By Antonio delos Reyes
The pandemic has forced people to stay indoors for the majority of the time. This, in turn, has led to more attention being devoted to the kitchen. Aside from cooking the daily meals, the kitchen has become a refuge for many, with people diving into baking and cooking as a way of releasing stress.
And while many consider kitchen cabinetry as items whose form follows function, there are also brands who marry the two, creating wonders of design that highlight form and function in equal aspects. SieMatic is one such brand, having been the first company to develop the handleless kitchen cabinet back in the 60s.
Never one to rest on their laurels, the brand continues to find ways to innovate. With discerning customers who value form and function in mind, SieMatic recently launched the PURE SLX Kitchen Cabinet and its novel features without losing the foundation on which it was built — quality, timelessness, and elegance.
Following the minimalist design principle of the SieMatic PURE style collection, this award-winning kitchen concept is just as functional as it is aesthetic; just as much a kitchen as a work of art. Behind its refined surfaces, delicate proportions, and transparent panels lies the brand’s expertise in design.
To celebrate the collaboration, SieMatic partnered with award-winning chef, Chele Gonzales of Gallery By Chele. Drawing inspiration from the new line, chef Chele came up with 4 dishes that highlight the 4 key concepts of the new SieMatic kitchen line.
Inspired by the weightless drawers and countertop of the SLX kitchen, Chef Chele developed a light and airy foie gras dish that’s served in a double-walled glass to achieve an illusion of suspension.
The SLX line also features an in-cabinet whose lighting temperature and brightness can also be controlled individually, allowing its users to experience a different atmosphere in the kitchen with a slight adjustment of its light settings.
To showcase this, chef Chele prepared beef tenderloins that can be enjoyed in 2 ways — one with a rich beef jus and grated parmesan cheese, the other with a classic sauce Bearnaise and topped with black truffle shavings. Despite being the same steak, the use of 2 vastly different flavor profiles for the sauces allowed for a different tasting experience.
For the “feel” concept, the kitchen’s recessed grip was completely redesigned as ribbed and concave for a haptic experience. To show this, chef Chele made chocolate bonbons with a coconut sugar caramel. The bonbons were patterned after the grips of the SLX line, mimicking the tactile feel.
For the idea of “transparency,” the design features transparent doors and panels, and minimal frames. Chef Chele used a transparent apple tart to illustrate this, creating a dessert that is a feast for both the eyes and the tongue.
To those who want to experience SLX in person, Stephen Sy and Loli Sy invite everyone to visit the SieMatic Manila showrooms in Bonifacio Global City, Mandaluyong, and Cebu.
