The Convenient Gourmet

The Convenient Gourmet
by naroth murali

Abstract
HeatStik is a handheld tool for the culinary enthusiast at
home. It works on the principles of air convection and heat to
aid the cook in creating gourmet foods with greater flexibility.
The culinary world is expanding rapidly, with chefs constantly pushing
boundaries in the kitchen. Cooking is, after all, as much a sciece
as it is an art. The understanding of how food can be made and manipulated
comes from an understanding of the scientific principles of
how organic matter responds to cooking techniques in the kitchen.
Heatstik capitalizes on these techniques and scientific principles to
help chefs manipulate ingredients in ways that were not possible
before. It also serves as an energy efficient way to cook smaller portions
at home, compared to other appliances on the market.

Contents
1. Introduction
2. Design Process
8. Concept Generation
i. first proposals
ii. ergonomics
3. Background Studies
i. a brief history of cooking
ii. the modernist cuisine
iii. tools of the trade
9. Attachments
i. directed nozzle
ii. diffuser
iii. baking module
4. TrendSpotting
i. market matrice
ii. the convenient gourmet
iii. case studies
iv. what chefs and food writers really want
10. Concept Refinement
i. safety and heat resistance
ii. form finding
iii. detailing
iv. final renders
5. Design Opportunities
i. DIY heat gun applications
6. Design Brief
7. Testing the Heat Gun
i. pragmatic analysis
ii. working model
iii. initial experimentation
iv. blow dough
v. evaluating appliances

01
Introduction
Often times we are asked the question; do you eat to live or
live to eat? It is a question that prompts an answer as to how
we prioritize food in our lives. Some view it as sustenance,
without which we will perish, and others view it as a way of
living and an artform. To me good food is as important to me
as having perfect vision; it has become a neccessity born out
of a love for eating.
It all started with my journey overseas to Atlanta, during my
exchange trip. Faced with the prospect of fending for myself
independently and living in a house with roommates, I tried
my hand at cooking and soon developed not just a knack for
it, but a burgeoning interest and passion for it. What started
out as a means of keeping a lid on my budget and fulfilling my
daily nutrition, soon spiralled into frequent grocery trips and
watching cooking videos on my laptop whilst I experimented
at my helm; the stove.
It was with much surprise that I observed, that most of my
counterparts did not express the same kind of enthusiasm for
cooking that I did. Not even on a practical level, which I had
come to accept sometimes, were they as willing to cook for
themselves as they were willing to settle for a pizza takeaway.
And it was upon introspection that I realized how it was the
same way back home for me, when sheer laziness and a fear
of failure trumps the will to cook.
It is my hope that with this project, I might be able to inspire
other foodies to start creating with their own hands, foods
that they love and are inspired to share.
01 02

02
Design Process
This design process was made not as a problem solving approach,
but from an exploratory nature. The theme was food
and cooking, and as such I had to research the broad culinary
field to search for an opportunity for design, before being
able to apply the principles of design to resolve my proposal.
03 04

03
Background Studies
Background studies were necessary for me to understand
the broad context of food, and to help me get an idea of the
type of design I could contribute to the field.
05 06

3.1
A Brief History of Cooking
Cooking goes back as far as a million years, to the earliest
hunter-gatherers who used the most basic forms of fire to
heat their food. It served as a way to make meat more tender
and sterilize foods; early tribesmen in Colombia learned
to remove cyanide from Cassava, a type of tuber (Essers,
1995). Fermentation of grains led to alcohol, and techniques
of salting and drying led to preservation of foods.
These early forms of processing raw food or fruits from the
wild eventually evolved once agriculture became a staple in
civilizations, and people started to seek new tastes and add
variety to their palates. The ancient Egyptians were also the
first to force feed domesticated geese to create what we
now call foie gras.
The art form of cooking only really started to develop in the
halls of royalty and aristocrats, where chefs were employed
full-time to serve their masters with the finest food and
drink, be it for Napolean the Great or in the Imperial courts
of the Chinese dynasties. Countries with a long history of
a large and stable aristocracy or ruling class developed the
most complex, highly refined, and elaborate cuisines (Bilet,
2011), some of which have perserved for hundreds of years,
and from which we cook derivatives of in the present.
07 08

