By listening to its customers, Baron has created an innovative range of cheffriendly tools, the company’s Marco
D’Ambrogio tells Vicky Coulthard
Cleaning is one o the most important tasks in any working kitchen, and more efficient the process can be, better it is.
But it helps if the equipment is easy to keep cleaned.
Baron’s Fry Top stainless-steel plate has clever design details that facilitate improved cleaning of the cooking area and reduce heat loss from the plate itself. What’s more, because the plate has gas burners underneath, the temperature can rise rapidly, and there’s a more even heat distribution as food doesn’t come into direct contact with the flames.
Marco D’Ambrogio, general manager at Baron, says: “Cooking on the plate is a tradition that’s widespread in practically all cultures. The Fry Top was born from a market need, which required a product with new characteristics and performance. The research and development stemmed from listening to partners and chefs. At trade fairs and events, we presented prototypes that gradually improved and adapted to the real needs of the sector,” says D’Ambrogio.
Temperature adjustment
The development wasn’t straight forward by any means as the Covid-19 pandemic paused progress on the Fry Top project until March 2021. Adamo Zoccolan, operation and R&D manager at Baron, explains: “From that date, our R&D department started working at full capacity to develop the first working machines to be tested in the laboratory and then presented them at the prestigious Host 2021 show in Milan.”
Among the technical aspects that make the Fry Top appealing, there are its tilted plate, which slopes towards a perimeter channel in order to drain fat, sauces and dressings into the wide collection drawer designed just for that purpose; stable flame burners with piezo-electric ignition; and adjustable temperature variable power tap or thermostat, to be chosen according to the type of cooking.
The small details
“This set of innovations has allowed a significant improvement in comfort for the end user, thanks to a decrease in the heat transmitted outside the cooking area,” says Zoccolan.
“ The floodable perimeter channel also guarantees a better outfl ow of cooking fat and greater simplicity when cleaning the plate. These are small details that create a chef-friendly tool. “The way it was conceived and manufactured, the product has also made any maintenance of the equipment extremely simple, thanks to the presence of the removable plate that allows for an easily accessible space for all needs, including cleaning and maintenance,” he says.
D’Ambrogio adds that custom additions are also available. “We offer accessories that make the product even more unique: a water-filling kit to fill the grease collection duct with water and a continuous drain for cooking residues.”
Exclusive solutions
With the success of the Fry Top, Baron is now working on an oven for horizontal cooking.
Zoccolan explains: “Due to its application and technical characteristics, it is an innovative product that reconciles a series of specifi cations aimed at developing a versatile, performing product, with particular attention to aspects related to cleaning. It’s already piqued the attention of our partners, who have perceived how much it will help the kitchen brigades to organize themselves in an even more efficient way.”
The Super Grill is another project that has engaged the Baron R&D team in the past months, which Zoccolan says has led to another “unique result.” The Super Grill has four types of griddles available – including cast iron and stainless steel – for cooking meat and fish. Smoking can also be installed on certain models to add a barbecue flavor. “It’s a mix of simple technologies and exclusive solutions that has made it possible to obtain a versatile and multipurpose product,” says Zoccolan.
“We’re proud of these innovations, of the solutions we have found and of the new opportunities we off er to the market. Th e Baron team is, once again, unique.”
By Aliworld number 10, January 2023