If you’re a regular reader of eMercedesBenz, you already know that I’m in love with Capital Cooking’s incredibly great Culinarian Series of ranges (and if you’re not a regular reader of eMercedesBenz, you can check out my original review of the Capital Culinarian here to see exactly what I’m talking about). Simply put, it’s the best professional home range on the planet, offering more power and more precise temperature control than any other range on the market.
There is, however, one caveat to the Capital Culinarian: if you’re dead set on having a dual fuel range (i.e., a gas cooktop with electric oven/ovens), you were, up until now, out of luck. At present, Capital’s Culinarian is only available as a single fuel model, as is the case with their sealed burner Precision Series of ranges.
For me, it’s not an issue, as my kitchen design includes the 60″ Culinarian range with gas ovens as well as separate dual electric ovens (thus offering the best of both worlds). But for those of you wanting an integrated electric oven(s) directly with your Capital’s gas cooktop, your wish will soon be granted, as Capital recently debuted their latest innovation at the Architectural Digest Home Design Show: the Connoisseurian Series.
Building on the success of both the Culinarian and Precision Series, the Connoisseurian Series is the first Capital Series to offer dual fuel functionality. Available in either an open burner configuration (like the Culinarian Series) or a sealed burner configuration (like the Precision Series), the Connoisseurian adds in newly designed electric ovens in 30″, 36″, 48″ and 60″ sizes. Not only are they larger than other electric ovens, ranking them among the highest in terms of usable space when compared to other dual fuel ranges, they also feature Capital’s unique rotisserie and MoistRoast systems, ensuring optimum cooking for a wide assortment of meats and baked goods.
As someone that’s extensively used the Culinarian Series’ rotisseries system firsthand, I can tell you that it’s an innovation you’ll wonder how you ever lived without. It adds such a unique element to in-home cooking, as it allows you to perfectly prepare meat in a way that only a rotisserie can. I have no doubt that the Connoisseurian Series’ rotisserie and MoistRoast systems work equally as well.
While the Capital Connoisseurian Series is at present a prototype, I spoke with Capital and they said it will be coming to the market very soon. While you’re waiting, I’ve attached the official details of the Capital Connoisseurian Series below, all of which serve to better highlight exactly what to expect when the Capital Connoisseurian Series goes on sale.
Capital Connoisseurian Series prototype on display at Architectural Digest Home Design Show 2012
Surjit Kalsi, chairman of Capital Cooking Equipment Inc., prides himself on listening and responding to his customers. Capital customers, distributors and its dealer network began asking for a dual fuel range last year after the successful launch of the open burner Culinarian range. This spring, the company debuted its extensive dual fuel cooking series at the Architectural Digest Home Design Show. The new dual fuel Connoisseurian Series incorporates the best technology from both its electric ovens and gas ranges, offering both open and sealed burner versions, all self clean in 30″, 36″, 48″ and 60″ configurations.
“The Connoisseurian definitely fills out our product line,” states Joey Kitabayashi, Vice President of Engineering at Capital. “We’ve been known for all-gas ranges but dual fuel is also a popular choice in the marketplace. We’ve worked to take the best attributes of our built-in electric wall ovens and match that with styles of gas cooktops that we have had great success with. Our dealers are excited to offer a Capital product in dual fuel that contains so many other Capital features that customers appreciate such as moist cooking and rotisserie.”
Capital has made important advancements with the new Connoisseurian line-up. The oven sizes have been increased, ranking Connoisseurian ovens amongst the top usable capacity of all dual fuel ranges on the market. All primary ovens have Capital’s exclusive MoistRoast cooking feature that uses moisture, not steam, to produce perfect, moist roasting and baking, and also features Capital’s popular motorized rotisserie system. The secondary ovens in the 48″ and 60″ sizes are fully functioning with bake, broil, convection, roast and self clean. And for safety, the engineering staff tested the external temperature of a fully operational baking oven and found it to be up to 30°F cooler-to-the-touch than many competitive models.
Another important feature doesn’t involve cooking, but listening. Capital engineers incorporated a two-speed cooling fan system in the oven. The high, noisier speed is only triggered when the oven is at extreme high temperatures over a long period of time, such as operating the self cleaning mode. What is considered “normal” oven use, i.e. temperatures under 400°F for under two hours triggers only the low speed cooling fan that is very quiet and not noticeable in a busy kitchen environment.
Offering both open burner and sealed burner system options in the Connoisseurian line will appeal to all cooking styles and preferences. The open burner system developed for Capital’s Culinarian line is ideal for the home chef looking for restaurant power and advanced cooking functionality made possible by the open flame. The sealed burner system that Capital uses in its Precision Series is the most common gas cooktop system where the flame is controlled by burner caps of different sizes. Customers can choose which style of Connoisseurian is appropriate for their own lifestyle.
CONNOISSEURIAN SERIES FEATURES
Color Options
- Available in 10 standard colors (door and kick plate). Custom colors can also be ordered.
PRIMARY ovens have:
- MOISTROAST – Moisture-based cooking function preventing food from drying out when cooking
- ROTISSERIE – Built-in, motorized
ALL ovens have the following features:
- BAKE, BROIL, ROAST, DELICATE BAKE
- SELF CLEAN
- MEAT PROBE cooking
- Convection Fan cooking for BAKE, BROIL, ROAST
- Hidden Bake Element under glass
- Ribbon Broil Element under glass
- Dual Kitchen Timers (5 seconds to 11 hour 55 minutes)
- TIMED COOK – You can set the oven to turn itself OFF after a set amount of time
- DELAY COOK – You can set the oven to start cooking at a set time of day
- Clock – Displays the time of day when range is not in use
- Dual Halogen lights in each oven
- FlexRoll Racking system
- Sabbath mode
CONNOISSEURIAN SERIES SIZING
30″ Oven size:
- 25-1/8″ Wide X 16-1/2″ High X 21″ Deep (19″ usable)
- Overall capacity – 5.0 cubic feet; Usable capacity = 4.56 cubic feet
36″, 48″ & 60″ Primary Oven Size:
- 27″ Wide X 16-1/2″ High X 21″ Deep (19″ Usable)
- Overall Capacity – 5.4 cubic feet; Usable Capacity = 4.88 cubic feet
48″ Secondary Oven Size:
- 12″ Wide X 16-1/2″ High X 21″ Deep (19″ Usable)
- Overall Capacity – 2.4 cubic feet; Usable Capacity = 2.18 cubic feet
60″ Secondary Oven Size:
- 18″ Wide X 16-1/2″ High X 21″ Deep (19″ Usable)
- Overall Capacity – 3.6 cubic feet; Usable Capacity = 3.27 cubic feet
