Alto-Shaam Cook and Hold chosen Best in Class for seventh year
Foodservice Equipment and Supplies magazine has named Alto-Shaam the 2007 Best in Class manufacturer for cook and hold ovens, marking the seventh year in a row the company has earned the award.

“Winning the award is a great achievement for us,” said Steve Maahs, president and COO of Alto-Shaam. “This award is a result of our customers' opinions, and it means a lot to hear that our customers think so highly of us.”

Being top of mind when equipment needs to be purchased is every manufacturer's goal. According to Foodservice Equipment and Supply's research, the top qualities that are looked for in a manufacturer include:

• Product quality
• The ability to properly service and support the product
• Responsiveness
• An understanding of the foodservice industry

Foodservice Equipment and Supply magazine subscribing dealers, broadliners, consultants and operators shine the industry spotlight on those manufacturers that help them best meet their ever-changing needs every year. In 2007, more than 1,000 foodservice representatives shared their perceptions in determining Best in Class award recipients.

“The Cook and Hold was the first in the low heat cooking arena 50 years ago. Since then, we've worked hard to constantly improve the quality and durability of this kitchen equipment staple,” Maahs said.

Click here for more information on Alto-Shaam Cook and Hold ovens.

The Cook and Hold wasn’t the only winner in the 2007 Best in Class awards. Best in Class awards also went to:

• The Alto-Shaam Combitherm™ combination oven by broadliners.
• Alto-Shaam’s mobile heated cabinets by broadliners and operators.
• Alto-Shaam’s rotisseries by consultants.

New Alto-Shaam leadership announced
Since its humble beginnings in 1955, Alto-Shaam, a Menomonee Falls , Wis.-based company, has grown into a premier international innovative manufacturer of solutions-driven foodservice equipment to restaurants, supermarkets, and institutions worldwide.

The future of Alto-Shaam looks promising, and in 2007, two leaders who were instrumental in the company's history of growth came forward to take top leadership positions at Alto-Shaam.

Karen Hansen started with Alto-Shaam in September of 1986 and was promoted to President and Chief Operations Officer in 2002. In 2007, Karen took on the new role of CEO and Chairman of the Board for Alto-Shaam. She will maintain her position as President of Enthermics Medical Systems, a sister company in the medical field that produces blanket and fluid warmers.

Also moving up the corporate ladder is Steven Maahs, who became President and Chief Operations Officer of Alto-Shaam. Steven started with the company in 1988 holding various positions within the company. In 1990 he was promoted to National Sales Manager, and then again in 2002 to Executive Vice President. As Chief Operations Officer he will be involved in the operation of Alto-Shaam at the corporate level.

New price books have been released
The 2008 Alto-Shaam price book has been released with a fresh, informative look.

This new price book also functions as a full-line catalog, providing full-color photos, detailed product and option information, and information to make the most informed buying decision.

Alto-Shaam price books have always been known for giving straight, up-front pricing information in a clean format, and for those of you who were used to that format, you'll be happy to know that the new format is just as organized and easy to use.

To receive your 2008 Alto-Shaam Price Book, contact an Alto-Shaam customer service representative at 1-800-558-8744 or 1-262-251-3800.

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Safeway growth built on Alto-Shaam equipment
By Jack Scott, Vice President, Sales and Marketing

When an operation the size of Safeway makes a move, it isn't approached casually.

In 1996, Safeway was in search of a cooking solution for their delis across the company. The goal was to implement ovens that would cook quickly and concisely from load to load, from store to store. The oven also had to be fuel-efficient and reliable.

To ensure they were investing in the right type of equipment from the onset, Safeway consulted with Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E). The ensuing recommendation was a combination steam and convection oven, what we now call a combi oven. And the company that supplied all their locations with combi ovens was Alto-Shaam. Safeway became the first nationwide chain to install combi ovens in all of their stores.

The program was a raging success. Stores could now roast a chicken in 35 minutes, compared to 90 minutes in a standard convection oven or rotisserie. Stores now had the flexibility to offer fresher product more often during the day. And since roasted chicken is a high-margin product, well, you do the math.

Today, there are approximately 1,775 Safeway locations all across North America . To date, we've sold more than 3,000 gas and electric combi ovens to these locations.

But the success story doesn't end there.