3.2
The Modernist Cuisine
Emulsions
The modernist cuisine has evolved from many years of
experimentation in the kitchen, as well as challenging the
current mode of thinking, very much like how the Nouvelle
revolution broke boundaries of the established French
cuisine in the 1920s.
It has its roots grounded in cooking that “upends culinary
conventions” (Bilet, 2011) and is still young and in motion,
being endorsed by individual chefs rather than a committee
or conglomerate of chefs.
Emulsions are a combination of water based and oil/fat based molecules that have been
mixed very finely to create a stable viscous liquid. Since the droplets need to be mixed very
finely, specialized equipment like centrifuges or high powered blenders called homogenizers
are utilized to create them.
Foams
Modernist style establishements seek to break convention
through radicalizing the way ingredients are patronized and
cooked, often utilizing highly scientific methods of producing
different textures and tastes. Recipes are made through
intense experimentation in the kitchen, sometimes using
highly specialized laboratory equipment to create a particular
flavour or texture.
Foams are formed when air is introduced to a liquid to create a stable structure. They are
created traditionally with whisks (eg. meringue) but in the modernist method can be made
with the ISI whip, that carbonates any liquid that you put into it.
Gels
Modernist gelling techniques employ the use of chemicals like gelatin, agar and pectin,
which can turn a liquid into a solid form when molecules interact with one another to create
a stable three-dimensional network.
09 10

3.3
Tools of the Trade
1 2 3 4
Food is the material that chefs manipulate to bring forth
their interpretation of taste. For that, they require instruments
that can allow them to do so. The tools of the modern
trade have become more sophisticated and flexible, allowing
one to perform various tasks on ingredients at a far more efficient
manner than what was possible before, manipulating
taste, texture and other sensory aesthetics.
Pots, pans, stoves and most common kitchen utensils have
been around for a long time. Even grills, woks, ovens and microwaves
(which have been around for more than 40 years
to be exact). The functionality of these classic utensils will
never really be replaced because of their importance in the
kitchen landscape in cooking the staple meals that we have
all become accustomed to.
The diagram on the right page shows items from the “nofrills
kitchen” (Bittman, 2007) that one can get by with to
make most dishes. Interestingly enough, almost 6 years on
from when the article was written, these items are still very
much in vogue in most households.
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instant read thermometer
stainless steel tongs
standing grater
mandoline
chef’s knife
paring knife
bread knife
large whisk
cooking bowl
steep sided steel pot
aluminium frying pan
baking sheet pan
cutting board
food processor
can opener
fruit/vegetable peeler
rubber spatula
11 12

04
Trendspotting
The use of trendspotting in this thesis is to spot patterns and
emerging products that exist, be it containers, dispensers,
utensils, appliances, single-function gadgets or redesigns of
previous cookware.
It serves as a useful way to seek out fertile opportunities for
design, and to understand why people are purchasing these
products.
I then plotted a market matrice against the backdrop of convenience
vs gourmet, the two trends that I feel make up the
bulk of the consumer culinary market.
After making a list of the most successful items I found and
tabulated their attributes, I moved on to identifying and
explaining some of the trends I found.
13 14

List of Successful Appliances
Sous Vide Cooker that attaches to any
pot at home
prosumer home
cook
$300 Automatic milk frother to create perfect
average
$150
lattes
consumer
Electric device that uses hot convecting
air to fry food with less oil
average
consumer
$400 Cold brew drip coffee maker
prosumer home $75
cook
Handheld broiler attachment for blow
torch
prosumer home
cook
$150 Portable espresso maker, using manual on the go
$150
pumping to filter coffee (non-electric) afficionado
Automatic stirrer that attaches to any
open pot, to stir contents for even heat
distribution
average
consumer
$60 Automatic home beer brewing machine prosumer home $1600
cook
Dispenser that utilizes NO2 to create
gourmet foams
prosumer home
cook
$100 Portable keg for transporting craft beer on the go
$100
and dispensing it
afficionado
Automatic wrap maker, just add ingredients
(flatbread)
average
consumer
$600 Induction kettle stick that is usable average
$120
with any sized/material receptacle consumer
Automatic noodle/pasta maker, just
add ingredients
average
consumer
$240 Home carbonation device for any average
$100
beverage
consumer
17 18

