The Art of Perfection

The Art of Perfection

Whether dry heat, moist steam or hot air, each cooking method has its advantages and very special appeal. This makes cooking so varied and exciting. A small culinary journey through the history of cooking.

Whether boiling or frying, steaming or barbecuing, braising or blanching, the start of every cooking stage gets hot. When the first people discovered fire by accident due to a strike of lightning, and then found out that meat is much more digestible after being heated, a giant step was taken in the history of evolution.

Today – approx. 1.5 million years later – flames and hot coals are still the most widespread energy source for preparing food throughout the world. Our ancestors learned over time not only to light fires, but also to control them and consequently use very different cooking times and temperatures.

However, only the discovery and utilization of electric power for heating made people independent of flames and hot coals in many parts of the world. The electric stove was first developed in the USA in the middle of the 19th century.

Perfecting the art of cooking reached a totally new dimension with the induction hob and its versatile cooking zones. Another important step in the history was the invention of the oven - as a baking chamber in the ground - around 4,000 years ago, with which our ancestors could prepare totally new dishes.

The oven became independent of flames and coal over time just like the stove. Today, it can be used everywhere as a modern built-in appliance where electric power is available – even with a grill and circulating air.

The gentle method of steam cooking was known in ancient China. Food was steamed separately from the liquid in double-walled cooking vessels.

Modern combination steam ovens use a combination of moist air and dry oven heat to gently cook food.

The history of kitchen appliances is the history of reduction – of time, energy, material and even danger. At the same time, it is also an example of the fine art of perfection.

You can find numerous recipes for the various cooking methods in our large recipe database.