The Borrelli Team recently attended the Jenn-Air Designer Forum at the World of Whirlpool in beautiful Chicago. The facility was located within the historic Reid Murdoch Building, a landmark in itself known for its asymmetrical placement of the clock tower and being used as a makeshift hospital when the S.S. Eastland capsized in front of the building right on the Chicago River.
Upon arriving at our boutique hotel a few blocks away at Hotel Palomar, our group got onto the shuttle and made our way to the facility for a tour. Through the first round of introductions, we discovered that we were surrounded by designers from all over the country ranging from San Diego (5 total!) to Chicago and even Canada. An architect was hired early on to create these contemporary and clean vignettes throughout which incorporated various Jenn-Air appliances.
The forum took place in the classroom in which Ellen Cheever and Jonathan Barfell took turns presenting various topics including Emerging Surface Cooking Innovations, Appliance Planning from a Designer’s Perspective and What’s New in Clean-Up Appliances. We’ve attended Ellen Cheever’s presentation in the past and it’s always a pleasure to hear her perspective and tips on design solutions of all sorts.
The remaining of the time was spent in the lab where associates from the World of Whirlpool would present the numerous appliances throughout. Things that definitely stood out included the chrome-plated griddle, beautiful detail of the knobs on the cooktop, ice maker (Coke-bottle pouring competition), a remote-controlled curved hood that popped-out from the countertop and the ease of cooking with the use of the Jenn-Air appliances.
Our meals were prepared by an executive chef and the dishes were an art form in itself. Stunning presentation and equally tasteful. My personal favorite was the watermelon salad.
Towards the end of the forum, the designers were given an opportunity to showcase a job that they’ve worked on in a session called “A Designer’s Exchange.” Our very own Rebecca Flynn presented on the Scripps Ranch 04 project and shared details regarding her design solution for the remodel.
A trip to Chicago would not be complete without taking some time to immerse oneself into the surrounding art, architecture and design throughout the city.
