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F o o d E q u i p m e n t N e w s T h u r s d a y, F e b r u a r y 1 9 , 2 0 1 5 5 2 will help you in key areas of your restau- rant, offering benefits in the form of cost- effectiveness, improved safety or simply a better method. Looking a lot like a bear trap, the Strainer Boss™ is a unique chef's tool designed to securely hold straining devices such as china caps and chinoises, so they don't shift while in use. Currently, the task of straining requires a chef to hold a strainer with one hand and pour the hot liquid with the other. Want to stir the liquid with a whip or spoon? You'll need a third hand, and that's when the Strainer Boss comes to the rescue. It frees up the need to hold the strainer, allowing for more control and the ability to use your free hand to stir or mash. Additionally, Strainer Boss helps reduce the stress applied to strainer handles which ultimately causes them to break. Looking for an easy way to install refrigeration gaskets? The Gasket Boss™ Gasket Installation Tool makes replacing push-in style gaskets easy and fast, reducing installation time significantly. The simple-to-use tool allows for a secure attachment at the right pressure, eliminating wear and tear on your thumbs. Cleaning a commercial grill is a big job, one that requires a big grill FMP (Cont'd. from p. 1) brush – a Texas-sized grill brush. The Texas Brush ® is a line of grill brushes that are heavy-duty and built to last. Their double-sided design makes them versatile while the unique angled head and 1 ¼" diameter thick-cut handles add an ergonomic twist that increases their effectiveness and overall comfort level. This is one brush that's a pleas- ure to use. By popular demand, two new sizes of the Basket Border™ fry basket divider have been added, significantly increasing the number of fryer baskets that it can be used on. The Basket Border is an eco- nomical way to create a multi-compart- ment fryer basket. It makes small batch frying easier than ever and helps with portion control. Rounding out the list is the line of Universal Splash Guards. The Hand Sink Splash Guard joins the Fryer Splash Guard as an economic and effective way to make your kitchen safe and compliant. The Hand Sink Splash Guard is easy to install and allows your sink to be food code compliant while the Fryer Splash Guard is an easy-to-install side-wall for fryers that makes them NFPA Compliant and safer for your employees. To learn more, visit booth #1633. For more information, go to www.fmp online.com or call 800.257.7737. Flexible Fire Protection The R-102 system helps protect more food service kitchens from fire than any other brand. Incorporating flexible design with an extremely effective ANSULEX Low pH Liquid Agent, the R-102 system quickly knocks down flames and cools hot surfaces, generating a tough vapor-securing blanket to help prevent re-flash. The PIRANHA system combines the best attributes of PRX Liquid Fire Suppressant and water, making it up to 15 times faster than conventional single- agent systems in cooling down cooking oils. The PIRANHA system uses 60 per- cent less chemical agent and requires fewer agent storage tanks than conven- tional single-agent systems. The R-102 system offers two design options: "appliance-specific" aims nozzles at a specific appliance hazard and "overlapping coverage" creates a "fire-free zone" allowing for flexibility in the kitchen cooking equipment line-up. The PIRANHA sys- tem offers "overlapping coverage." ANSUL restaurant fire suppression agents are non-corrosive and non-toxic. The agent storage tanks are available in various sizes, which can be configured to expand system coverage. A flexible agent distribution hose allows castered appliances to be moved for ease of cleaning and stainless steel enclosures complement kitchen décor. Both R-102 and PIRANHA systems comply with NFPA 96 and NFPA 17A and are UL300/ULC/CE listed and approved. In addition, Tyco Fire Protection Products maintains other international approvals on ANSUL restaurant fire protection systems. For a complete list, contact Technical Services in Marinette, Wis. At 800.862.6785 or 715.735.7415. ANSUL (Cont'd. from p. 1) New Feature Offers Premium Performance, Complements Decor The PIRANHA system now features a performance tested and proven nozzle design that allows agent discharge noz- zles to be installed at increased heights and out of view while providing the same reliable protection. Added benefits include: complements décor; eliminates visible nozzle drop piping; reduces potential for nozzle redirection or obstruction; simplifies hood cleaning and service; easy to upgrade existing sys- tems. Combined with its capacity to out- perform conventional single-agent sys- tems, the PIRANHA system truly inte- grates aesthetics with premium perform- ance. The Only Fire Extinguisher You'll Need An ideal complement to these systems is the 2-A: K-rated ANSUL K-GUARD Fire Extinguisher. This powerful hand portable extinguisher utilizes ANSULEX Low pH Liquid Agent to help suppress and secure the toughest hot grease, cook- ing oils and fat fires. The 2-A rating com- plies with NFPA 10 covering fire extin- guisher size and placement for Class A hazards, eliminating the need for addi- tional extinguishers. Most Preferred Fire Suppression Solution in the World For more than 50 