KI Award-Winning CombiTouch
to be unveiled

Intuitive interface - The Alto-Shaam CombiTouch offers a simple interface that commands all of the Combitherm’s cooking functions. As the name implies, it is fully operable by touch.

Graphic controls - The graphic-based control overcomes language barriers while the simple, logical procedures ensure that correct steps are followed every time.

An excellent memory – Access up to 250 of your recipes that are identified by your own uploaded pictures. The Combitherm with CombiTouch also comes preprogrammed with more than 100 recipes and photos, covering most commonly prepared food items.

Standard HACCP – The Combitherm with CombiTouch includes HACCP functionality standard.

Six levels of Gold-n-Brown™ - Six precise and consistent browning levels are available with the CombiTouch. The exclusive Gold-n-Brown feature gives the operator the ability to achieve the ideal cooking environment for the ideal finish.

Superior baking – The new two-speed reversing fan provides excellent baking results. The system includes a motor brake and a coordinated venting system to prevent excessive water and power consumption.

Multi-shelf Timers – Track cooking time of either seven or 10 (depending on oven size) different food items in the same oven with multi-shelf timers. Time is tracked in minutes and seconds.

On-board diagnostics – The CombiTouch system includes on-board diagnostic functionality with results displayed right on the touch screen.

KI Award Winner
Recently the CombiTouch won the prestigious Kitchen Innovations (KI) Award for 2010. Presentation of this award will be at this year’s NRA show. Many of us remember when the Combitherm also won the KI Award back in 2007 when the ESi Smoker line was introduced. Additionally, the Combitherm won Combi Oven Best in Class from consultants from Foodservice Equipment and Supplies magazine for 2009.

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Alto-Shaam is growing, changing, and getting better all the time. The newest evidence of this evolution is our new web site at
www.alto-shaam.com.

A tremendous amount of work went into this new site. It was designed to create an intuitive online experience for the user within a state-of-the-art design that is reflective of Alto-Shaam’s world-class offerings.

The site features Flash technology-supported interactive features and navigation tools that have been carefully reviewed and integrated into this new and visually dynamic site. Search engine optimization also has been taken into careful consideration in order to maintain our current presence and rankings among leading Internet search engines.

We encourage all of you to visit the new web site and to promote it to your customers as a reference and educational resource supporting Alto-Shaam equipment and applications. We also welcome your feedback and suggestions.

Keep your eyes out for additional future site development features as we continue to work through phase II and III integration efforts on our journey to "world class!"

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Alto-Shaam has been awarded the Education Provider of the Year Award for 2009 from the Foodservice Consultants Society International (FCSI) The Americas.

Alto-Shaam has held hundreds of seminars in its Culinary Center located in its world headquarters in Menomonee Falls. Wis. The award is a direct reflection of how the attendees view and value the educational content and overall experience of the seminars given at Alto-Shaam’s Culinary Center.

The award is based on evaluations that FCSI members complete after attending seminars. The award committee at FCSI also notes how seminars are conducted, if innovative information is covered, and if proper procedures are followed.

"The quality of the seminars and their content are top priority for us," said Robert Simmelink, executive chef at Alto-Shaam. "Both Alto-Shaam and the consultants invest considerable time and resources to our seminars. This award demonstrates the excellence that everyone here at Alto-Shaam pursues, from the office staff to the factory staff to the culinary staff. We all earned this award together."

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Alto-Shaam will roll out a web-based interactive technical training class at the NRA show, which begins May 22. The only training of its kind in the industry, the class is an in depth training aid that will cover everything from the functions of the combi, the sequence of operations, how to troubleshoot components and how to replace components. Because the training is interactive, the technician will be using a simulated voltage/ohm (VOM) meter to diagnose problems with the circuits.

The course will cover the electric combi, the gas combi and the electric boiler-free combi. We are very excited about this training because it will give access to training to techs anywhere in the world. The web-based training will allow the techs to train wherever they have access to the Internet, instead of having to take the time to travel to on-site training. It allows the techs to work at their own pace, it tests their knowledge and maintains their training history in a data base.

The value of a class like this is enormous to the service agency. Currently, agencies have to invest thousands of dollars in training, travel, and lost income for when the tech is off the road and in training. Techs will now be able to train at their own pace, and will even be able to refer back to online training materials anytime they need a refresher.

