Page 14 - Designing Ways 271

KSA

KSA update,

October 2024

Cooking on stone - all you

need to know about
pit and integrated
induction cooking

f someone had told you a few years
ago that you could have a gas burner
Icoming directly out of your stone
countertop or could cook directly on
the stone through induction technology,
you would have laughed hysterically, but
today it is a reality. While the technology
is very new in South Africa and not all
fabricators and suppliers are on board
with it, it is available and for top range
luxury kitchens it is becoming a sought-
after trend. It is vital that industry brands of cooking systems are authorised a magnetic relationship with the particles
professionals know the dos and don’ts by the supplier, do not deviate from this. in the base of the pan causing them to
about this new trend before they specify Secondly, you must use a fabricator who vibrate and create heat very similar to
it in a design. is experienced and trained in cutting and the way a magnetron in a microwave
The most important thing to know preparing the stone for the burners and works. Your control mechanism for the
if that you must be sure you are using a induction plates. hob can be positioned on the countertop
material that advocates its use for this Induction cooking is growing in or controlled through an app on your
style of cooking. Not all stone products popularity in South Africa as it is energy phone - depending on the model and
are suited to pit and integrated induction efficient and safe. Advancements in the make of the plates and your personal
cooking, and some only approve of its use technology have made it possible for preference and the supplier’s guidelines.
with specific brands of cooking systems induction plates to be fitted underneath A big benefit to this style of cooking is
that they have tried and tested. It is your countertop, completely hidden ease of cleaning. The surfacing material
vital that the material supplier actively from view. When your induction capable need only be wiped down as usual and
promotes their material for this purpose cookware is placed directly above the with induction there is no need to wait for
and that using it in this manner will induction plate on the worksurface it will the stone to cool before doing this because
not affect the guarantee. If only specific heat up. Induction plates work by creating as soon as your cookware is removed
from the area there will no longer be any
significant heat.
This form of stone cooking is suitable
for use with porcelain or sintered / ultra-
compact surfacing, granite, marble,
and ceramic surfaces. It is, however,
not recommended for quartz surfacing.
When it comes to installation it is vital
that the material and any substrate is
fully supported, leaving no gaps between
countertop and cupboards, and all must
be absolutely flat or level. The same
applies to the induction base plate being
placed under the stone surface.
For pit cooking the fabricator and
kitchen designer work hand in hand on
the countertop design, ensuring there is
a void for the technical components of
the gas hob to be placed under the stone
blu line

14 Issue 271 • dw