A new multifunctional cooking unit capable of serving restaurant quality food at 35,000ft is being introduced at Asian Aerospace by Iacobucci HF Electronics .
The Italian company, based just outside Rome, is best known for its on-board espresso coffee machines, but has teamed with German company Modular Galley Systems to promote sales of the multifunctional unit around the world.
"The Induction Heating Unit has four layers, so dishes can be cooked at the same time," says Barbara Passeri, sales manager. "It can be used in combination with different accessory inserts to prepare dishes, starting from eggs and toasts, to perfectly fried steaks or steamed vegetables. It can fry, cook or roast, and even make popcorn."
The easy and safe to use unit is the only existing induction oven available and is being widely used by VIP customers. One was recently installed on a Thai Airways Airbus A380. The unit offers the same advantage as a gas oven, with fast and direct heat. And the modular design allows components to be easily replaced and maintained.
Passeri says: "The short heating time allows the use of one unit several times within one regular meal cycle and facilitates new business ideas like 'meal-on-demand' considerably. Passengers today have different demands than previously. For those who travel economy class they want to eat healthy and tasty meals with vitamins conserved as much as the first or business class traveller and IHU is a revolutionary alternative to the standard galley oven. It provides a range of possibilities to prepare fresh meals in top restaurant quality."
Low-cost carriers can also benefit. "They can create profit centres by using the unit to realise the parallel and flexible high performance heating to offer pay-per-meal or scalloped snacks even on short-haul services," says Passeri.
Source: Flight Daily News