years, ANSUL restau- rant fire suppression systems have been best-in-class and preferred by restaurant franchisees and owners all over the world. With ANSUL products you will find trusted forward-thinking solutions and a global network of Authorized ANSUL distributors trained to help you safeguard what matters most – valued people, property and business. For more information, visit booth #4008. ready to work. Who has the time? Who needs the hassle? And aren't we trying to "Green- up" our operations? Panasonic's revolutionary Sonic Steamer pulls the plug on traditional steamers by applying efficient microwave technology to generate instant, quick-cooking steam from mois- ture within or added to foods. It's become a "killer app" for operators needing fast, high production steam cooking capability with the plug-and-play ease of a counter- top microwave oven. Since it's backed by the power of Panasonic – an $80 billion, Fortune 30 company and worldwide leader in quality electronics – operators can trust the Sonic Steamer's reliability and durability. The accolades don't come from just the company. Here's what the industry pros are saying: "The Panasonic Sonic Steamer is exceptional and holds up day after day," said Mike Pereria, Regional Culinary Director at Ruth's Chris Steak House. "It doesn't matter how much use it gets, it heats the same from the first to the last use. Patrons rely on Ruth's Chris for con- sistency, and Panasonic helps make that happen." Panasonic (Cont'd. from p. 1) At the family-style Old Spaghetti Factory chain, Sonic Steamers have been in use for more than 10 years. "We tradi- tionally used combi ovens, which were very expensive and required constant repairs and maintenance," said Adolph Lehman, the chain's Vice President of Purchasing. "The Sonic Steamers pro- duce great results with faster re-thermal- ization, creating very consistent prod- ucts." More Power, More Capacity "At first glance, a lot of people think Sonic Steamers are microwave ovens, which are now so ubiquitous they've almost become a commodity," said Steve Stohrer, National Sales Manager for the Food Service Group at Panasonic. "But once they see how the Sonic Steamer works and what it can do, they realize how unique it is. Yes, it's a microwave, but it's more power- ful, has a larger capacity, uses less ener- gy and cooks significantly faster than traditional methods, whether in a steamer or on the stovetop." "And talk about 'Green' – when it's not cooking, it's not using energy – not too many other pieces of equipment in the kitchen can claim that," said Stohrer. For more information, visit booth #611. newer supplier. On top of that, there are a lot of moving parts to manage; independ- ent dealers, buying groups, discount struc- tures, rebates, manufacturer reps, etc. Convincing people to give you their atten- tion when they are comfortable with their current supplier is one of my biggest chal- lenges, but I believe Escali can offer them a better scale at a better price. So, I'm patient. I'm willing to be flexible and cus- tomize programs for each new customer if that is what it takes to earn their business. FEN: How do you define your success in the foodservice industry? KW: To me, success in the foodservice industry is not about how many new accounts we started last quarter or even how many accounts we are serving. Instead, I consider myself successful when I know that we did everything pos- sible to take care of our customers, no matter if they are large or small. I try not to let myself get comfortable. As food- service professionals, we need to contin- ually strive to better understand our cus- tomer's needs, to become better commu- nicators, to develop better products so we can continue to grow. FEN: Why do your customers select Escali over the competition? KW: Most of our competition sells a wide range of products other than scales. All we sell are scales, so that allows us to focus and specialize on supplying the best scales. We can offer better customer service, low return rates, high fill rates Escali (Cont'd. from p. 1) and fast turnaround. Additionally, our price points and quality are one of a kind in the industry. Escali scales are the most economical and durable NSF certified scales in the market. Plus, they come in nice retail packaging which allows our customers to sell more products while maintaining strong margins. FEN: Where do you see Escali in the next three to five years? KW: Escali is growing fast. We are very well established in the consumer kitchen and bathroom markets, but we are still relatively new to the foodser- vice industry. We want to continue to grow and have no intention of slowing down. In a highly competitive industry, coming out with new and innovative products as well as maintaining our excellent customer service will help us do that. In three to five years, our goal is to have the best and most complete professional line of scales in the food- service industry. FEN: What's new at the Escali booth at NAFEM this year? KW: Escali has a few new products to announce, a new 2-Year Professional Guarantee and new packaging to show off. To see the new scales and take advantage of our great show special you will have to stop by our booth. Come say hello! Visit Escali at booth #2210. For more information, contact Kelly Walsh at 952.232.6962 or kelly@escali.com, or go to www.escali.com.