National Restaurant Association Announces 2012 Kitchen Innovations Award Recipients

The National Restaurant Association today announced the recipients of the 2012 Kitchen Innovations? (KI) Award, which recognizes cutting-edge kitchen equipment in the foodservice market. An independent, expert panel of judges comprised of internationally recognized food facilities consultants, multi-unit executives and design experts selected KI Award recipients for significant innovations that improve quality, productivity, service, and sustainability.

Award recipients will be showcased in the interactive Kitchen Innovations Pavilion in its new central location on the exhibit floor (booth 2440 ) at the 2012 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show, set for its new dates May 5-8 at Chicago's McCormick Place.

"The independent panel of judges selected these products based on the forward-thinking approach to commercial kitchen equipment demonstrated by their innovative creators," said Jack Crawford Convention Chair for NRA Show 2012 and President and CEO of Ground Round Independent Owners Cooperative, LLC. "These truly groundbreaking products will have a substantial impact on the efficiency and success of restaurant kitchens, as well as the profitability of the restaurant itself. As the largest restaurant and hospitality trade show in the United States, the NRA Show offers the perfect forum to explore trends and find new products to enhance restaurant operations."

As the global restaurant and hospitality industry's premier trade show, the NRA Show brings together more restaurant and hospitality buyers and equipment manufacturers than any other industry event. The KI products will enable foodservice operations to run faster and more efficiently by increasing productivity, quality, safety, cost-efficiency and environmental sustainability. The result: foodservice operators will deliver better customer service and the highest quality meals to their customers.

The 2012 Kitchen Innovation Award recipients are:

Alto-Shaam, Inc.- Combitherm Automatic Grease Collection System

Bettcher Industries, Inc. - Optimax Compact - Automatic Batter-Breading Machine

CookTek Induction Systems, LLC - SinAqua Waterless Food Holding System

Ecolab Inc. - ActiveView HDI - Health Department Intelligence

Ecolab Inc. - STEALTH Fly Station

Franke Foodservice Systems, Inc. - Ice Machine Sanitizing Device

Frontline International - Fresh Cooking Oil Box System

Frymaster - Large Vat Fryers ( 1814 G/E )

Garland Commercial Ranges - Garland Induction Griddle

Kaivac, Inc. - OmniFlex Dispense-and-Vac system

Kitchens to Go, built by Carlin Manufacturing - Bolt On Kitchens

Lang Mfg. - Lang GHP Series Featuring "On Demand Burners"

Merrychef USA - Planar Plume Technology

Power Soak Systems, Inc. - Silent Alert

RATIONAL USA - SelfCookingCenter whitefficiency, HiDensityControl

Sealed Air - Vision Enabled Training

Springboard Biodiesel, LLC - The BioPro EX

Vitamix - Automatic Mix'n Machine

Vulcan - VTEC - Infrared Charbroiler

Wells Manufacturing - HDW-2 Water Saving Heated Disher Well

ZipZester, LLC - Spin Zester

The annual National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show is the largest single gathering of restaurant, foodservice and lodging professionals. NRA Show 2012 will be held at its new dates May 5-8, at McCormick Place in Chicago. The event attracts 58,000+ attendees and visitors from all 50 states and 100+ countries, and showcases the latest products, services, innovative ideas, up-to-the-minute information about trends and issues and other growth opportunities than any other industry event. For more information, visit the Show Web site at www.restaurant.org/show, and find us on Twitter @NRAShow, Facebook, YouTube and our widely read blog Floored!