PUNTOITALY N°1 -January - June 2012

Technology 60 BLAST CHILLER IN THE KITCHEN There is no doubt that one of the most interesting innovations in cooking science is the introduction of the blast chiller in modern day kitchens. The reason is easy to understand: it makes the cook’s job much more easier. The cook and chill system has became a good ally for so many chefs that for some of them it is nearly unacceptable to work without. And what about the rest? Well the rest still thinking that the best way of working is starting to cook as soon as the customer decides to look at the menu. Such difference of behavior seems to be incomprehensible, because if something is good for a skilled chef, that is able to prepare tasty food, why shouldn’t it be the same for the oth- ers. The answer is more psychological than technical. In fact if we try to explain this different approach to culinary tech- niques using logical explanations, we fail without any doubt. The use of the blast chiller has many advantages in terms of time saving, energy saving, longer shelf life and better work management that every kitchen should have, at least, one. But if we take into account that changing ones way of work- ing is one of the most difficult things to do for anyone, it be- comes immediately clear why so many chefs still consider the blast chiller a stranger in their kitchen. Repeating something that we have learned during our early training is very easy be- cause is already part of our way of doing things and doesn’t need any further effort. Changing is incredibly more difficult for our brain, because it requires an effort and, at the begin- ning, something new seems to be somewhat strange. The psychologists says that we move away from the comfort By Paolo Cappellini

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