by Carla Landi
The National Restaurant Show is something we look forward to every year. It’s a great place to see all of the exciting and innovative equipment and supplies and meet the incredible equipment and supply manufacturers making it happen. This year the National Restaurant Show will be offered as The Show To Go. Don't miss it.
We are particularly excited to learn about the recently announced Kitchen Innovation Award Winners. The KI Award recipients are selected by an independent panel of judges comprised of industry leaders and internationally-recognized food facility consultants, multi-unit executives, and design experts. According to Tom Cindric, President of Winsight Exhibitions, “The Kitchen Innovation award winners utilize intelligent technology to create products that increase efficiency, productivity, and the bottom line, which is needed now more than ever as restaurants continue to operate through the ongoing challenges brought on by the pandemic.”
This year’s honorees are recognized as the most forward-thinking manufacturers of cutting-edge innovations that have meaningfully improved foodservice operations.
Here are four of our favorite Kitchen Innovation winners along with information provided by the National Restaurant Association on these movers and shakers. Check out the videos for an up-close look at these fantastic products.
Frymaster
Welbilt Brand Frymaster FilterQuick® 120
This 120-lb. fryer is built for the unique challenges of cooking high volumes of fresh-breaded, heavy sediment, bone-in chicken products. The unique automatic filtration system includes multiple oil-return ports that funnel the high-pressure oil spray throughout specific parts of the frypot for effective washdown without clogging. This fryer is equipped with an automatic, direct Internet connection, which enables automatic software updates, remote diagnostics, error replay, and real-time data monitoring.
Manitowoc Ice
Welbilt Brand CrystalCraft Premier™
Large ice in a compact design. Manitowoc’s CrystalCraft Premier™, model number USE0050, offers large ice cubes in a compact gourmet ice machine. Their new evaporator design allows operators to add large ice cubes to their operation without sacrificing a large footprint. This machine includes onboard water filtration for crystal clear cubes and a membrane touchpad for effortless operation.
T&S Brass and Bronze Works
WaterWatch System
An industry-first! This innovative water-monitoring system detects leaks and helps optimize conservation measures using a smartphone-sized device that straps onto a restaurant’s main water line. The WaterWatch system listens to the flow of water in the pipes and uses machine learning to identify the unique sound signatures of various fixtures to notify operators leaks or failures. It's brilliant.
UNOX INC.
MULTI.Day Hot Vacuum
Think of the food safety and labor savings! This patented MULTI.Day Hot Vacuum system allows operators to vacuum-store hot food in MULTI.Day trays. Increases mobility without the risk of liquid spills or contamination from outside. In less than 60 seconds, the tray is hot-vacuum sealed and ready for transport to satellite locations, eliminating refrigeration and retherm processes.
Be sure to check these products out and visit the National Restaurant Show To Go, to see all the exciting, innovative equipment and supplies that will become the trends of 2021 and beyond.
The National Restaurant Association Show, Hotel-Motel Show is owned and operated by Winsight LLC in equity partnership with the National Restaurant Association. www.nationalrestaurantshow.com
