Floored! NRA Show 2009 News

Let’s Get Ready to Roast

 

We don’t care that Punxsutawney Phil, the most famous groundhog in the world, saw his shadow and cursed us all with 6 more weeks of winter. With temperatures beginning to climb, we’re dreaming about the mouthwatering aromas and tastes of summer. Yes, we’re looking for any excuse to leave the winter blahs behind and enjoy a barbecue. So, sit back, fire up a whole hog (or lamb, beef or, well, you get the idea) and relax.

To help us get into the spirit of the barbecue season, Pig Out Spit Roasters, the St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada-based company is exhibiting in May (perfect timing!) at NRA Show 2009. We’re all about this roasters’ all-terrain tires – let’s not forget it’s fuel-efficiency – guaranteed, we hear, to take this little beauty anywhere you want to party.

Hot equipment, good food and fun people, now that’s our idea of a great time!

KI Pioneers -- Where Are They Now?

 

In celebration of Kitchen Innovations™ turning 5 at NRA Show® 2009, we wanted to find out where some of the first KI Award recipients are that made trend-setting foodservice equipment what it is today.

TurboChef Tornado™ Oven (2005 KI Award recipient, one of the first KI trailblazers), a lightning-fast oven built for speed is used by Starbucks, chefs like Charlie Trotter in Trotter’s to Go, and Subway. We like to pat ourselves on the back for bringing the TurboChef Tornado and Subway together so you can be asked, "Do you want that toasted?"

MooBella Ice Cream System (2006 KI Award recipient), this ice cream vending machine is a cool mix of taste and technology and can be found in cafeterias, hospitals, universities and, perhaps, an office kitchen near you (fingers crossed).

Don’t worry, we’re on a mission to track down and feature other past KI Award recipients, chat with a KI judge or two (these people know everything!), and highlight the soon-to-be-announced 2009 KI Award recipients in our special style.

KI Turns 5 This Year

This year Kitchen Innovations, a.k.a. KI, turns 5 years old. It's a special occasion, and one we'll be celebrating for the next few weeks leading up to the announcement of the NRA Show 2009 KI Award winners in February.

To observe this milestone, we'll feature past KI winners, find out where they are now, chat with some KI judges and highlight some of the most innovative, state-of-the-art foodservice equipment out on the market now. Oh, and there will be cake. You'll see.

In short, KI is only a baby, but we expect it to be around for a long time. In the coming weeks we'll show ya why KI!

PolyScience on Today Show

NRA Show 2009 exhibitor PolyScience is everywhere lately. Case in point, PS recently made an appearance on The Today Show. Award-winning chef-slash-restaurateur-slash-author Thomas Keller shared the wonders of sous vide with host Lester Holt with the help of PolyScience's immersion circulator.

For those in the dark re: sous vide, here's a formal definition from Epicurious.com:

'French for "under vacuum," sous vide is a food-packaging technique pioneered in Europe whereby fresh ingredients are combined into various dishes, vacuum-packed in individual-portion pouches, cooked under a vacuum, then chilled. Sous-vide food is used most often by hotels, restaurants and caterers, though it's expected to become increasingly available in supermarkets.'

The circulator featured in the clip controls temperature, a very important element of successful sous-vide cooking.

To learn more about PolyScience, visit its home base on the World Wide Web. See who else is exhibiting at NRA Show 2009 too.

Monsam Sinks: You Can Take It With You

Many different companies exhibit at NRA Show. There are food producers, beverage companies, kitchen appliance manufacturers and so many more. "So many more" includes Monsam Sinks, who's the worldwide leader in the portable sink market today.

Monsam Sinks are perfect for day-care centers, science labs, salons, spas and, of course, foodservice venues such as outdoor fests. While hand sanitizers are great and all, they don't cut it when it counts.

And no, these sinks don't rely on recycled water. Read Monsam's very comprehensive FAQ section here.

We look forward to meeting Monsam again — this is the exhibitor's second year — at NRA Show 2009 this May. Wanna know who else is coming? See the full list of NRA Show 2009 exhibitors.

In retrospect, when could you have really used a portable sink?