Ever since SieMatic pioneered and introduced the handle-free kitchen in 1960, there has been a steady progression of design excellence and function optimization. At the outset, it may have been more about convenience and kitchen work flow; creating a working environment in the kitchen that allowed one to open cabinets and drawers, and make use of counter tops, while holding pots and pans with one’s two hands. But as COVID struck last year, with the health and safety considerations一the minimizing of touching surfaces became even more important, and the handle-free concept was a veritable godsend.

With the new 2021 PURE SLX collection, SieMatic has upped the game, ushering a new era of what handle-free can mean. While other manufacturers and competitors may have their own handle-free versions, they all pale in comparison to what SieMatic has developed. 

First, the SLX would make industrial engineers, with their time-motion studies, ecstatic. Then, with its minimalist design philosophy, those who talk about aesthetics will be waxing rhapsodic about the clean and disappearing lines of the SLX offerings. It’s truly a marvel that SieMatic can be extra proud of.

To bring home just how ideal this SieMatic SLX marriage of design and function can be, Focus Global, the representative of SieMatic here in the Philippines, tapped Chef Chele González to create a special menu that would mirror the undeniably impressive qualities of the SLX collection. The Gallery of Chele more than rose to the task.

The weightlessness of drawers and pull-outs of SLX, that create a floating effect, was represented by a light and airy Foie Gras dish. The SLX island countertop is marked by a solid thinness and complemented by illumination from underneath一all giving the illusion of being suspended and weightless.

Light in the SLX series helps emphasize the balanced proportions and sleek lines. One can even opt for a more dramatic feel at night, or go brighter for a livelier mood. As for Chele, he offered two versions of a Grilled Tenderloin dish to replicate how light alone can offer up two very different experiences.

Feel in the SLX is the recessed grip, a study in aesthetics and ergonomics, and Chele’s chocolate bonbons mirrored this ribbed design to perfection, with the caramel filling inspired by the golden color of this SLX kitchen element.

Transparency in the SLX can be represented by the transparent doors and panels, the minimal frames一how the glass cabinets seamlessly link the kitchen to the living room. Chef Chele reimagined this via his Apple Tart with Caramelized Apples, Hazelnut, and Cinnamon Custard.

Leave it to Focus Global and SieMatic to convert their kitchen of minimalism and sophistication to a gastronomic experience一something I’m sure all the attendees of the virtual launch were extremely happy about. To experience SLX in person, visit the SieMatic Manila showrooms, or arrange for a virtual design consultation on SieMatic-Philippines.com/contact-us.