Quite simply the best

Innovation was rewarded in the first New Product Awards competition of the century, held at Hotelympia 2000. Tessa Fox rounds up the medal-winners.

The 36 finalists in this year's New Product Awards were whittled down to just thirteen medal-winners during judging on the first day of Hotelympia 2000.

Three panels of industry experts toured the shortlisted companies and awarded gold and silver medals in four categories: catering equipment; food & drink; furniture, furnishings and tableware; and premises, facilities management and technology.

The awards were presented at a gala dinner at the Hotel Inter-Continental, Hyde Park, London.

CATERING EQUIPMENT

There was no question in the judges' minds that the Original Pass-Thro' Combi-oven from Bourgeois deserved one of two gold medals in the catering equipment section. They were unanimous in declaring this oven a major breakthrough in kitchen safety because of its double-door access that will prevent cross-contamination between cooked and uncooked foods.

"This is such a simple idea, why have we not seen it before? Cross-contamination has been a nightmare for me in banqueting systems," said one judge. "This is a brilliant idea for banqueting," said another.

Simple but very practical features that impressed the judges included the way that chicken fat is trapped and held rather than being allowed to get into the main sewerage system, and the sloping drip trays which mean that cooking fat from new products is not allowed to contaminate food already in the oven. "This oven has been designed by someone who really understands combi-steamers," said one enthusiastic judge.

The second gold in this category went to another piece of heavy catering equipment, the TurboChef C3 oven.

The oven, which was until now available only to Whitbread, combines forced hot air and microwave cooking to give very fast cooking times. "They've brought the price down to be within everyone's reach and they've addressed the cleaning problems that the first generation of TurboChef ovens had," said one judge.

Another judge was attracted by the promise of being able to make a pizza in one-and-a-half minutes: "That's brilliant. This will allow call-order cooking with de-skilled chefs. It's so quick and easy, we can put a better menu on for a longer period."

Two silver medals were awarded in this category. The food probe from Rational, which controls the cooking process using a colour-coded table of browning levels, impressed judges for its clear food safety benefits.

Part of the company's IQT Technology Cooking Process, the probe is used in conjunction with its Clima-Plus combi-ovens. Crucially, it doesn't have to be placed precisely in the centre of the food to be checked to give an accurate reading. And once the food is ready, the probe automatically halts the cooking process.

One judge said: "This is the first multi-sensor probe I have ever seen. It's a very clever idea because chefs don't always know where the coolest point is." Another commented that if the probe were stand-alone rather than just being fixed into the combi, it could be used for other products. "That's a need someone will address sooner or later."

Winterhalter Gastronom's GS502 Series pass-through dishwasher won a silver medal too. Capable of washing about 1,080 plates an hour, the dishwasher incorporates an automatic self-clean and self-drain system and is energy efficient. "There are some good innovations here in an area where there isn't much development," said one judge. "The simplicity of operation is brilliant - push a button and off it goes. The heating element not being in the tank is a definite plus. That will save on maintenance costs."

FOOD & DRINK

Cereal & Milk bars from Kellogg's were one of two gold-medal winners in the food & drink category. "They've got it spot-on for the market they are aiming at. Kids will love these products," said one judge of the cereal bars made from brands such as Coco Pops, Frosties and Smacks. "They will work well as an all-day snack as well as a ‘breakfast on the go' for busy people," said another judge who also praised the attractive presentation of the product.

Another gold medal went to Nestle for its Maggi World of Tastes paste range. The range includes six flavours from around the world: Thai, New Orleans, Mexican, Caribbean, Shanghai, and Indian. "They have clearly researched the market well and come up with a range of flavours that reflects the sort of food people are eating now," said one judge. The versatility of the pastes impressed too: they can be used for dips, salsas, as a glaze or as a flavour for bread, as well as to make sauces. The flavour was praised as being "really authentic" by another judge.

Two new products in the field of organics earned silver medals: a range of organic bakery pre-mixes, and a range of organic wheat-free pasta. The bakery pre-mixes from Bakels Foodservice - which include rolls, scones, Madeira cakes and muffins - were deemed to be very much in tune with current eating habits. One judge said: "Demand for organic products is rising all the time - the company has tapped into what's going to be a very strong market." Another was impressed by the ease of use of the products (just mix with water) and the attractive pricing which puts rolls at 3.5p each and muffins at 12-15p each.

The Stamp Collection of organic wheat-free pasta, created by Buxton Foods and endorsed by actor Terence Stamp, himself unable to eat wheat, was praised for being in line with current health issues. According to Buxton Foods, as many as one in four people suffers a wheat or dairy intolerance, a point which surprised judges: "We're always being asked to cater for special diets, and I had no idea that so many people are affected," said one. The packaging and presentation of the range was highlighted as being particularly attractive.

Van den Bergh Foodservice's range of herbs suspended in oil under the Garde d'Or brand won the third silver in this category. "A high-quality product and very easy to use - caterers will love it," said one judge. The six-strong range includes basil, tarragon, dill, thyme, provence and garlic.

FURNITURE, FURNISHINGS & TABLEWARE

G N Burgess's Vario chair earned the gold medal in this category, praised by judges for combining comfort with convenience. "Immensely practical" said one judge, while for another it was destined to become a "modern classic". The handle on the back ensured it could be moved easily, while the flex-back and lumbar support were thought to be unique in the world of banqueting. The fact that the chair could be stacked 10-high added to its appeal.

The silver medal went to Elia International's Mystere cutlery range. Good design and obvious style appealed to the judges. The burnished handles and sandblasted finish of the cutlery were deemed innovative and effective in minimising finger-marking.

PREMISES, FACILITIES MANAGEMENT & TECHNOLOGY

Efdex, described as the "global e-market for the food and drink industry", won a gold medal in this category for its ease of use and the fact that it taps into the way people will be buying and looking for information in the future. "Even if you're not technologically minded, this system is user-friendly," said one judge. "It's a useful research tool which enables you to compare prices from different suppliers." The system offers a chance to order and buy products on-line.

The silver medal went to Icevent from Systems Hygienics. The product uses dry-ice pellets to loosen grease deposits on kitchen equipment before they are mechanically blasted into small fragments. "This is very new," said one judge. "It's flexible and can be adjusted for large and small ducts and is effective in removing hidden grime with minimum disruption."