The Kitchen That Completes You

A rise in status for home cooks is in the reckoning, thanks to the innovations offered by kitchen and appliance companies. Esther Faith Lew talks to four premium brands on how they have captivated their fans at hello.

Miele appliances highlight trending natural colours, such as soft greys, white marble and black.

Aclassic filet mignon, well seared on the outside, evenly cooked medium-rare from edge to edge with a texture that yields and melts in your mouth like butter. A chicken cordon bleu, crispy golden on the outside, rich and juicy on the inside and oozing with creamy Gruyère. A light and fluffy chocolate souffle that rises so delicately and perfectly to the occasion. Whichever your fancy, when gourmet desires and culinary aspirations inspire your daily menu, you know it is time to up the game and go from home cook to home chef.

Investing in the right kitchenware and appliances will close the gap between amateur- and professional-level cooking. Mastery of skills and instincts go a long way in the kitchen, but with technology backing you up, home chefs are able to concentrate on perfecting their dishes. The precision and ease of complex functions achieved by your culinary partner saves you time and keeps things composed with just the touch of a button, leaving you to entertain with poise. The question for home chefs lies in the balance between technology and functionality, and finding the right fit for your needs rather than just following the latest trends.

Kitchen and appliance companies have recognised the need for sophistication in the kitchen, going beyond the hardware to include the software that takes functionality to a whole new level. In the conversation regarding smart technology, Miele is one of the pioneering companies that have focused on customers’ need for connectivity with its Miele@home feature. Miele recognises the need for customers to multitask efficiently. The Miele@ mobile smartphone app for example, allows stay-home parents to keep an eye on the roast in the oven via camera, while engaging with the children in the living room, and simultaneously receiving notifications when your dishwasher is ready.

“Miele has believed in this connection for over 15 years now, having been the first domestic appliance company in the industry to offer connected appliances via innovative technologies, which have always been at the centre of our competencies - enabling our customers to stay flexible and guaranteeing convenience, quality, and safety for specific lifestyle needs,” says Syndy Neo-Khoo, Managing Director of Miele Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

Echoing the importance of customers’ lifestyles and the demands of a multitasking society, Angeline Yap, Managing Director of Southeast Asia, V-ZUG AG shares, “Technology needs to work hand-in-hand with traditional functions to deliver on convenience, precision, and cleanliness. For instance, V-ZUG Combi-Steam appliances are configured with smart cooking sensors that represent cutting-edge cooking technology. With various automatic cooking functions, users save a lot of time during the entire cooking process from meal prep right down to cleaning. Take for example, the world-exclusive GourmetSteam: all it takes for a successful master menu is the press of a button. Or the BakeOmatic: your dishes are prepared automatically without you having to enter the cooking time, temperature, operating mode, or quantity first.”

Elaborating on this trend, Kitchen Culture’s CEO Lim Wee Li acknowledged the importance of wi-fi connectivity for the younger generation and stressed that while smart technology is good to have, it is important that functionality does not take a back seat in precision. “Technology can enhance the functionality of a kitchen but it must be used in the right way. What good is smart technology that enables you to turn your oven on from outside your home, but it cannot achieve accurate temperature control? La Cornue is a perfect example of maintaining traditional functionality in order to deliver the ultimate culinary experience for lovers of fine food, indulgence and gastronomy,” says Lim. He added that while early adopters are keen to invest in kitchenware with Bluetooth and wi-fi connectivity, the majority will wait because technology can fail.

Placing equal emphasis on technology and traditional functionality, Neo-Khoo adds, “Traditional functions can be seamlessly combined with innovation to optimise the user experience and enhance outcomes. Our technology addresses key concerns over energy consumption, uncompromising hygiene and gentle care, not to mention a new level of convenience.”

When it comes to technology, Liebherr has been leading the industry in refrigerator innovation. “The growing population of discerning young generation are well travelled and well connected. They prefer things to be convenient and easily accessible and this applies to home gadgets. Home appliances are getting intelligent and are able to be controlled via smart phone. Liebherr’s refrigerators are equipped with smart devices that allow customers to monitor sudden temperature fluctuation due to power failure or to activate SuperFrost cooling before returning home with a bag full of fresh groceries,” says Gian Paolo Glückler, General Manager, Appliances Division, Liebherr-Singapore Pte Ltd.

“The fundamental functions of a refrigerator does not change. But the evolving technology is important as it improves the quality and the duration of the storage of the food, and, concurrently observing the conservation of the environment – e.g. energy saving, environmental friendly materials,” he added.

The ongoing Covid-19 situation has led governments to enforce community lock-downs, and home cooks – as well as recent converts – have found renewed passion in cooking meals for their families. In Singapore, there has been a shortage of baking products in stores due to the surge in high demand. It has also spurred consumers to be wiser about grocery shopping and to question the source of the produce and the quality of their nutritional value. Rightly so, they are also looking for more effective ways of keeping food fresh and healthier ways of cooking with appliances that boast the right functions.

“We are able to respond valuably to these trends with our appliances, such as our steam ovens and vacuum drawers. Compared to traditional pans, steaming in combination with sousvide cooking, enables more convenient food preparation, without any grease, with a healthier result,” says Miele’s Neo-Khoo.