4.1
The Convenient Gourmet
Commercial to Consumer
The top left hand quadrant of the market matrix was interesting
to me, as it represented a fertile ground for further
research and a possible design opportunity.
It represented the market of cooking appliances that could
perform faster than their industrial counterparts, whilst still
retaining the idea of a ‘gourmet’ application.
This theme of the “convenient gourmet” would be useful
at the start of my design process to ground my ideas and
possible outcomes.
Alot of the more successful products on the market come
from redesigning commercial applications to the consumer
market. Commercial machines are efficient, functional and
powerful (eg. deep fryer). But they lack ergonomic design
and other user considerations that will make them useful in
the consumer household.
Successful products not only manage to miniaturize the
technology and application to the consumer level, but also
manage to do so whilst fitting well with the user behaviours
and contexts.
Some products go a step further, in coming from an industrial
use, to commercial use, and then to home/consumer
usage, like the Searzall.
The following pages feature case studies of successful commercial
to consumer products and what makes them appeal
to the market.
INDUSTRIAL
Welding (Construction)
COMMERCIAL
Searing (Restaurant)
CONSUMER
Broiling (Household)
19 20

4.3
Case Study 1: The Aerocinno
The traditional steam wand uses a
high-powered nozzle to atomize superheated
steam and force it through milk,
creating the thick luscious foam we enjoy
in lattes.
The Aeroccino is a milk frother that creates microfoam at a
much faster and efficient manner than the traditional steam
wand.
Steam wands are attachments on espresso machines, making
use of the same pressure output used to pull espresso shots,
to steam milk. They are expensive and bulky devices reserved
for the use in cafes.
The Aerocinno however works with just a push of a button,
activating a preset temperature and frother attachment that
spins at high speed, to recreate the texture of latte at home.
It is a prime example of ultra convenience in an appliance, with
just a single function but executed very efficiently.
Positives
Much smaller form factor to serve individual portions
Faster and more efficient than traditional steam wand
Lower upkeep and maintenance than complex steam wand
Simple execution
The Aeroccino by Nespresso manages to cut the time of creating
‘microfoam’ by almost half, and does so through the high-powered
rotator seen below. Combined with a heating element, this
ultra-convenient appliance stands out for being able to match,
and in some blind tests even surpass the quality of high end steam
wands from professional systems.
21 22

4.4
Case Study 2: Sous Vide
The difference between a sous vide cooked
steak cooked over 4 hours (left) and traditional
pan fried steak (right) is stark;
this cooking technique allows food to be
cooked from edge to edge with perfection.
Sous vide, which means ‘under vacuum’ in French, is a technique
of cooking that uses precise temperature water baths to cook
food packed in vacuum bags. It was first adopted by Georges
Pralus in 1974 for the Restaurant Troisgros in France, and
moved on to haute cuisine restaurants that use this technique
for complex dishes to arrive at a very specific taste and texture.
Recently however, the technology has trickled down to the
consumer level by passionate individuals who have designed
smaller versions on crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter
and Indiegogo. The Nomiku is such an example.
Targeted at prosumers when it was launched in 2013,
it made headway in the culinary appliance market for
being a much cheaper and compact version of the industrial
sous vide cookers that existed. In a sense, it was
a democratizing of the sous vide technique that lead to
its success on the market, and the realization that consumers
could make restaurant quality dishes at home.
Positives
Ability to replicate restaurant quality food at home
Small form factor than traditional water bath for ease of
storage
Able to clip onto existing pots at home
Flexibility of usage with a wide variety of food types
Negatives
Requires time and patience to learn how to utilize it well
The Nomiku circulates water around the
vessel using a small motor, and keeps it
at a precise temperature the user sets
it to. Its compact design makes it a very
practical appliance in the kitchen.
23 24

