a shot at the market itself with its own new line of heated wells. The new line of built-ins boasts a larger, handier drain than typical wells, heavier stainless steel construction for reduced flexing and improved durability, and easy access for any maintenance. A separate power switch and remote thermostat let the staff turn the unit on and off without messing with the temperature settings.
Hatco Corp. • 800/558-0607
www.hatcocorp.com

STACK ’EM, BUT KEEP ’EM LOW
Ever wonder how some of your 5’2” workers are supposed to handle equipment that towers over them? So does Market Forge. So the company’s been rolling out a whole line of kitchen equipment with handier, lower work heights, and now it’s adding the Purr-fect Height Steam Shell Griddle/Convection Oven Combo. The griddle-oven-legs combination measures under 48” tall, and the griddle surface is at 34”. The griddle features a “shell” top that you close down over the griddle surface, providing an enclosed environment into which steam is injected to speed the cooking process.   
Market Forge • 617/387-4100
www.mfii.com

A NEW HEAT STRIP CALLED CAYENNE
Heat strips have improved over the years, but Vollrath figured there was still room for a better one. The company’s Cayenne line (a great name, we think) comes in low-, medium- and high-wattage versions, with the high-watters offering “ceramic-like performance at a cal-rod price,” as one factory spokesperson put it. Design details—reflector design and heat elements that heat all the way from one end to the other—direct  heat more evenly and over a larger holding area when compared to similar-powered units at similar heights. In fact, Vollrath figures its 36” Cayennes at 11” height will hold a 33% larger holding surface at temperature than a competing model.
The Vollrath Co. • 800/558-7631
www.vollrathco.com

TUMBLE STIR FRY IS HERE
ColburnTreat Innovations debuted The NAFEM Show equivalent of the concept car: a prototype for a patent-pending induction stir-fry machine that cooks individual or bulk portions in 4 mins. or less. The machine consists of a 6-qt. kettle that’s tilt-mounted on a stand that turns the kettle at a variable speed. Inside the kettle are “fingers” to tumble the food as it cooks. Induction technology provides the rapid heat source. “This could be used for display cooking of Asian food, or to cook pasta, or vegetables and meat for a quick assemble-to-order stew,” said developer Mike Colburn. “The application is great for display cooking.” 
ColburnTreat Innovations • 877/312-1706
www.colburntreat.com

SAFE OFF FOR CAN TOPS
Is your kitchen a high-security place where you need to keep track of all sharp objects, including can lids? If so, Edlund’s new Tamperproof Can Opening System 625-APP might be just what the warden ordered. The mechanism not only tracks the number of opened cans and lids to make sure none “disappear,” it also deposits the lids into a locked undercounter container for safe disposal. The system includes two lockable, program-mable counters to tally lid and can counts. Lids are collected in a 32-gal. container behind a reinforced door with a built-in padlock latch.The system opens up to 10 cans/min. with one operator.
Edlund Co. • 800/772-2126
www.edlundco.com

RECLAIM HEAT, WASH MORE EFFICIENTLY
Meiko’s exclusive Waste Air Heat Recovery System, which reclaims hot waste air to preheat incoming water, is now available on the K-Tronic Series single and multiple-tank rack conveyor warewashers. Recovered heat increases the temperature of incoming cold water from as low as 50°F up to 130°F. From there the internal booster heater only has to kick it up from 130°F to 180°F, which saves energy. Prerinse temps reach about 165°F; the final rinse 180°F to ensure proper sanitization of ware. Meiko says the system can save operators up to $40,000 per year, depending on the operation. K-Tronics also offers a low water consumption rating of 84.7 gals./hr. and features Meiko’s Mike 3 controller for fully automatic operation and system diagnostics. Double-wall insulated construction (all 304 stainless) retains heat inside the units, further conserving energy and improving the working environment in the dishroom. Units wash 311 racks an hour. NSF listed.
Meiko USA • 800/556-3456
www.meiko.us

AN OVEN AND ITS DISAPPEARING DOORS
Time to make some noise for the Convotherm Combi Oven-Steamer line, which is now made in the United States by Cleveland Range. The versatile combi comes with an Advanced Closed System that automatically adjusts moisture levels depending on the type and amount of food being prepared, allowing you to bake, broil, stew, “fry” and so on. A programmable control panel lets you store up to 250 recipes in the oven’s on-board cookbook and start cooking by pushing a button. Design-wise, the oven features space-saving disappearing doors—all you do is open them fully and then slide them back along the sides. Available in 28 models.
Convotherm by Cleveland/Enodis • 800/338-2204
www.clevelandrange.com

A SERENE APPROACH TO ICE MAKING
Who needs yoga? You’ll be at peace when the slim new Serenity Series Cubelet Ice Machine turns up at your door. The unit sits quietly atop a beverage dispenser or storage bin and produces more than 800 lbs. of chewable cubelets per day. The remote condenser keeps heat and noise to a minimum, and ice is removed from the evaporator after every shutdown cycle. The compact unit measures 28 1/4"W x 23"H x 19 7/8"D.
Hoshizaki America • 800/438-6087
www.hoshizaki.com

OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD STEAMING
The new StratoSteam gas steamer debuted at the Southbend booth, where reps were heard touting the unit’s simple componentry. You get a single operating switch for easy operation; a 5-min. cold startup; a constant water flow that minimizes water contamination buildup; and a design that allows for 100% side service and easy cleaning. Meanwhile, the boilerless unit offers a convection component to increase productivity, and it’s all packaged in a space-saving design. Strato-Steam models accommodate either 3- or 5-pan models. Other features include side-mount water-resistant controls, a door drip tray and the ability to stack units two high.
Southbend/Middleby • 919/552-9161
www.southbendnc.com

RANGE ENDURES ALL
If high performance, simple operation and easy cleaning are what you’re looking for, check out Endurance, the newest range concept from Vulcan-Hart. Heavy-duty range burner assemblies pop in and out with quick-disconnects, totally freeing access to the stainless range-top basin for cleaning. Oven features a porcelain-coated liner that pulls out for warewashing. Six cast-iron burners each rated at 32,000 Btu feature lift-off heads for cleaning, too. Porcelain-coated, cast-iron grates are 2” deeper in the back than the front so simmering stock pots won’t take up half a front grate. Front ledge is extended by 2”, for a total of 6”-deep work space/plate rest. Front-mounted, yellow knob is a shut-off valve to turn off burner gas pilots during downtime without going behind the unit to a rear shut-off. All features are patent pending.
Vulcan-Hart Co. • 866/988-5226
www.vulcanhart.com

WASH YOUR WAY TO EFFICIENCY
Step up to the new STPCW-AR flight-type warewasher and peer inside. You’ll be looking into a machine that Stero says delivers more than 20,000 dishes per hour at a savings of up to 70% on water and energy consumption. The unit relies on a two-stage final rinse system to provide efficient water distribution and heat transfer. You’ll also find stainless steel center-feed manifolds, designed with positive indexing for easy removal and foolproof reassembly. You’ll get rinse water control, so that instead of relying on belt movement to control the rinse, the machine uses 180°F to 195°F water only when ware is in the final rinse area. And you’ll see specially designed peg links that allow for the individual placement of links in seconds without disassembling the belt. Stero says the STPCW-AR cleans 49% more dishes per hour than the industry average and saves up to 20 million gallons of water over the expected lifespan of the machine. NSF certified.
Stero Co. • 800/762-7600
www.stero.com

STEAM GOES MOBILE
When AGA Foodservice Equipment acquired Stellar Steam and its line of steam equipment last August, the deal brought the Polaris mobile catering steamer into the AGA product fold. Powered by a gas or propane tank below, the boilerless, cordless, 4-pan steamer goes anywhere your catering business needs to go. There’s no need for a plumbed water line or drain line or electrical connection. Unit steams fast and perfectly, relying on a 2-gal. reservoir with optional cover. Optional custom condenser hood captures steam when the door is opened.
Stellar Steam/AGA Foodservice • 866/673-7937
www.stellarsteam.com

NEW IDEAS IN DELI CASING
Hussmann’s Q Series Model Q1DC Single Deck Deli display case literally stopped folks in their tracks at The NAFEM Show. Elegant and ergonomic, the unit features curved, non-glare/non-distorting tempered glass fronts that lift on hydraulic hinges for easy case filling. From the open back, the angle of the deck displays foods to perfection, yet employees can easily reach items at the very front. Lighting is hidden; a double row of T5 lights recess in case’s top hardware. Hussmann offers a slew of finishes, including Corian and granite. Cases come in 4’, 6’, 8’, 10’ and 12’ lengths with 45° or 90° wedged end pieces. Q Series is available in a cold-hold mode now, with a modular blower coil to circulate cold air and a 5-yr. warranty; hot-hold version coming. UL and NSF listings are pending.
Hussmann Specialty Products • 800/395-9229
www.hussmann.com

CONVECTION WITH A DASH OF MOISTURE
Problem: Your budget can’t stretch to buy combis, but you need more versatility from your convection ovens. Solution: Blodgett’s new HydroVection oven, which adds moisture to the convection process to produce a quality product quicker than a standard convection oven. Features include dual fans, independent variable fan speed and direction, and continuous or on-demand moisture capability. You get fiber-optic lighting for clear visibility through the large glass doors, plus two features that ease cleaning: a stainless steel liner with drain and integral spray hose. Hydro-Vection will be available to ship in mid 2006, says Blodgett.
BlodgettOven/Middleby • 800/331-5842
www.blodgett.com

A BETTER LOOKING HOOD
Sometimes the simplest design upgrade is the best. From Greenheck comes a hood tweak to give you a more attractive hood. The new Radius Corner hood takes a standard exhaust-only island or wall canopy hood and rounds the corner. You get a softer, more elegant custom look at a reasonable price, says Greenheck, plus all the features you’d expect: 304 stainless and double-shell construction.
Greenheck • 715/359-6171
www.greenheck.com