For keeping produce as fresh as possible, Liebherr developed the patented “Bio-Fresh” vegetable drawers which are now widely used in the industry as they provide ideal storage conditions for fresh produce. Another innovation is its new “seafood safe” which mimics the conditions of a fish market where fish lies on a layer of ice. “This kind of new technology keeps the market-fresh taste of food, preserves the nutrients and also helps to avoid food wastage since it doesn’t get easily spoilt in these perfect storage conditions,” says Glückler.

Liebherr’s Built-in Trio of fridge, freezer and wine cabinet A V-ZUG kitchen that blends seamlessly with decor and furniture.

Miele appliances offer different control displays such as the intuitive M-Touch colour display.

“With the rise of open-concept homes, the contemporary kitchen is now often the centrepiece of the interior. The design should be a harmonious combination of exquisite details and fine finishing. Built-in appliances, such as premium flat design ovens and dishwashers should blend in seamlessly with the visual style of the kitchen, just like furniture,” says Yap from V-ZUG. “The KonMari method has definitely influenced the way our customers design their kitchens. Customers want to only showcase cherished cookware and prized appliances that elevate their kitchen,” she adds. Li from Kitchen Culture shares that the natural stone look is becoming popular. “It is common to find laminates that mimic natural marble such as Statuario. Even quartz tops are also following this trend. Our Eggersmann kitchens are the ultimate in luxury kitchens using natural stone finishes, using specially selected natural stone as a singular material for all visible surfaces, resulting in a monolithic impression. The attention to detail is evident: front and side panels, handle profiles, worktop surfaces are made with just one identical material, all engineered to perfection.” He added that kitchens look luxurious when quality materials such as enamel, stainless steel, copper, brass, bronze and black chrome are accentuated in the details.

Miele’s Neo-Khoo added that high-quality materials, innovative technology and an outstanding appearance are of the essence for luxury domestic appliances.

Your Culinary Partner: La Cornue is a luxury French German kitchen manufacturer established in 1908. What distinguishes La Cornue from other luxury kitchen brands is craftsmanship. Each kitchen is crafted by a skilled craftsman steeped in the tradition of La Cornue. Top chefs such as Eric Frechon, Joseph Viola, Jean-François Piège, the Rostang family and Bertrand Grebaut have all brought the excellence of La Cornue’s ovens into their own homes.

Kitchen Essential: La Cornue’s Grand Palais 180 combines two large vault ovens that can connect to both gas and electricity.

Chef’s Advantage: The gas vaulted ovens have a patented technology (radiation, convection, conduction) in a single oven that enables all methods of cooking. Circular heat circulation created by the vault ensures that cooking time is even and optimised. The electric vaulted oven enables even cooking on all three levels and rapid pre-heating to 180 degrees Celsius takes only 12 minutes. It offers four cooking methods (grill, natural convection, vault and floor combination, fan-assisted) for versatility in meal planning.

La Cornue appliances highlight the craftsmanship of its materials.

La Cornue has been designing and crafting luxury kitchens since 1908 A La Cornue Grand Palais 180 oven

Your Culinary Partner: As a premium German brand, Liebherr has established a reputation as a reliable specialist brand for refrigeration, beginning in Europe and now worldwide. Its impressive appliances cater to people with a desire for sophisticated features, appealing designs and state-of-the-art technology.

Kitchen Essential: The Liebherr SBSes 8486, an all-in-one six-temperature zone side-by-side refrigerator.

Chef’s Advantage: From refrigeration with Bio-Fresh storage (keeps fresh food up to 3 times longer), a seafood safe, to an ample freezer compartment that includes an automatic ice maker and a wine cabinet with two-temperature zone to hold anything from champagne to red or white wine, planning a fine dinner party will be a breeze.

Liebherr’s all-in-one SBSes 8486 refrigerator

1. Have good housekeeping habits to eliminate food waste and to have a good overview of what is available in your refrigerator. It will also minimise energy consumption when doors are not opened for too long.

2. Use food boxes to store bulk buys in smaller packing quantities, especially for the freezer compartment.

3. Practice FIFO – first in first out for your ingredients.

4. Unpack vegetables if your fridge has a special vegetable/ crisper drawer. They need to “breathe”; this will keep them fresh longer

5. Store wine bottles with traditional cork horizontally to prevent cork disintegration over time.

6. Choose a good wine cabinet equipped with charcoal filter to regulate fresh air and eliminate odors within the cabinet.

7. Avoid placing your refrigerator or wine cabinet in a patio / outdoor area or even exposed to direct sunlight – this will lead to higher energy consumption and a shorter lifespan of the appliance.

MIELE; RECIPE CONTRIBUTED BY MIELE IN-HOUSE CHEF LENNARD YEONG PHOTO COURTESY OF

Your Culinary Partner: Miele is the world’s leading manufacturer of premium domestic appliances including cooking, baking and steam-cooking appliances, refrigeration products, coffee makers, dishwashers and laundry and floor care products.