4.5
Case Study 3: Searzall
The Searzall has very recently received alot of attention from
the culinary field as it was successfully funded on Kickstarter,
and exists as an evolution of the traditional blow torch used
for searing techniques.
It acts as a shield for the direct flame to combust upon, and
uses the principle of radiation from a glowing body to heat the
food, rather than conduction of the naked flame in standard
blow torches.
The Searzall’s biggest use case is for searing large
steaks that are either raw, or cooked ‘sous vide’,
to develop a brown, even charred crust for surface
texture. It reaches temperatures in excess of 800°C.
Positives
Handheld and portable
Controlled heat that gives chefs room to execute more delicate
searing techniques
Uses radiation vs conduction to heat food offering more control
Negatives
Works only with Bernzomatic brand torch heads
Uses propane or MAPP gas canisters, which can be deadly if
not handled with care
Unburnt gases might combust over food, leaving undesirable
aftertaste
It uses two layers of mesh to create a radiant heat,
as opposed to a direct flame like a naked blowtorch,
25 making it more spread out and diffused.
26

4.6
Case Study 4: Airfryers
Airfryers are one of the more popular appliances on the market
now, after arriving on the scene in 2010. They have been marketed
to the mass consumer market as devices capable of
frying food items with less oil, so it was interesting to look
into the science behind the airfryer and why it appeals to consumers.
They take over the mantle of deep fryers that traditionally use
a vat of oil to fry foods. Oil in deep fryers acts as a conductor
of heat, and at temperatures of about 230C, causes the
surface of the food to cook and rapidly dehydrate, giving rise
to the signature ‘crunch’ that we associated with fried foods.
The medium of oil is replaced with an emulsion of hot air and
trace amounts of oil in airfryers instead (Shaker, 2014), with a
fast moving convection current inside of the chamber to assist
with the ‘frying’ of the food. The food is also held on a metal
grill, in order to expose as much surface area as possible to
the circulating heat.
Oil acts as the medium of conduction in traditional deep fryers, versus fast convecting air in air fryers.
The red arrows depict the heatflow in either setup.
Positives
Able to fry food with up to 30% less oil (Shaker, 2014)
Can perform frying, baking, roasting and grilling in one machine
Speeds up cooking time with smaller compartment
Economical since less oil needs to be purchased for frying
Negatives
Most models are opaque and users are unable to see what is
being cooked inside
The visual difference is hardly discernable; the air fried version is pictured on the right.
Controlled taste experiments also reflect similar outcomes.
27 28

4.7
What Chefs Wish They Had
The following quotes were taken from an article written by a
journalist named Shelby Fleig, from the popular design blog
FastCoDesign.
It featured a list of very prominent chefs and their pain
points about cooking and what they wished they had in their
kitchen, and was written as a direct call-to-action to the designers
reading it. It was a fresh article which I thought was
pertinent to my trendspotting endeavours, and provided me
with insights to what chefs would want.
Sarah DiGregorio
Senior food editor at Food & Wine
`
"I am irrationally stressed out by drying vegetables completely
after washing. Yes, I know of the existence of the
salad spinner, but I always end up patting each leaf dry
anyway, because the spinner never seems to get them completely
dry, which is necessary if you're going to toss them
with a dressing. I make a fantastic kale and smoked almond
salad, and it takes me a truly embarrassing amount of time
to wash and dry the kale. Same issue with mushrooms: I'm
always worried they're going to soak up water and not brown
properly, so I compulsively rub each and every one down
with a paper towel after washing. If there were a gadget that
would thoroughly wash and completely dry vegetables for
me, I would be the first in line to buy it." (Fleig, 2014)
Florence Fabricant
Award-winning New York Times food critic
"I can suggest two gadgets. Some kind of blow-dryer for
washed salad greens and herbs that will do a faster and
better job than a salad spinner or towels. I imagine it would
come with a mesh bag to hold the greens. You might be
able to use it to dry potato slices before frying. And a little
blanket, a wrap or special box that will get a stick of butter
straight from the refrigerator to softened in a minute. Results
with a microwave oven are very uneven." (Fleig, 2014)
Norman Van Aken
Award-winning food writer and book author Founder of
Norman’s at the Ritz-Carlton, Grande Lakes Orlando
Insights
Professional chefs and food experts have very specific needs in the
kitchen
They pay high attention to the smallest details
Design Opportunity
How might we design a handheld device that dries vegetables and
products efficiently?
How might we design a device that can add a finishing touch to
dishes that move out of the kitchen?
"Invent a hairdryer-like device, but one that could be made
much hotter to be able to do such things as ‘melt’ truffles,
foie gras, etc. as a dish is going out. This would be more of
a 'surrounding warmth' than what a blow torch would do. It
would have a halo to encircle the plate. It would be portable
so it could be used for banquets and adding its magic just
before the dish was taken to the guest." (Fleig, 2014)
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05
Design Opportunity
Through my primary research and findings on the types
of devices available to chefs, as well as the trends that are
moving towards those of appliances that can perform reliably,
with accuracy and aid in the making of gourmet food,
I identified the heat gun as a possible point of application.
Used mainly as an industrial tool to weld plastics, strip paint, and
bend acrylics, it is powerful and offers high functionality.
I did more research into the uses of the heat gun, and whether it
has been used in the culinary field, given its capabilities. To my
pleasant surprise, I found a slew of DIY uses by enthusiasts who
used heat guns to carry out very specific food related cooking
techniques.
Uses
Coffee bean roasting
Tempering Chocolate
Popping popcorn kernals
Cooking bacon strips
31 32

