About the Chef
Figure Skating legend Brian Boitano, has had a long career of accolades both on and off the ice, including Gold Medalist, Emmy Award Winner, Best Selling Author, and Youth Skate Founder. An avid entertainer, Boitano is known as an amazing host. His adventures skating abroad fueled his passion for cooking and a belief that great food is a key part of any gathering. Brian has put his own spin on irresistible, accessible dishes 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. 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.
Why did you select BlueStar®?
We entertain a lot, and the kitchen has always been the nucleus of our home. 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.
We sought out appliances that would enable us to entertain like a pro, plus fit our personal design aesthetic. The new kitchen is stocked with the best of BlueStar®, including a range, salamander, hood and refrigerator.
What influenced your color choices?
The kitchen design was inspired by the Italian countryside and has the air of an ageless, rustic Tuscan village. The BlueStar® honey yellow (RAL #1005) Platinum range was picked to accent the backsplash tile. The range hood is covered in handmade lacquered Fireclay wall tiles. And for the refrigerator we picked agate gray (RAL 7038), and the cabinet maker actually matched the cabinet color to the refrigerator, so its a perfectly seamless look.
Which are your favorite features of the equipment?
There’s a lot. I really love the industrial lines, the black grates and the contrasting beautiful yellow color of the range. It’s like a piece of art. The salamander is perfect for everything from steaks to delicately broiled crab cakes. My prior kitchen had no vent hood and 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 does just that. The refrigerator is incredible! It fits so much, and the interior is just stunning, the lights and stainless steel interior make it so easy to see everything.
How has party prep become easier?
I never had the space to cook with and 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, and right into my huge ovens for cooking.