Kitchen Essential: A Miele Dialog Oven – revolutionary cooking excellence at home. Alternatively, a Miele Steam Oven, be it a built-in or a countertop model, combined with a traditional oven or microwave function.

Chef’s Advantage: Sensors in the Dialog Oven maintain a constant dialogue with the ingredients to cook food in its entirety, rendering even the most complex dishes effortless. Meat, for example, is cooked more uniformly, retaining its juices. Fish and vegetables keep their fine structure and dough rises significantly better. Various fresh ingredients for a complete meal can be placed together on an oven tray and are all cooked to perfection within one temperature and time setting – and up to 70% faster than using conventional cooking methods, with no compromise in quality.

1. A vacuum drawer for healthy sous-vide cooking. It is also great for storing coffee beans and rice with minimal loss of aroma.

2. Wire racks to keep moisture at bay, which is important to develop a strong crust when searing meats.

3. Squeeze bottles for easy plating when piping the most controlled shapes or dots. Or use it to emulsify vinaigrettes. Just give the bottle a last-minute shake before adding the liquid into salads.

4. A blowtorch is an extremely versatile tool for melting the sugar on your crème brûlée or to simply give an additional char on the surface of your meat or vegetables. This extra touch can be a game changer in many situations.

5. A mandolin is crucial for ensuring consistent, uniform slices of anything. It is one of the most useful tools if you are cooking for a larger group of guests.

6. Have different types of oils: cooking oil with neutral flavour and a high smoke point, eg. sunflower seed oil; and high-quality flavoured oils such as a fruity olive oil or a toasted sesame seed oil, which will transform flavours.

7. Fill a spray bottle with your favourite alcohol. I use sake, but you can use Shaoxing wine, or white wine. Keep it in the fridge and spray it on food before steaming; it adds a subtle fragrance without imparting a strong flavour.

1. Cut pineapple into wedges, be sure not to leave too much of the core as it can be very tough. 2. Bake them in a Miele Oven at 160°C for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and chill in the fridge.

• 100g butter • 80g sugar • 75g lemon juice • 1 sheet of gold leaf gelatin • 60g egg yolks • 3g of lemon zest

1. Soak the gelatin sheet in iced water for 5 minutes, then remove and squeeze out excess liquid. 2. Transfer all ingredients into a sous-vide bag and vacuum seal on full in a Miele Vacuum Drawer. 3. Steam the pouch in a Miele Steamer at 80°C for one hour. 4. Transfer contents out into a blender and blend for 30 seconds until smooth. 5. Allow the curd to cool, then pipe into tart shells. 6. Chill until the curd has completely set.

1. When ready to serve, remove pineapple from the fridge and dust with sugar. Then blow torch it to form a crispy sugar layer. 2. Grate some lime zest over the tart and serve alongside pineapple.

Catering to discerning customers around the world who look for top-of-the-range kitchen and laundry products, V-ZUG made its debut in Singapore in March 2019. V-ZUG celebrated the twin openings of its ZUGORAMA exhibition and advisory centre in Singapore, the first of its kind in Southeast Asia; as well as V Dining, V-ZUG’s first restaurant in the world.

V-ZUG’s range of multifunctional and versatile steam cookers with versatile cooking modes that make it easy to churn out gourmet dishes at the press of a button.

Five innovative functions to perfect dishes like a chef: Professional Baking mode uses a combination of steam and hot air, which is perfect for all types of pastries; BakeOmatic enables the automatic entry of cooking time, temperature, operating mode and weight via a unique sensor technology; Vacuisine makes it easy for healthy sous-vide cooking at home; Hot-air Humid, which is ideal for casseroles and soufflés, allows simultaneous baking on two levels for perfect baking or cooking results; Patented Soft Roasting controls and dynamically adjusts the core temperature. This means that the meat is ready to serve at exactly the time programmed, irrespective of size, consistency or weight.

RECIPES ARE FROM V-ZUG’S AN ASIAN TOUCH

• 250g beef fillets • salt and pepper, to season • 50g Dijon mustard • 1 sheet puff pastry • 50g Chinese flower mushroom • hot water • 10g garlic, chopped • 5g thyme, chopped • olive oil • salt and pepper, to taste • 1 egg • 140ml milk • 60g plain flour • 10g Chinese parsley, chopped • salt and pepper, to season

1. Soak Chinese flower mushrooms in hot water for 1 hr; dice into 1cm cubes. 2. Season beef fillets with salt and pepper. Pan-sear fillets until browned, then lightly brush with Dijon mustard. 3. Sauté mushroomz, garlic and thyme with olive oil until mushrooms are soft. Season with salt and pepper. Blend ingredients into a paste. 4. Crêpes: mix egg, milk, flour and Chinese parsley in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Lightly oil a non-stick pan and heat up the pan, then pour in 10g of crêpes mixture and spread evenly. Pan-sear both sides until light brown. Repeat until crêpes mixture is used up. 5. Puff pastry: layer crêpes, mushroom paste and seared beef. Roll up layered ingredients tightly. Brush egg wash evenly on the roll and place on a lined baking tray. 6. Bake with professional baking Puff Pastry function at 200°C for 30 minutes, then serve.