5.1
DIY Heat Gun Application
DIY coffee bean roasting setups
Jacques Torres and Ginnette Ahier tempering artisinal chocolate
33 34

06
Design Brief
The heat gun presented itself as an interesting design opportunity.
It had all the technical attributes of the culinary devices
I had researched during my trendspotting phase; a enough
temperature output, fan speed control to diffuse heat via convection,
and a handheld nature that made it useful to manipulate
around food. It also followed in the ‘gourmet’ footsteps of
having precise temperature control, something chefs desire to
create their complex dishes.
I therefore moved on to a more focused design brief.
How might we redesign
the heat gun for use in the
gourmet cooking context?
35 36

07
Testing the Heat Gun
37 38

7.1
Pragmatic Analysis
The heat gun is far from an ergonomic tool in the kitchen. A
pragmatic analysis of the gun shows the grip, handling and
positioning of this device to be clumsy, due to its large body
and gun-style handle. The controls are also awkward to use,
especially with regards to changing the fan speed.
Large, clunky body
Awkward speed adjustment
Gun-styled gesture (pointing)
The reason for these brutal designs are because of their
context in workshops, construction yards, and places where
there is contact with alot of dirt and dust, and possibly for
usage with gloves on.
Heat control on back (air inlet)
Turning motion with secondary hand
Two handed usage
39 40

7.2
Working Prototype
The purpose of the working prototype was to isolate the fan
speed and heating element, to see what would happen if
given complete control over both. It also served as a way to
understand the skeletal form of the components.
The components were isolated to be put inside a separate
box (bottom left hand corner), so that the handling of the
model would not be impaired.
The model was then used to explore the following experiments
and ergonomic studies, to best see how to create a
form that would eventually fit the design criteria.
fan
heat coil (ceramic case)
arduino setup
DC motor control
41 42

7.3
Initial Experimentation
salmon piece
0.5min @ 500°C
The initial experimentation was done to ascertain the effectiveness
of the heat gun in dealing with different food types.
The time taken and temperature used were taken down, and
the heat gun was used naked and by hand, without any additional
attachments or aids.
egg
4min @ 350°C
cheddar on bread
1min @ 300°C
tofu
3min @ 350°C
croutons
5min @ 80°C
pork skin
3min @ 500°C
chicken piece
5min @ 250°C
sliced bread
2min @ 300°C

7.4
Experiment: Kueh Lapis
Upon researching the types of foods that the heat gun was
capable of making, I came across the ‘kueh lapis’ or ‘layered
cake’ recipe. It involves the repeated pouring and baking of
thin layers of cake batter to achieve the effect.
Conventionally, this process takes upwards of 3 hours to
make, given the tediousness of the technique. Using the
heat gun to make a personal portion in a ramekin took 30
minutes, which is a sizeable reduction.
pour
bake
pour
bake
repeat
45 46

