Lifestylist® Blog

I am the luckiest Lifestylist in the world! Not only do I get to travel cost to coast working with clients on their homes, I also get the opportunity to meet with companies and discover what amazing ideas and products we will be seeing in the future.

Over 20 years ago I was also very lucky – I was able to meet a really cool guy named Zach Elkin. We spoke on a panel at The International Builders Show one year, then we reconnected during quite a few National Membership Days for NAHB. I always remembered him, because Zach didn’t talk about ideas and opportunities – he made them happen. No matter if someone needed help painting doors or underwriting an important cause, somehow Zach always made things happen.

We lost touch, and then I ran into Zach when I was the Lifestylist for The New American Home. Zach was with Thermador – the company that supplied the appliances for this beautiful home. I had heard of Thermador but they weren’t as much of a household name to me as other appliance companies were. By the time the home opened, I realized that Thermador was something really special. Not only did they have great products, they had the people in place to back up what they said. I still stay in touch with the homeowners, and they  say that working with Thermador was one of the highlights of building their home. Right after that Zach asked if I would like to get to know more about Thermador and give them some feedback  - I couldn’t wait!

I just returned from my third meeting with them, and if you haven’t looked at what Thermador offers lately trust me – you will be soon. Their products are not only beautiful – they function. It’s not about flash, it’s about being able to simply prepare food for your friends and family while enjoying the experience. I practice what I preach – I now have Thermador refrigeration columns in my own home, and every time I open the doors I get a huge smile on my face because I don’t know how I ever lived without them.

Zach and his team don’t create brand loyalty, they create brand obsession! Everything Thermador does is so well thought out you feel like they designed their products and their marketing materials just for you. They LISTEN – and have made that skill into an art form. The Convection Steam Oven isn’t just a game changer – it’s a life changer. I’m not sure they even understand how much of a difference this product can make in people’s lives and how it can help to get get people eating well. With Thermador, cooking is fun again. Their Design Council that Zach put together has become a family, and we are all looking forward to getting together even more in the future.

Sur la Table understands why cooking in a Thermador kitchen makes cooking a joy, and has changed many of their cooking schools into ones equipped exclusively with Thermador appliances. If you would like to see why I’m so excited about what Thermador can do for your culinary creativity, check with your local Sur la Table to see what cooking classes they have scheduled and experience cooking in a Thermador kitchen for yourself.

Honk Honk Zach – thank-you so much for your thoughtfulness and for introducing me to the Thermador family.