ITW Food Equipment Group: Immersion in culinary innovation

We recently had the unique opportunity to visit the prestigious headquarters of ITW Food Equipment Group in Chicago, renowned for its iconic brands in the manufacture and supply of equipment for the restaurant and hospitality sector.

ITW Food Equipment Group brings together several renowned brands in the food equipment industry: such as Hobart, Vulcan, Traulsen, Bonnet, Baxter, Gaylord and Hobart Service. These brands stand out for their quality, durability and performance. They incorporate advanced technologies into their products to improve efficiency, food safety and environmental sustainability.

This visit turned out to be a real immersion in the heart of culinary innovation. We were able to discover and experiment with cutting-edge technologies. Let’s take a quick look at some of these innovative brands that you probably know or have heard of.

Here is the list:

Hobart: Hobart is an iconic brand in commercial kitchen equipment. It includes dishwashers, mixers, slicers and food preparation equipment.
Vulcan: Vulcan is a leading manufacturer of commercial kitchen equipment, including ovens, ranges, griddles, fryers and specialist cooking appliances.
Traulsen: Traulsen specialises in commercial refrigeration. It offers a complete range of refrigerators, freezers and chillers.
Bonnet: Bonnet is a brand renowned throughout Europe for its top-of-the-range cooking equipment. They are aimed at professional kitchens, particularly combi ovens.
Baxter: Baxter specialises in bakery and pastry-making equipment, such as rotary ovens for bakeries, proofing chambers and mass-produced baking equipment.
Gaylord: Gaylord is a leading designer and manufacturer of ventilation systems for professional kitchens. This includes range hoods and air handling systems.

These brands illustrate the Group’s commitment to providing high-quality equipment and innovative solutions for the restaurant and hotel industries.

Discover the famous “The Innovation Center”

ITW Food Equipment Group has demonstration kitchens where they show their equipment in action. These demonstration kitchens are often used for product presentations, special events and technical training for customers and business partners.

During our stay, we attended several demonstrations of different equipment. We were able to observe them in action and use them ourselves during a cooking workshop. During the day, here are the different pieces of equipment we discovered:

The Hobart HL200 Legacy PLUS blender: a robust, versatile machine capable of handling large quantities of mixes with precision and efficiency. Ideal for preparing pasta, sauces and much more. The Hobart mixer stands out for its reliability and ease of use.
Hobart HS7 automatic slicer: This slicer, with its sharp blades and automatic mechanism, guarantees perfect, uniform slices every time. It’s an indispensable asset for any professional kitchen. It optimises productivity while ensuring meticulous food presentation.
Ibex ovens: We’re amazed by the precise, even cooking capabilities of Ibex ovens. Their advanced technology makes it possible to prepare a variety of dishes with perfect control. Its temperature and cooking time ensure exceptional culinary results.
The Hobart FP100 vegetable slicer: This tool has become our favourite ally for fast, efficient vegetable preparation. Its ergonomic design and multiple cutting options mean you can prepare vegetables of all shapes and sizes in record time.
The Vulcan VMCS-201 hamburger press: We also discovered the Vulcan hamburger press. An essential piece of equipment for the fast, uniform production of meat patties. It guarantees perfectly shaped, ready-to-cook burgers.

Participation in the culinary workshop

As well as the demonstrations, our visit was enhanced by workshops in which we made different dishes using these innovative machines. These workshops enabled us to put the functions of this equipment into practice. In this way, we can see their direct impact on the quality and efficiency of our culinary preparations.

Creating fresh dough with the Hobart mixer:
Under the guidance of an experienced chef, we prepared fresh pizza dough using the Hobart mixer. We commend its ability to mix and knead dough to perfection.
Slicing with the Hobart slicer:
We’ve experimented with slicing a variety of cold meats and cheeses. We appreciate the precision and speed of the Hobart slicer. It enabled us to obtain thin, even slices.
Cooking complex dishes in Ibex ovens:
Ibex ovens have been put to the test cooking complex dishes. They have demonstrated their ability to maintain a constant temperature and provide even cooking.
Preparing salads with the Hobart vegetable slicer:
Preparing mixed salads has become child’s play thanks to the Hobart vegetable slicer. It enabled us to slice, grate and chop vegetables with impressive precision.
Making burgers with the Vulcan hamburger press:
We made burgers using the Vulcan press, obtaining perfectly shaped patties ready for grilling.

In conclusion

Our visit to ITW was an extremely enriching experience. It gave us an in-depth insight into the latest innovations in professional kitchen equipment. The demonstrations and workshops highlight the importance of these tools in producing high-quality dishes, while optimizing the efficiency and productivity of culinary operations.

We leave inspired and eager to offer these technologies to our customers. Convinced that ITW equipment is an invaluable ally for any foodservice professional seeking to achieve culinary excellence.