heat distribution. When used as a gas grill, it has a temperature range from 250 degrees to 750 degrees, enabling customers to cook a wide variety of food. “There’s no cooking technique that we cannot support with the Hybrid Fire Grill” Georgiadis says. Another grill that lives up to the Kalamazoo reputation is the Gaucho, which is the company’s wood-fired grill. “The Gaucho is probably my favorite grill in the world,” Faulk says. “It’s a very modern interpretation of a traditional Argentinian-style woodfired grill. The rotisserie is amazing to work with.
Chef Charlie McKenna grilling on a Shokunin
Georgiadis explains that the company had built custom cabinets to accommodate other companies’ kamado smokers, so he wanted to offer Kalamazoo’s version of the popular grill. “We started from the standpoint of what can we do to make this totally different,” Faulk says. “When you look at the results, it’s completely different.” The traditional ceramic body of a kamado holds heat well, but the Shokunin’s two inches of insulation between two layers of stainless steel deliver unparalleled efficiency. “We took all of the great characteristics that make a kamado so versatile and so great at cooking, and we amplified each of those characteristics,” Faulk says. “The first is the insulation. It will run for 65 hours on just 12 pounds of charcoal at 225 degrees; it’s crazy.” Another key feature of a kamado is its deeper construction, which allows people to cook food further away from the flame. Kalamazoo took this a step further, creating an adjustable fire grate system with three separate levels for grilling, searing, and smoking. Shokunin’s cross-flow ventilation system uses four vents for optimum temperature control for “set it and forget it” grilling. “We went substantially taller than typical kamados to ensure that not only does it make great barbecue, with good low-and-slow smoking, but it can sear and grill and do those things you want to do with a kamado,” Faulk says. Perhaps the biggest way the Shokunin stands out is its shape,
which was chosen for both its aesthetic appeal and performance advantages. The rectangular cooking surface allows for more efficiency, versatility, and easier multizone cooking. “When it came to shape, we threw the rules out the window,” Faulk says. “It’s definitely unique. A kamado can be rectangular—it’s about how it cooks.” Since its introduction to the market in 2019, the Shokunin has turned heads, won awards, and earned rave reviews from customers, chefs, and industry experts. “The response has been great,” Faulk says. “I’ve enjoyed talking with customers who bought one and love it. We have a lot of clients who are already experienced users of kamado-style cookers, and they view this as an upgrade.” The Shokunin is the latest example of how Kalamazoo makes the highestquality products, such as the company’s flagship Hybrid Fire. “The Hybrid Fire is definitely our most popular product, and that grill is at the heart of the brand,” Faulk says. “It is truly the world’s best gas grill. It will outperform any other gas grill on the market, but it is also a charcoal grill and a wood grill, and you can use those in any combination.” Similar to the Shokunin, the Hybrid Fire Grill offers a taller design than comparable grills for more even
Shokunin kamadostyle grill
The grill is a lot of fun.” Kalamazoo’s pizza oven—first released in 2006 with a redesign launched in 2011—remains a favorite with customers and a fun addition to any outdoor kitchen. “Our pizza oven was the first countertop, gas-fired pizza oven in the world, and it still performs at the same level as a large, Tuscan wood-burning oven,” Georgiadis says. “That was a nice addition to the line and to the industry.” Kalamazoo makes two lines of cabinets. The Signature Series features all stainless steel construction, while the Arcadia Series can be ipe wood paired with stainless steel, or a powder-coated color combined with stainless steel, which is available in more than 200 colors. The modular systems offered by Kalamazoo offer almost limitless
combinations for one-of-a-kind outdoor kitchens, and Kalamazoo can create custom units as well. “We were the first company to introduce stainless steel cabinets for the outdoors,” Georgiadis says. “Stainless steel outperforms other materials, is timeless, durable and core to who Kalamazoo is.” In every aspect of the business, Kalamazoo’s passion for grilling and its customers is abundantly clear. “We are a traditional Midwestern company that takes a lot of pride in making the best products on the market,” Georgiadis says. “We also invest to understand how every client likes to live and entertain so that our design team can help create an outdoor kitchen to perfectly reflect their needs.” Kalamazoo also speaks directly to its customers to help them cook the tastiest food. In addition to offering cooking tips, recipes, instructional videos, and master classes, Faulk is available to offer one-on-one advice. “Helping clients perfect and experiment with their favorite foods is incredibly rewarding,” Faulk says. “I really do enjoy staying connected with them and providing the best service possible. It’s a delight watching their culinary skills grow.” Manufacturing its products in Kalamazoo is another way the company ensures the quality of its finished products. Kalamazoo makes small quantities of grills by hand. “We are able to pursue continuous improvements,” Faulk says. “We’re building everything in small batches, so we are constantly improving our products even in ways that nobody sees. So we’re always tweaking; we’re always improving.” Georgiadis notes that Kalamazoo offers an extraordinary warranty. “One of the things we’re proud of is that we have the industry’s best warranty, which is for 25 years and is transferable,” Georgiadis says. This type of warranty is unique in the industry because it is not limited to one owner. When the original purchaser of a Kalamazoo grill or outdoor kitchen sells their house, the warranty will be upheld for the new homeowner. “Everything is built to last forever.” Kalamazoo is expanding its dealer partners by making the Shokunin Kamado Grill available to barbecue and patio product dealers outside its historic network. Interested parties are encouraged to contact Kalamazoo directly at partners@kalamazoogourmet.com.
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