BLANDON, PA, May 14 – BlueStar®, manufacturer of handcrafted, high-performance appliances for the home, is proud to announce that Olympic Gold Medalist Brian Boitano has joined its illustrious group of All-Star Chefs, including top chefs Michael Symon and Marc Vetri, among others, who are passionate about achieving restaurant-quality results at home.

Boitano expanded his interests into an array of fields. He turned his love of cooking into a television show and a cookbook. Boitano’s adventures skating abroad influenced his style of cooking, as did his Italian heritage. In Boitano’s world great food always has been a key part of any gathering, and many of his dishes are inspired by memorable family recipes. He demonstrates this passion by putting his own spin on irresistible, accessible dishes like White Bean/Onion/Artichoke Bruschetta and Chocolate Almond Panna Cotta, many of which he compiled in his best-selling cookbook, “What Would Brian Boitano Make?”

A San Francisco resident for over 30 years, Boitano purchased his home in the mid 1990’s, after falling in love with its peerless views of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. While he did an initial facelift when he first moved in, Boitano is now completing a major renovation of the entire home, with the kitchen being one of the most exciting new spaces.

“The kitchen is the nucleus of the house. So when we started the overall house redesign, we focused our attention on the kitchen first. Everything was centered on entertaining—from small and unplugged, to large and elegant, “said Boitano.

The kitchen design was inspired by the Italian countryside and has the air of an ageless, rustic Tuscan village; it is highlighted by the range hood wall that is covered in handmade lacquered Fireclay wall tiles. “I wanted an open floor plan with the option to close off the space for charity functions and events. I eventually found huge pocket doors to separate the dining room from the kitchen,” said Boitano.

Boitano sought out appliances that would replicate the power and performance of restaurant equipment so he could entertain like a pro at home and, at the same time, fit his personal design aesthetic. His new kitchen is outfitted with BlueStar® appliances, including a range, salamander broiler, ventilation hood and a refrigerator that he custom designed to suit his performance and design needs.

The BlueStar® honey yellow 48” Platinum range offers unsurpassed power and performance featuring industry-leading 25,000 BTU open burners, an innovative interchangeable griddle/charbroiler and a true European Convection PowR Oven™. Boitano loves the powerful cooktop with even, open burners, and, he said, “I really love the industrial lines, the black grates and the contrasting beautiful yellow color. It’s like a piece of art.”

He particularly is excited about the Salamander Broiler so he can get a crisp exterior on steaks. The Salamander adds a special layer of commercial quality with a four-position, adjustable grilling rack and two independently controlled 11,000 BTU infrared ceramic burners which deliver perfect results, from Boitano’s crispy chicken to delicately broiled crab cakes.

Boitano’s kitchen suite is completed by the 36” Built-in Refrigerator in Agate Grey to match perfectly with his cabinets. Boitano opted to match his cabinets to the refrigerator color selected for a seamless look. Boitano had a deep palette from which to select: BlueStar® is the only pro-style appliance brand to offer virtually unlimited options for personalization, including more than 750 colors and trims, as well custom colors. While mixing colors on appliances previously did not enter into the design plans, BlueStar’s unique ability to precisely match any color was an unexpected, yet perfect solution and allowed Boitano to design a truly bespoke kitchen. “It’s a great combination of grey with this extraordinary yellow. The appliances are definitely my favorite elements of the kitchen.”

The BlueStar® Built-In Refrigerator features a dual compressor system – one for the fridge and another for the freezer – for optimum food preservation and advanced odor control. It is perfectly designed to fit extra-large pans prepped with pastries or hors d’oeuvres that can go straight from the refrigerator or freezer into an oversized BlueStar® oven, another brand hallmark. When special occasions come around, the shelves are fully flexible to handle large food trays or oversized cakes.

“I never had the space to store over-sized pans before. For instance, I could not stockpile polenta bites and cool them to cut and now I can. It all boils down to sheet pans and baking dishes for me. So whether entertaining or preparing things ahead of time, I now have ample storage, from cooling to freezing,” he said.

“Proper ventilation is also important,” said Boitano. Boitano’s kitchen features a custom BlueStar® Hood Liner with a remote blower. “My prior kitchen had no vent hood. It would get smoky in the kitchen, and we would have to open all the windows. I wanted a hood that would literally suck the smoke out of the kitchen, and the BlueStar liner, with its powerful 600 CFM blower, does just that.”

Designed and built in Pennsylvania since 1880, BlueStar® cooking, refrigeration and ventilation products are handcrafted for discerning home chefs who demand restaurant-quality results in their own kitchens. The award-winning line includes high-performance gas ranges, cooktops, electric and gas wall ovens, complementary kitchen ventilation hoods, induction cooktops and premium refrigeration. For more information, please visit www.bluestarcooking.com.