CHICAGO—Master-Bilt, manufacturer of a full line of commercial refrigeration systems for over 65 years, announced that it has received the Kitchen Innovations (KI) 2007 Award from the National Restaurant Assn. Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show for its Master Controller with patented Reverse Cycle Defrost for walk-in refrigeration systems. The Master Controller is an electronic control system that regulates an electric expansion valve for precise refrigerant pressure and superheat through the evaporator coil. It also features demand defrost which automatically detects when a defrost is necessary. When combined with Reverse Cycle Defrost, energy savings can reach 27 percent. The award winning...

BENTON HARBOR, MICH.—Maytag Commercial unveils it 304-grade stainless steel top, front and sides, Soft-Mount, High-Speed Extractors. This line of high-speed washer/extractors provides the right size and useful features for on-premises launderers. The expanded breadth of Maytag soft-mount product is available in a variety of sizes to best meet on-premises laundry needs including 25-, 35-, 50-, 80-, 100- and 125-lb. capacities. Every size offers a large cleaning capacity, plus installation flexibility. The soft-mount suspension system eliminates the need for machine bolt-down, so even wooden floor installations are possible. With an inverter drive system, on-premises launderers will notice a decrease...

LAKE PLACID, FLA.—Every year tens of millions of cans of chafing fuel are burned worldwide, emitting hazardous carbon dioxide; they are then disposed of in landfills or oceans. To address that, Intracoastal Innovations Inc. introduces the Buffet Burner Chafing Dish Heater, an eco-friendly, electric alternative that offers incomparable advantages over canned chafing fuels. Among the features is the “smart” controller which is designed to allow the user to safely and easily adjust the intensity of the temperature. The slim stainless steel profile and patented magnetic design enable this heater to fit most full-size chafing dishes. The Buffet...

BENTON HARBOR, MICH.—Whirlpool Corp. announced that it will receive the 2007 Energy Star Partner of the Year Award for Sustained Excellence from the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This award is given to a select group of organizations that have exhibited outstanding environmental leadership year after year, while sustaining product and marketing excellence. This unique honor represents the company’s eighth Energy Star Award win. Whirlpool Corp. will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on March 21, 2007. Whirlpool Corp., an Energy Star partner since 1998, will be honored for its...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Cleveland Range, LLC, an Enodis company, introduces Convohold by Cleveland, a fully insulated holding cabinet that, when paired with the 20.20 series of Convotherm by Cleveland Combi Oven-Steamer, allows operators to cook, hold, transport and reheat foods in a single unit. The new Convohold cabinet offers a variety of features important to operators: • Removable top-mounted power unit with controls; • Efficient 2000-watt heating system with a temperature range of up to 200°F (93°C); • Easy-to-read digital temperature display; • Reversible stainless steel insulated door to prevent temperature loss; • Smooth interior coved corners to prevent...

EL DORADO HILLS, CALIF.—CulinAire Systems, based here, has teamed up with the Melink Corp. of Cincinnati, Ohio, to bring the Intelli Hood demand ventilation system to the West Coast. Most commercial kitchen hoods operate at 100 percent capacity all day long, even during idle, non-cooking periods, costing the food service industry more than $2 billion annually in wasted energy. Using a microprocessor and sensors, the Intelli Hood solves this problem by reducing fan speeds during idle cooking times, saving both fan energy and conditioned air, saving thousands of dollars per hood in annual energy cost. These proven...

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.—The braising pan that makes it possible to cook for more customers in half the time, the Pressure Braising Pan by Electrolux Professional, has won a prestigious Kitchen Innovations (KI) 2007 Award. It was presented by the National Restaurant Assn. (NRA). As a recipient of a KI Award, the Pressure Braising Pan was judged to be highly innovative by an independent, expert panel of food facilities consultants and multi-unit executives. The panel included: Martin Cowley, Senior Manager, Restaurant Design, Disneyland Resort; Rick Gentry, Director, Technical Services, ARAMARK; Robert Forrester, V.P., Concept Development, Quiznos Sub, Robert Marshall,...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The National Restaurant Assn. announced that attendee, exhibitor and media registration for the association’s 2007 Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show is available on the show website—www.restaurant.org/show. The 2007 show, to be held May 19-22 at McCormick Place in Chicago, is the restaurant and hospitality industry’s largest event. More than 73,500 industry professionals from 110 countries will gather to find new products and services, build relationships and network, learn from experts and peers, as well as explore the latest trends in food and beverage, equipment and training and cooking techniques. “The National Restaurant Assn. Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show offers everything...

NATIONAL REPORT—Foodservice operations are notorious for generating a lot of waste. Oftentimes, this can mean higher hauling fees, labor costs associated with trips to the dumpster, poor indoor air quality and a greater likelihood for pests and their related costs. Fortunately, equipment such as disposers and in-kitchen composting machines are available to reduce foodservice waste. According to Bill Sobanski, general manager for InSinkErator, Racine, Wisc., most hotels with some type of foodservice operation use disposers. Larger facilities often will have multiple disposers for food waste. With running water acting as the means for removal, disposers pulverize the waste. It ultimately...

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.—Using less water and energy than other conveyor dishwashers with equal productivity on the market today, the Conveyor Dishwasher Line by Electrolux Professional North America is the highly efficient solution for medium to high output warewashing demands. The Electrolux Conveyor Dishwasher can be set to clean at either 130 or 200 racks per hour to accommodate varied requirements. At 200 racks per hour, the dishwasher uses only 79 gallons of water per hour. It is ideal for use in hotels, catering and full-service restaurants. The Electrolux Conveyor Dishwasher provides energy savings through the use of...