About five years ago, Safeway started its Lifestyle program. The Lifestyle program was designed to offer healthier, more whole, prepared foods to Safeway customers. Once again, Alto-Shaam equipment played an integral role in the program.

Safeway began installing Alto-Shaam Quickchillers™, holding cabinets and a variety of heated display cases to complement the Combitherm® ovens already in place.

The program was an immediate hit, and Steve Burd, CEO of Safeway, was named Supermarket CEO of the Year for his efforts in developing and implementing the Lifestyle program.

A benefit for all
While all this development occurred over the past eleven years, an interesting thing happened. With more than 5,000 pieces of Alto-Shaam equipment in the Safeway system, Alto-Shaam has built the infrastructure necessary to handle maintenance and training concerns throughout the US and much of Canada.

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Hold the Temperature… And the Water!
Waterless Sous Vide Cooking in the Cook and Hold
By: Robert Simmelink, Executive Chef

This ongoing segment will illustrate how Alto-Shaam equipment is being used in new and different ways.

Sous vide cooking is gaining in popularity, and why shouldn't it. The combination of ingredients vacuum packed and cooked for extended periods of time at low, sustained heat brings a wealth of new tastes to the palate and the menu.

With the intricacies involved in sous vide cooking, though, many chefs may not want to invest the time and the money to develop this offering. The good news is that you may already have the equipment you need for an effective sous vide program already in your kitchen.

The Alto-Shaam Cook and Hold handles sous vide cooking like a pro, without the bother of a water bath. A circulating water bath is usually required to maintain the strict temperature tolerances for extended periods of time, as well as to provide soft, even heat. With the Alto-Shaam Cook and Hold, the Halo Heat technology provides heat that is soft and even enough to cook for 12 hours or more without developing hotspots. And the tight temperature holding capacity in the sealed environment renders water circulation baths obsolete for this type of cooking.

If you haven't tried sous vide cooking in a Cook and Hold, give it a try! We have sous vide recipes utilizing the Cook and Hold available online, and more are being developed all the time, so check back often.

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Green is on our mind
By Joe Konop, Marketing Manager

While becoming eco-friendly is a new position that many companies are taking today, Alto-Shaam plans on continuing the practice of creating equipment that uses the least amount of resources necessary to produce the best quality food.

Green ideas at Alto-Shaam are far from new. As a matter of fact, using low heat and small amounts of power was central to the development of the Cook and Hold more than 50 years ago. Today, the power needed to operate a Cook and Hold costs about a dollar a day. And since the Cook and Hold produces very few emissions, as verified by Underwriters Laboratories, it does not need to be placed under an operating ventilation hood. As traditional hoods cost about $2 per hour to operate, the no-hood requirement could save up to $30 in electricity costs for every 16-hour day of operation.

Alto-Shaam has extended this philosophy of creating equipment that produces the best food with the least amount of electricity, gas, and water to virtually every product line. The top performers in this category earn the right to bear the EcoSmart logo. EcoSmart identifies Alto-Shaam equipment that has been engineered to reduce overall energy consumption to help our customers drive down ownership costs and protect the environment.

When it comes to producing eco-friendly equipment, Alto-Shaam has a lot to talk about. Be sure to look for this recurring section in Kitchen Bytes each quarter to find out more about Alto-Shaam's EcoSmart development.

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Invite the service agent to the installation
By Ken Kreuscher, Director of Technical Services

Installing a new unit is a great day for both reps and customers. For the rep, it's a great accomplishment, and for the customer, it adds new or additional functionality to their food service capacities.

Many times, though, service agencies aren't included in the installation process. Here in the Service Department at the Alto-Shaam main offices, we see many issues that could have been avoided by involving a service agent in the installation.

When should the service agency be called?
Unfortunately, many people wait until there's a problem before calling a service agent, which is way too late. Instead, think of a service agent as someone who can not only fix problems but can also keep problems from happening in the first place.

When the service agent is called to the installation, he or she can bring all necessary parts to install the unit correctly the first time, and cycle the unit to ensure everything is working correctly.

Situations to avoid
It happens more often than we'd like to see. A new unit is installed in a new restaurant or other food service area, without the aid of a service agent. When opening day comes around, the unit doesn't work like it should and an emergency call is made to the local service agent, who may or may not be able to come in time to fix the problem.

Foodservice equipment is the center of productivity for any restaurant. Don't just hope the equipment will work right; bring the service agent in early to ensure it will work right the first time.

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