Thermador Empowers Home Cooking Enthusiasts

March 23, 2006 - A long-standing favorite of home cooking enthusiasts and professional chefs, Thermador® is proud to become the exclusive major appliance sponsor of public television's most popular cooking show, America's Test Kitchen for its 2006 and 2007 seasons. The national series, known for demonstrating the secrets of good home cooking, is filmed in the test kitchen of Cook's Illustrated magazine just outside of Boston and hosted by the renowned magazine founder Christopher Kimball. Outfitted with three Thermador SE-Series double wall ovens, a Professional® Series cooktop with 6-Star® Burners and a stainless steel bottom-mount built-in refrigerator, the kitchen demonstrates to America's Test Kitchen's 2.9 million viewers per episode how Thermador's state-of-the-art cooking features deliver exquisite results.

"The use of Thermador products in the America's Test Kitchen working kitchen is a testament to our continued tradition of creating advanced cooking products that meet the needs of culinary enthusiasts throughout the United States," said Beatriz Sandoval, brand manager. "With Thermador wall oven advancements like a triple convection element and our award-winning Professional Series cooktop technology like the exclusive three-in-one Star® Burner, Thermador offers the power and precise temperatures that cooking professionals and home cooks require."

The partnership between Thermador and America's Test Kitchen will result in several upcoming joint projects including: Thermador being featured in the America's Test Kitchen 2006 and 2007 seasons' companion cookbook; the creation and design of a custom kitchen mini-magazine; and a sweepstakes contest. In addition, a test kitchen tour featuring images and details of the Thermador appliances can be found on the America's Test Kitchen Web site, www.americastestkitchen.com.

America's Test Kitchen began airing its 26-episode 2006 season on PBS stations nationwide, January 7. Program times can be found by checking local television listings.

"Our public television show, America's Test Kitchen, would not be possible without the generous support of underwriters such as Thermador," said Kimball. "We use their range, ovens, and refrigerators in the test kitchen year round and are proud to partner with them on public television's most popular cooking show."

Thermador products featured on America’s Test Kitchen include:

• Thermador 30" SE-Series Double Oven offers the industry- exclusive Personal Culinary Assistant™, which lets users see and operate all cooking modes with single touch programming of the scrolling Sens-a-Touch™ 16-digit alphanumeric display. The ovens also feature a sophisticated convection system that uses a powerful 2,750-watt third element working in conjunction with top and bottom elements to ensure even heat distribution in multiple cooking modes. This system allows for multi-rack cooking, so an entire meal can be prepared at once with even heating and without the transfer of food flavors. The ovens also feature CookControl™ precision temperature-controlled meat probe and, at 4.9 cubic feet, offer the largest capacity on the market. The three SE-Series double ovens with their stainless exterior, flat-front styling and Professional Series handles line the wall of America's Test Kitchen and are visible in every episode.

• Thermador's 36" Professional® Series Six-Burner Cooktop, with its stunning True Blue colored knobs, helps America's Test Kitchen cooks get their meals camera-ready. It's loaded with advanced features for a higher standard of performance, including the legendary Star® Burners. The triple advantages of the Star® Burners include 15,000 BTUs for fast boiling and high performance; unique brass five-point, star-shaped burners provide more even and powerful heat distribution; and the patented ExtraLow® simmer, which electronically cycles the flame on and off for precise simmer control for melting chocolate or keeping delicate sauces warm without scorching.

• Thermador's 36" Stainless Steel Bottom-Mount Refrigerator completes the kitchen suite of state-of-the-art luxury kitchen appliances, Thermador's bold yet Powerfully Quiet™ built-in refrigeration line includes a stainless steel front, a stylish exterior grille, tempered glass shelves and brushed aluminum rails to create a dramatic yet elegant look. Unlike anything on the market today, the signature interior shelving units in all Thermador refrigerators have a sleek adjustable, frameless design to offer maximum storage capacity.

About America's Test Kitchen

America's Test Kitchen television series debuted on public television in January 2001, and is currently the most-watched cooking show on public television. The show is filmed in a 2,500- square-foot kitchen outside of Boston, which is also home to Cook's Illustrated and Cook's Country magazines. Hosted by Founder and Editor Christopher Kimball, each episode features an ensemble cast of test cooks, food scientists and editors as they explore home cooking and the techniques and details that make viewers better cooks. America's Test Kitchen is filmed by A La Carte Communications, and is distributed by American Public Television. For more information, please visit www.thermador.com or call 800.656.9226 to request a catalog.

SOURCE Thermador