Cookware Icon Stanley Cheng Unveils Expansion Plans With Hestan Commercial

Bay Area entrepreneur Stanley Cheng has announced plans to produce Hestan Commercial, a new line of premium commercial kitchen appliances designed with input from some of the world’s top chefs. The line is set to debut in February 2015 targeting professional cooks and the restaurant industry, with a residential line expected to follow thereafter. Cheng founded Meyer Corporation, the largest cookware manufacturer in the U.S., with iconic brands including Anolon®, Circulon® and Farberware®.

Just as Cheng revolutionized the world of cookware, Hestan Commercial is set to do the same for the commercial kitchen. The entire stainless steel line is “purpose-built,” in response to the challenges that chefs experience on a daily basis, including performance, cleanability/maintenance, energy use and durability. Functionality and aesthetics are top-of-mind, and the pieces were initially designed with input from some of the country’s top luminaries, including Chefs Timothy Hollingsworth, Walter Manzke, Corey Lee, Rory Herrmann, Marcus Ware and Amar Santana, to name a few.

Hollingsworth, Executive Chef/Owner of Barrel and Ashes, says, “It’s so great to be able to collaborate with a company that is both interested and invested in a chef’s perspective on functionality and usability.”

Manzke, Chef/Owner of Republique in Los Angeles, affirms, “The new Hestan French Top overcomes the issues I had with American French Tops. The center gets much hotter and the temperature range is much greater – and much more functional.”

Made entirely in the USA, Hestan Commercial is available in twelve different exclusive color finishes and customizable Marquise accents. The lineup includes freestanding ranges with sealed burners, island suites, lineups, countertop equipment, convection ovens, griddles, char broilers, French tops, hot tops, planchas, salamanders, cheesemelters, fryers, pasta cookers, and refrigerated bases.

“The culinary world is the heart of our company culture,” states Cheng. “It was a natural progression for us to dive into commercial appliance production as the next step in our growth. Our main goal is for chefs to view us as a partner in their success—that they can enjoy and depend on our products on a daily basis for many years to come.”