About the Chef
Wylie Dufresne is a Rhode Island native that started in the food industry running his great-grandfather’s diner. He has had a decorated culinary career since then winning a James Beard award, Michelin star, and becoming a leading American proponent of molecular gastronomy, the movement to incorporate science into food presentation and preparation. Best known for his ingenious creations at renowned wd~50 and Alder, Chef Dufresnse now leads the popular Du’s Donuts where he applies his imagination and inventive techniques to crafting the most amazing donuts. This latest venture makes his favorite customers, his two daughters, exceptionally happy – and also a favorite at school career day.
Why did you select BlueStar®?
We purchased my childhood home in Manhattan several years ago, but it needed everything. We went right down to the sub-flooring and started to build back up again. For our family and the layout of the home the open kitchen was critical to get right. We knew we would be spending the majority of our time there.
I’ve cooked in a lot of restaurant kitchens and BlueStar is just like what I have cooked on at work. Commercial Grade is my favorite term. I like things that are well built and thoughtfully built and can take a beating in a good way. I like things that can be used. We put our kitchen through its paces and wanted equipment that could come along for the ride with us. We’ve made good choices with BlueStar.
Which are your favorite features of the range?
We love the 24” griddle (link to RNB484G). I used to find a lot of inefficiency with all burners; you are limited to a certain number of pots/pans. I come from commercial French-style kitchens, so I use the griddle interchangeably as a cooking surface, and also as a French top. Sometimes we are making grilled chesses, pancakes or Paninis directly on it, sometimes I am using it to keep pots warm.
My wife and two girls love to bake so they are always using the two ovens. Baking is a good gateway to the kitchen to teach children, so they love to make cakes, cookies, and muffins. The heat is super even, especially for using such large cookies sheets or tins. With two ovens we can easily have a roasted chicken with sides in one and cupcakes in the other. We customized the range with a swing door on the small oven to make it easier to access.
Did I mention the high burners? They boil water so fast.
We also choose a really high backguard. It’s easy to clean the stainless steel, and we keep some of our go-to kitchen tools on the shelf for quick access. You always want to try and minimize how far you have to go in your kitchen to get something.
What is unique about your BlueStar® hood?
We were unfortunately a little limited on type of ventilation, our building did not allow us to vent to the outside. Luckily BlueStar has a recirculating option which allowed us to have pro style ventilation within our buildings specifications. It was a perfect solution since the right hood is really important when you have a range with so much power.
You had a clean slate in terms of layout what was important in the kitchen remodel?
Layout was very important to us. The space is completely open between the family room and dining room. We wanted to maximize every inch, which included a 48” RNB range and 48” Incline hood. You can never have too much counter space, so a large island was critical. Besides great cooking appliances, start with a sink larger than you need, and have lots of electrical and dedicated outlets for smaller appliances.