7.5
Experiment: Dough Blow
The experiment was inspired by a project by Omer Polak, an
israeli industrial designer who played with dough and industrial
hot air guns to create quick, inflated balloon-like balls of
dough (Polak, 2014). It made me want to see whether this
process was replicable, as it reminded me of a certain indian
dish called ‘pani puri’, a crispy street food found in North India.
The idea of using an industrial hot air gun intrigued me, as
it was an unorthodox way of cooking food.
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7.6
Evaluation of Appliances
Appliance Evaluation: Pros
The first step in redesigning the heat
gun was comparing it to other appliances
that cook food, and evaluating
the strengths and weaknesses to
improve on.
The chart on the right show a graphical
representation of how heat is distributed
when cooking.
The subsequent pages evaluate each
appliance according to what they are
good or not good at, as well as highlighting
their unique selling points.
This as serves as background research
to justify how the heat gun can differentiate
itself in the market.
Airfryer
Convection
80 - 390°C
Blowtorch
Conduction
1500°C
Oven
Convection
90 - 250°C
baking
frying
grilling
toasting
searing
caramelizing
baking
roasting
braising
Frying Pan
Conduction
100 - 400°C
searing
sauteeing
stir frying
simmering
toasting
Heat Gun
Convection
50 - 600°C
searing
caramelizing
tempering
toasting
49 50

Appliance Evaluation: Cons
Appliance Evaluation: Unique Selling Point
air current pulls light food into blades
cannot manipulate food whilst cooking
unable to see clearly what is being cooked
fry foods with less oil
bake/grill/roast in lesser time
unable to control temperature accurately
unable to cook lightly
unable to cook large surface area
unable to cook thick food cuts thoroughly
sear and char food surfaces quickly
adds to the performance of the chef
unable to see clearly what is being cooked
cannot manipulate food whilst cooking
energy wastage during preheated
cook foods thoroughly from surface to
core
slow cooking to get tender food
unable to cook delicate food items
uneven heating since heat conducts
upwards
stir fry/sautee with greatest flexibility
manipulate ingredients with ease
cannot sear as quickly as blowtorch
unable to cook large surface area
unable to cook thick food cuts thoroughly
sear and dehydrate food surfaces quickly
control temperature output accurately
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08
Concept Generation
After testing the capabilities of the heat gun, and understanding
its position amongst existing appliances in the
market, I moved on to developing concepts for the redesign.
Starting with concept mapping, and then sketching, I was
able to identify some concepts that appealed to me.
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8.1
First Proposals
Concept 2
This concept combines the portable
heating device with a chamber, to act as a
transparent airfryer.
Concept 1
The first concept is of a simple ‘stick’-like
handheld device that would offer deft
usage to the user for a variety of cooking
techniques, as demonstrated in the previous
experiments.
It would have knob control elements to
make it easy for one handed operation,
and the straight rod would allow the user
to handle it in a grip that would be comfortable.
The idea was to move away from the
existing airfryer designs that look mechanical
and inhumane (refer to page X
of Annex for airfryer market matrix), and
with the usage of glass involve the user
visually in the cooking experience.
Since the heat gun uses the same combination
of a heating element and a fan in an
airfryer (albeit small versions) it would be
possible to attach and detach with ease.
The large outlet would be useful to broil
a bigger surface area as compared to the
nozzle in existing heat guns.
metal grill
glass enclosure
knob buttons
motor unit
heating coil
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8.2 Ergonomics
Ergonomics of the working model was explored, to see which
type of grip could be used with it. There were mainly 3 types
of grip: lateral (point), downward (stab) and pen (write).
When in use, it was necessary to test the handling because
of the arrangement of the components, which gave a certain
weight and balance to the model.
In terms of cooking, the most commonly used grips are the
lateral (when stirring in a pot or pan) and downward grip
(using handblender).
Evaluation
Lateral grip: The easiest way to hold when not in use, but most difficult
to hold when in use because forearm is extended.
Downward grip: Easiest to hold when in use, awkward when setting
down (especially with hot metal).
Fingers grip: Most deft and agile in usage, easy when setting down.
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09
Concept Development:
Attachments
Of the two concepts, the first concept was interesting to
pursue since there was some room to explore the multifunctionality
of it.
The idea of attachments to aid a tool/appliance is not new,
but it does present a significant step up from the existing use
case it can have.
In the following concept development I experimented with
several attachments to see if it could aid in expanding the
repertoire of the gourmet heat gun.
59 60

