Whether whisper-quiet fans, spacious ovens, air- cleaning catalysts, intelligent cooker controls or air extractor systems – if you are interested in technology-based innovation and design in the kitchen, you cannot ignore Gaggenau. The high-end suppliers from Baden transfer the standards of restaurant- grade kitchens to the modern home. Take, for instance, cooktop zones: they have almost turned the kitchen road map into a philosophy, realizing that timing and organization are crucial to sophisticated cooking. The firm originally grew out of Eisenwerke Gaggenau, which in Imperial Germany built traditional enamelled steel oven housings and later went on to make bicycles. The new business came to specialize in ovens and ranges, like the energy- saving “ Sparherde”, a series from the late 1920s that expressed the latest functional style of the times. But it was not until the 1960s that Gaggenau really went stylish, mutating into a design-led company. The order of the day was technicism, as defined by Braun, and timelessness. This approach has fitted in well with the principle of anonymity, something Gaggenau has adhered to ever since. The company refuses to indulge in designer hype, even though the roster includes stars like freelancer Jacob Jensen (a long-time collaborator with the Danish cult phono brand Bang & Olufsen), who has lent the finishing touches to the styling of many appliances. Yet one can hardly miss the Dane’s preference for smooth surfaces and flush jointing. Gaggenau is a brand with genuine design and technology credentials, uncompromising in its application of quality standards to home kitchen systems. The figures tell their own story. Gaggenau employs over 550 people worldwide and is represented in some fifty countries. Sales in 2004 reached around 130 million euros, with the German market contributing 32 million. The pursuit of design excellence has earned the company numerous awards. The program now comprises ovens, combi-steam ovens, electric and gas cooktops, ventilation systems, dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers and microwaves. In 1995 Gaggenau became a subsidiary of BSH Bosch and Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH, Munich. The brand’s original premises now serve as Gaggenau’s training centre and exhibition space, including a large cooking workshop. People come here from all over the world: Gaggenau clients, consumers and staff.