Here's the first of several issues on what we found interesting at Host, Milan's five-day hospitality expo, held in October. 

 

About 125,000 attendees from 153 countries visited 1,600 manufacturer exhibits in 100,000 square meters (1 million square feet) - more than 3 times bigger than NAFEM. The exhibit halls are open and airy, the aisles are wide and consistent - so that if you want to see everything you only need to figure out the aisle layout and go up and down every aisle. It took us 3 days to visit all of the halls and we spent a fourth day revisiting some of the most important.

 

An interesting difference - in Europe most large booths are raised about 5 inches off the floor - probably to cover electrical and plumbing lines. What a terrific idea. Once you learn not to trip into and fall out of the exhibit space you recognize how tidy it all is - no lumps under the carpet or cords taped down.

 

Several manufacturers said they would not bring their products to the US because it was too difficult or expensive to deal with US approvals/rules/tariffs. Some of those companies export to Canada but others avoid all three NAFTA countries. Several manufacturers are looking for partners who will bring a product into the US and deal with approvals from there - a less fraught experience than trying to get them from overseas.

 

We wish you all the best for the holidays and look forward to writing to you with more Host discoveries in the New Year.

 

Mary Esther Treat
Vice President

 

 

 

 

Ventilation, long an important issue in the US, is becoming increasingly important in Europe. We found two manufacturers who have incorporated ventilation into their

Stima Speedy Chef

 small appliances, or have developed a ventilating device

 that works with a particular appliance. It seemed that

 every steam-

generating cooker had a

 built-in condensate hood. 

Stima (Italy) makes three small self-vented cookers: the Speedy Chef induction cooker, a one-minute pasta cooker and a pizza oven. The pasta cooker comes with two or four baskets and a built-in four-bin bain marie for holding sauces. Cellulose filters needs to be cleaned once a month and changed after one year. Unit has been available one year. 

Stima Pasta Station

 EuroChef(Italy) focuses on equipment for small catering operations that may want to add new business to existing activities where no ventilation exists. Their countertop appliances with self-contained ventilation include fryers, pasta cookers and ovens. A regional agency in Emilia Romagna province conducted independent laboratory tests that "confirm the total lack of emissions into the working environment," according to the website.