9.1
Attachment 1: Directed Nozzle
The directed nozzle attachment was experimented with to
expand the capabilities of the current setup.
It was found to be useful for small appetizers and garnishes,
and where the chef’s eye for detail could take flight. The
directed air stream would be able to heat up a small part of
the food or dish, without affecting the rest of it.
Use Case:
Appetizers
Melting delicate items like cheese or truffle
Small areas of a dish which needs heat
tomato wrapped bacon
1min @ 500°C
breaded mozzerella stick
2min @ 350°C
parmesan crisps
2min @ 300°C
61 62

9.2
Attachment 2: Diffuser
The use of an attachment to diffuse hot air over food was
experimented with, for the purposes of heating over a larger
surface area.
This would be particularly useful for larger cuts of meats,
browning a large lasagna or for other purposes that a chef
might deem useful for.
Given the form of the working model, I decided to cut an
elongated hole along the side to test its effectiveness, and
compared it with an air diffuser design which is normally
reserved for industrial airconditioners.
version 1
sweep grip
version 2
Evaluation
Elongated hole: The grip of the model was interesting, as it
presented a sweeping motion during use. The effectiveness
however was lacking as the air seemed to be streaming out
from the tail end, and not directly downwards as intended.
Diffusal tip: The grip to use this would be either the downward
facing (stab) grip or the pen (fingers) grip, both of
which were without complaint. The resulting diffusal was a
larger cylindrical surface, akin to a spray can held at distance.
pen grip
stab grip
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9.3
Attachment 3: Baking
Glass Mason Jar (full)
After the initial experimentation and expansion of the
capabilites of the working model, I decided to try and tackle
the most challenging cooking technique for the heat gun to
achieve: baking.
It is understandable, given that a convection oven has elements
to heat from the top and bottom of the food, posing a
significant advantage.
With the success of the airfryer in baking foods however, I
decided to test the heat gun to its limit.
The experimentation started out with baking a single bread
roll using an “enclosure” attachment to contain heat. I tried
different materials with air outlets to test the success of
each type.
Glass jar with bottom open to
surface (open)
Metal tin can with top hole in
metal cap
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Attachment 3: Baking Experimentation
metal tin
glass jar (closed)
glass jar
(closed)
glass jar (open)
glass jar
(opened)
tin can
top
bottom
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Baking Experiment: Evaluation
Metal tin can: Bread turned out baked, albeit slightly drier
when compared to the other two setups. The underside was
also crispy, which shows that the metal conducted heat well
to bake from the bottom.
Mason jar with hole in cap: The bread turned out baked only
at the top side here, with the exception of the bottom which
was caused by the inability of the heat to reach the base of
the dough. Glass is an insulator of heat, and as such did not
bake evenly throughout.
Overturned glass jar with opening: This bread turned out
the most evenly baked result, as it was helped by the marble
plate it was placed on. The heat conducted itself onto the
ceramic plate I used, which retained the heat and acted as a
secondary element to cook the bottom.
Baked potato experiment: A second experiment with the
overturned glass jar was done with a potato (shown on
following page), baked at 220C for 45min. It was cooked
throughly, with a slight brown spot on the top due to the
direct heat of the gun. This proved that the glass baking
attachment indeed worked well enough to insulate and trap
heat to create the “baking effect”.
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10
Concept Refinement
Now that the concept was sound in terms of the technicality
of it, the refinement started with trying to find a form
that would be suitable ergonomically, and informed by the
research and experimentation that was done prior to this.
A mood board of ‘queit functionality’ was the inspiration
behind the design.
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10.1
Safety and Heat Resistance
Safety is one of the most important aspects of the heat gun,
as the exposed metal can be hot enough to burn someone if
touched, due to the hot air that escapes through its channel.
Heat guns are currently set up with a glass reinforced plastic
like PP GF 15 (glass reinforced 15%) in order to withstand
high temperatures without undertaking any degradation.
They are also designed with a gap of at least 3mm between
the metal nozzle and the plastic covering, in order to prevent