Technical Training Center under construction
The new Technical Training Center at Alto-Shaam's World Headquarters in Menomonee Falls , WI is now under construction. When finished, the center will house more advanced training for the Alto-Shaam Rotisseries, Cook & Hold Ovens, QuickChillers, and Combitherms. The advanced training will encompass hands-on sequence of operation, wiring diagrams, troubleshooting tips, hands-on diagnostic and repair. Work on the Technical Training Center is expected to be completed in Fall, 2010.

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What an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime experience the 2010 Winter Games were. The experience was tremendous, whether you were an athlete participating, a tourist enjoying, media reporting, or working with the many great food venues in Vancouver and surrounding area that served visitors from 82 participating countries and many more from around the world.

"Incredible and I’ll never forget the experience for the rest of my life," said Lindsey Mork, Alto-Shaam Corporate Chef for Western Canada. Chef Lindsey had the luxury of working hand-in-hand with several Alto-Shaam powered venues over the course of the Olympic Games. The busiest venue was the newly renovated Vancouver Convention Centre, headquarters to the International Broadcast Centre and Main Press Centre for more than 10,000 journalists, including US host broadcaster NBC.

Food service in the facility was managed by Centerplate, one of the largest hospitality companies in the world, with 250 North American sports, entertainment and convention venues. No stranger to marquee events, they’ve hosted countless landmark occasions, including 11 Super Bowls, 19 World Series, 15 official U.S. Presidential Inaugural Balls, more than 100 major College Bowl Games and the largest plated dinner in history at the Alpha Kappa Alpha Centennial Celebration. They can now add the most successful Winter Olympics in history to their list.

Vancouver Convention Centre was open 24 hours a day over the course of the two Olympic weeks. The Center served more than 5,000 meals per day driven mainly by Alto-Shaam Combitherms®. With dining halls scattered throughout the 470,000 square foot facility, the CombiMate® companion mobile warmers were essential to delivering hot and fresh meals to all diners. Alto-Shaam QuickChillers also were used to help streamline production and reduce food waste safely and effectively.

As a show of support Alto-Shaam Chef Lindsey worked under the guidance of Centerplate Executive Chef Blair Rasmussen to help execute this massive event and at the same time worked in a supervisory role with entire staff on everything Alto-Shaam.

"I was so proud of our equipment being front and center at such an event and to watch it perform time and time again under the most difficult of circumstances still gives me goose bumps. I am so thankful to Centerplate for requesting my participation and I know the feeling was reciprocal on their part."

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Michael Aguirre has joined Alto-Shaam, Inc. as a Vice President of Sales and Marketing, responsible for the Southeastern US marketplace in addition to Alto-Shaam’s National Account Development.

Aguirre is a Certified Foodservice Professional, CFSP, who focuses his efforts on foodservice and retail equipment solutions and systems for some of the world’s largest operations. He has worked with many industry leaders, including Brinker, Quizno’s, Arby’s, Speedway, 7-11 and Sonic. Aguirre prides himself on the fact they recommend him to others.

Since graduating from the University of Akron and attending graduate school at Thunderbird, Aguirre has continually been placed in leadership positions to help food service and retail National Account customers, other segmented end users, their distribution channel partners and consultants find profitable solutions for their operations.

Jim Koleski, a seasoned veteran with a strong accounting background, joined Alto-Shaam earlier this year as CFO.

Jim came to us from Elkay Manufacturing's Cabinet Division in Wacionia , Minnesota , where he was vice president of finance and administration. At Elkay, he was responsible for strategic planning, IT, internal control processes, treasury activities, and operational accounting.
 
Prior to his time at Elkay, Jim was the Vice President of Finance for the McNeilis companies an 850 million dollar division of Oshkosh Truck.  He was responsible for global strategic planning, finance, operational accounting, product line expansion acquisitions, IT and customer support.
 
“I love the passion of everyone here to serve the customer,” Jim says. “That's going to pay many long-term dividends in the future. Also, the lean and gain sharing programs are very progressive and will position the company well in the future.”
 
Jim's proven track record of leading cross-functional teams and success of evaluating cost analysis to respond to competitive threats will be a great asset.

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The Alto-Shaam booth at NRA will feature a new theme, The Science of Saving Money.

The Science of Saving Money idea is a way to communicate how the user will receive returns on their investment in Alto-Shaam equipment.

On the trade show invitations and in the booth itself, money saving "elements" are shown on a table, similar to the Periodic Table of the Elements you may remember from school. Each piece of equipment in the booth also will feature an “element” of how that equipment can save or help the user make money.

Remember that you can make an appointment to see a Regional Sales Manager or Alto-Shaam chef of your choice. To get in contact to make an appointment, click here.

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