Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1037828
Summer 2018 7 To Alto-Shaam President Steve Maahs, the last real innovation in cooking was the microwave oven. But as any chef will tell you, microwaves don't produce high-quality dishes. They trade speed for flavor and, as a result, they are spar- ingly used in professional kitchens. But today's consumers want food to be both fast and deli- cious, challenging manufacturers to develop new equipment that can offer both. "The way society is moving, everything has to be quick," Maahs says. "We want fresh and we want quality and [we] want it fast. Sometimes those things are opposing dynamics as opposed to dynamics in concert with one another." With its Vector® Multi-Cook Oven, Alto-Shaam believes it has achieved that balance between speed and quality. The product offers multiple cooking chambers in a single oven, each capable of cooking at a different temperature and being set at different fan speeds and cooking times. By using exclusive Structured Air Technology ®, the Vector Multi-Cook Oven uses high speed upward and downward air flow to focus heat, delivering faster and more even cooking than convection ovens. Further, it is waterless and is available in countertop and full-size models to accommodate any kitchen space. The first Vector Multi-Cook Oven hit the mar- ket about 18 months ago and sales have been encouraging. "Results are exceeding my expecta- tions," Maahs says. "I do believe the industry is starved for innovation.You go to any show, any conference, and that's a consistent theme." Promising sales, thus far, could signal that the industry is finally speeding up its adoption of new technologies as the next generation of restauran- teurs enter the field, says Maahs. "It very well may be younger chefs are more open to adapting than prior [generations]," he contends. Forward-Thinking Approach Alto-Shaam's multi-cook oven is the latest in a six-decade legacy of pushing forward cooking technology. Maahs' father, Jerry, founded the company in 1955 and was the inventor of Halo Heat® technology, which uses gentle heat to keep food warm without the use of extreme heat STEVE MAAHS Alto-Shaam "I believe the industry is starved for innovation. You go to any show, any conference, and that's a consistent theme." By Tim O'Connor, Associate Editor tim@feda.com