the plastic from melting.
In terms of the redesign, this material would be useful in
creating a body suited to its usage, without compromising
on safety.
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10.2
Form Finding
The final form was decided after much exploration with a
simple revolving shape that could be used with one hand.
The initial idea was to taper the grip in order to let the user
approach it with a stab or pen grip. A ridge or a flare was
also used as an idea so that it would stop the hand of a user
from moving too close to the hot tip of the heat gun.
After much thought and experimentation, I ascertained
that a straight walled body would do the job just fine, with
the help of the glass fibre reinforced plastic and a sufficient
affordance for the flare to provide safety.
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10.3
Detailing
Once the form was decided, I moved on to figuring out how
the components like buttons and displays might fit onto the
main body.
I had already established that out of the three functions
(temperature, fan speed and timer), they would rank in a
similar fashion when it came to user ergonomics.
Knobs and small dials turned out to be the best fit for the
‘quiet functionality’ mood chosen before, and many of the
references came from bauhaus style designs, which were
simple yet serious.
250C
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10.4
Final Concept: HeatStik
HeatStik hinges on a design that is compact, handheld and is
more suited for the kitchenscape with a simple and understated
elegance.
It features a face panel with 2 dials; one to control the fan
speed and the other to control the temperature.
The picture to the right of this page showcases the glass
baking attachment with the HeatStik secured to it.
1 2 3 4
How it works
1. Air enters from the top , through the inlet holes
2. It is driven over the heat coils by the fan, and heated air
flows into the glass chamber, trapped by the flat surface
below it (eg. a plate)
3. The chamber heats up quickly, creating a space within
which food can be cooked/baked and with a silicone rubber
ring to prevent unnecessary air escaping from below
4. Small air outlet holes are positioned towards the top of
the glass cone, to allow hot air to escape and create the
convection system
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Component arrangement
The components are tighly arranged within the glass reinforced
plastic casing, and are dimensioned true to existing
sizes (for the fan, motor and heat coil assembly).
A 3mm gap is given between the heat coil assembly and the
casing, to give ample room for ventilation and to prevent
overheating of the system. It is also to prevent the casing,
which is also the handle in this design, from heating up.
Since heat is constantly being pushed out via the air that is
channeled by the fan, safety issues are alleviated.
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Aesthetic Prototype
The aesthetic prototype was built using SLS 3D printing for
the body, and vacuum forming PVC sheet for the baking
attachment. LED displays were simulated using printed
stickers and acrylic cutouts.
Overall, the dimensions of the product give it a hefty grip,
given that there are a few large components inside the
HeatStik, and that I was eager not to disrupt the functionality
of my design by altering the component sizes. With more
engineering input I would not be surprised to see the scale
diameter of the HeatStik be reduced (current 60mm).
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The HeatStik Advantage
1. For gourmet searing techniques, reaches similar temperatures
of blow torch, without the use of butane gas
2. Used as a quick and energy efficient way to heat up food for
individual portions, as compared to an oven
3. Portable heat source in the kitchen, with the flexibility to be
used on almost any surface
4. Provides for different use cases with removable attachments
81
82

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solid-substrate fermentation in rural Africa.
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J. Oliver. (2012). Why we need a food revolution.
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N. Myhrvold, C. Young, M. Bilet. (2011). The Modernist Cuisine
(pp. 6-8, pp. 19-25, pp. 283-285 )
C. Sanderson, M. Raymond, R. Klanten. (Nov 1, 2008). Create:
Eating, Design and Future Food (pp. 54-60)
History of Sous Vide Cooking
http://www.sousvidesupreme.com/en-us/sousvide101.htm
M.A. Shaker. (2014). Air Frying a New Technique for Produce of
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Retrieved from http://omerpolak.com/Blow-Dough-FoodDesign
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Naroth Murali
National university of singapore
Industrial design