It makes many conventional cooking systems obsolete. It’s a multi-purpose cooking tool combining a tilting pan, a kettle and a deep-fat fryer, making a compact three-way system with a sophisticated and easy to use computerised control and monitoring system.

It not only cooks up to 50% faster than conventional appliances, but also delivers great savings - up to 40% lower energy and water consumption, less food shrinkage and lower fat consumption - leading to higher profitability on food sales.

Hotelympia 2008, Stand N8255

FRIMA International has launched the VarioCooking Center, a brand new generation of cooking systems that it says is set to change the way chefs operate in the kitchen.

The VarioCooking Center is designed to make many conventional cooking systems obsolete.  It’s a multi-purpose cooking tool combining a tilting pan, a kettle and a deep-fat fryer, making a compact three-way system with a sophisticated and easy to use computerised control and monitoring system.

It not only cooks up to 50% faster than conventional appliances, but also delivers great savings - up to 40% lower energy and water consumption, less food shrinkage and lower fat consumption - leading to higher profitability on food sales. 

It helps the chef to achieve the best possible cooking results consistently, while at the same time removing many routine chores - such as filling, draining or simply watching - which are the bane of conventional cooking equipment.

“We believe the VarioCooking Center is a breakthrough in cooking technology, and is set to have as big an impact in the kitchen as the combi oven has since its invention in the 1970s,” predicts Benoît Gourgues, Head of Marketing at FRIMA International. 

“It doesn’t take over from the combi.  Rather, it adds to it, taking over where the combi leaves off.  With both of them in the kitchen, all forms of cooking are covered.”

The faster cooking times and savings in running costs come via a remarkable feature FRIMA calls VarioBoost.  This can cook food 50% faster than conventional cooking, using an exclusive network heating structure that helps to prevent the food from sticking in the pan.  VarioBoost can raise the cooking temperature to 250C in under four minutes, for example searing up to 60kg of goulash meat in only 17 minutes - cooking it to perfection - and maintaining the heat even when the pan is filled with food.

A newly designed control system, called ‘VarioCooking Control‘, makes the actual cooking process extremely simple.  To use, the chef just selects the type of food on the control panel; the unit automatically detects the size of food and the load size.  VarioCooking Control includes sophisticated temperature monitoring that controls the cooking process automatically, telling the chef when it’s time for the next stage.  It does the tedious routines of cooking, alerting the chef when required, for example to turn, deglaze or add ingredients. 

To achieve its breakthrough the VarioCooking Center features a number of exclusive, patented technologies.  These include an automatic food recognition system, a new design of core temperature probe, a water drain system, and a new design of automatic lift/lowering that ensures accurate cooking of pasta, poached and deep-fried foods.
A full range of accessories is available, including dedicated baskets and carts for special foods, and multiple units of the VarioCooking Center can be linked together by computer for remote monitoring and data logging of the cooking processes for HACCP.

For information and brochures, or to arrange to come to a free FRIMA CookingLive seminar, email FRIMA International on info@frima-international.ch or visit www.frima-international.com