The National Restaurant Association Show, a premiere event and resource to learn about foodservice technology innovations, unique ingredients and emerging trends in the restaurant industry, has announced the recipients of the 2021 Kitchen Innovations Awards. The honorees are recognized as the year’s most forward-thinking and cutting-edge innovations that have meaningfully improved foodservice operations.
“Innovation is what keeps our industry moving forward, and we are proud to recognize these 16 recipients as the year’s best equipment advancements that improve back-of-house operations to benefit foodservice operators,” says Tom Cindric, president of Winsight Exhibitions. “These companies leverage technology to create products that increase efficiency, productivity, and the bottom line, which is needed now more than ever as restaurants continue to operate through the ongoing challenges brought on by the pandemic.”
Among the honorees was leading commercial food equipment manufacturer Hobart, for its AMTL Two Level Door Type Dish Machine with Hobart Smart Connect IOT App. The only two-level dish machine on the market, the AMTL features an upper chamber that acts as a typical door style dish machine, with a 17’’ door opening, delivering 80 racks per hour. The lower chamber functions as a single rack washer ideal for pots, pans, flatware or utensils. The two levels can operate concurrently, or the lower level can be turned off independently.
The rest of the 2021 Kitchen Innovations Award recipients are:
- Antunes — Touchless sauce dispenser
- Curtis — GemX Narrow IntelliFresh coffee brewer with FreshTrac
- Eastern Tabletop — CleanLite
- Ecolab — Cockroach multi-station
- Eloma, An Ali Group Company — Compact Pro
- Frymaster/Welbilt Brand — Frymaster FilterQuick 120
- Hoshizaki — 2by2 ice cube machine, IM-50BAA-LM
- Manitowoc/Welbilt Brand — CrystalCraft Premier
- Minipack America — MX-Infuser
- Picnic — Automated pizza assembly system
- RATIONAL USA — iCombi Pro
- Sunshine Innovations — Luccy
- T&S Brass and Bronze Works — T&S WaterWatch
- TurboChef Technologies LLC — Plexor
- Unox Inc. — MULTI.Day hot vacuum
The KI Award recipients are selected by an independent panel of judges comprised of industry leaders and internationally-recognized food facility consultants, multi-unit executives and design experts. The KI Awards program has earned a reputation for defining the gold standard of foodservice equipment innovations. All KI award recipients will be featured on The Show To Go, a cost-free digital marketplace where operators can connect directly with the suppliers to learn more about each of these innovative solutions.
