You won't catch renowned chef and restaurateur Sid Sahrawat cutting corners in the kitchen, which is why he uses only the best in kitchen appliances to whip up delicious dishes - for customers in his award-winning commercial kitchens, and for his family in the comfort of his home.
When he's not creating culinary masterpieces at his popular Auckland-based restaurants, Cassia and Sid at The French Café, Sahrawat is whipping up master chef-worthy meals in his home. With winter now well underway, Sahrawat and his wife, Chand, are enjoying seasonal flavours with hearty meats, pies and warming vegetable soups on the menu - all of which require an oven.
"Pies are a family favourite in winter as they are so versatile - whole roasted fish, beef short rib and roast duck are our go-to dishes for Sunday long lunches," Sahrawat told Newshub.
"Winter is also soup time, so Chand often roasts vegetables to caramelise them before blitzing into winter soups. Chand also makes giant cheese omelettes or crêpes for Sunday breakfasts that end up being elaborate one-hour affairs in our home."
With all these meats to roast and pies to bake, NEFF appliances - particularly the iconic Slide&Hide oven - are staples in Sahrawat's kitchen. The German appliance manufacturer is a firm favourite in Sahrawat's home, with the chef frequently relying on the high-end products to whip up his culinary creations - and his daily coffee, of course.
"My personal favourite is my NEFF coffee machine. I can't start my day without a caffeine hit. As I am getting ready in the morning, all I have to do is click on the HomeConnect App and by the time I am dressed, my espresso is ready to go," he explained.
"The NEFF coffee machine actually grinds beans to order and tastes as good as it would be in a café."
"My wife loves that the oven is on an app as well, she can have it pre-heating on her way home from work."
With Sahrawat as a vocal supporter of the brand, NEFF has also partnered with Three's MasterChef New Zealand to reach home-cooks across the country, in the hopes of making every Kiwi kitchen a little bit better.
In the world of kitchen appliances, NEFF has brought forward a strong desire to provide reliable and ergonomic products that make life that little bit easier, marrying innovation with design, style and versatility. Aside from his beloved coffee machine, Sahrawat says NEFF's "state-of-the-art" oven is his perfect partner in the kitchen - and the top secret to a crunchy crust or super succulent roast.
"For me NEFF ovens are state-of-the-art in the tech that they use. I can inject and control the amount of steam while cooking, baking and roasting. Pie crust comes out so textured and crunchy, the cakes are extra moist, and roasts come out super succulent," Sahrawat told Newshub.
"I think it's genius in terms of safety and ease of use. You can easily access the oven cavity and move multiple trays with the use of both your hands, the slide and hide in the oven is great for workflow."
Taking a walk down memory lane, it's evident that the brand's history speaks for itself. Back in 1950, its developers were the first to make thermostats standard equipment in ovens. Seven years later, NEFF introduced the first microwave oven in Europe and in the 1970s, it unveiled the innovative self-cleaning oven, which reflected the demand for ease-of-use in the kitchen.
In later years, NEFF worked to make ovens safer and easier with fully extractable telescopic rails and the Easy Clean system. Add to this the iconic Slide&Hide feature - the first and only fully retracting oven door - the NeffLight, and the tactile control of the TwistPadFire magnetic cooktop dial, the manufacturer's reputation precedes itself as a brand for passionate foodies at home.
This year also marks the 20th anniversary of the NEFF Slide&Hide disappearing door, arguably the brand's most iconic feature in its lauded lineup of appliances. The practical, fun and space-conscious invention has been upgraded with each evolution, and is now used by more than two million people worldwide and is in over 30 dealers nationally.
And Sahrawat certainly believes high-quality appliances can make all the difference between a good dish and an unforgettable experience, allowing the cook to channel their creativity and serve the best results possible.
"I think high-quality appliances [make] the difference between a good dish and a great dish. For example, any standard oven will give you a decent roast chicken, right? But there is something special about getting the skin extra crisp, while the meat inside remains tender and doesn't dry out," he explained.
"Having the extra technology, like steam injection and the ability to precisely control the temperature gives you precision. It lets you gain that extra control in the cooking process that helps you achieve consistently superior results that you just can't get with standard appliances."
NEFF loves building communities of passionate foodies. Follow NEFF on Facebook for foodie inspo, or take a peek at its many international and local recipes. And if you want access to exclusive recipes from Sid Sahrawat, you can sign up to the world of NEFF to have delicious recipes at your fingertips.
You can also pop into the NEFF stand at The Food Show in Auckland and Christchurch later this year.
This article was created for NEFF.
