V-Zug takes centre stage at designEx

May 15th, 2012

If the way into a person’s heart is through their stomach then V-Zug is doing a swell job of enamouring Australians at this year’s designEx in Sydney.

Positioned squarely in the middle of the design show is a fully functional kitchen feeding bystanders with ridiculously delicious canapes: port infused figs wrapped in prawn and prosciutto, medium-rare scallops on filo pastries with home-made aioli, and that’s just for starters.

The premium Swiss appliance brand is a year off its 100th anniversary, of which only the last 3 have been spent edging into Australian homes. V-Zug general manager down under, Mark Swan, said that they are the fastest growing kitchen appliance brand in the market. (Swan would know too, having spent most of the last decade in a similar role with rival Smeg.)

As the prawn melts in my mouth, the reason is obvious: quality appliances never compromise a cook nor their fare.

Swan demonstrates V-Zug’s latest invention, a stainless steel teppanyaki plate, where the prawns have just been seared by star chef Dominique Rizzo.

“It’s like having an indoor barbecue plate,” Rizzo says. “And it’s very popular because it’s perfect for quick and convenient cooking.

“It has a touch slide control and reaches 240 degrees, fantastic for fast cooking.”

Also on display is V-Zug’s trademark Combi Steam oven. This is where the scallops have been readied for public scoffing. According to V-Zug, a pressure-less steam cooker is the best way to retain vitamins and minerals, and we may benefit from up to 22 per cent higher vitamin content in our foods, and 36 per cent less fat.

However by this point I’m absent from the conversation as my eyes try to lock in with the waitress’: scallops over here please!

designEx is Australia’s largest interiors, design and architectural event, drawing thousands of trade experts through its doors over three days. It is open to the public tomorrow, 16 Wednesday 2012 from 10am to 5pm.

Keri Algar

Having once had to sit on the washing machine to stop it from bouncing into oblivion, Keri is today delighted with the new (smoother running) technologies that make housework easier every day. A self-confessed lazy-bones, Keri seeks out quirky inventions that ease the human workload, such as the robotic vacuum cleaner (wow). And as soon as someone figures out a Jetsons-like self-cleaning house, she will happily lay her pen to rest and retire from appliance journalism. Until then, her pick is a fridge that will tell her smartphone when it's time to pick up more beer on the way home. Magic.