In an exclusive interview with Valentina Bertazzoni, we discover how the Italian heritage brand centres its premium kitchen appliance designs around the three pillars of food, family, and engineering.
Tradition has always been at the heart of Bertazzoni’s premium kitchen appliances. Established more than 140 years ago in Northern Italy, firmly believes in cultivating an individual convergence between culinary passion and family functionality. Honouring its European agricultural roots and celebrating the withstanding aesthetic and quality that is associated with a range cooker, Bertazzoni has built its reputation on considered design, outstanding engineering, and a deep passion for food. Today, Bertazzoni’s approach pursues the spirit of innovation, which has attracted industry-leading architects and designers across the globe.
In this interview, sixth-generation family member, Bertazzoni’s marketing communications director, Valentina Bertazzoni, shares how the company’s passion for cuisine continues to pioneer their collections, the appliances Australian architects and designers are favouring most often, and how the family-run enterprise continues to develop home appliances fit for the modern kitchens of today.
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This classically inspired kitchen features a .
Founded in 1882, how have the three pillars of family, food, and engineering defined the Bertazzoni brand over the past 140 years?
Valentina Bertazzoni: The three pillars of family, food, and engineering are part of the Bertazzoni DNA and shape everything we do. The business is run by fifth and sixth-generation family members, myself being the latter, and our logo’s ‘F.lli’ element means Bros. To us this is family, so it’s very much one of the company’s main pillars.
When it comes to food, our appliances have always been designed to help people bring the best home-cooked meals to the family table. Enjoying food together, whether for birthdays, engagements, anniversaries, or holiday celebrations, is something very special that should be cherished, so the production of that food itself is an essential component of the gathering.
Lastly, when it comes to engineering, we are proud to still use many traditional methods in our production processes. Whether it’s the hand-finishing of our metal products or the lean manufacturing elements of the Toyota principles we adhere to, attention to detail and quality craftsmanship is deeply rooted within Bertazzoni.
With strong roots in Northern Italy, can you speak to how this region lends itself to the brand?
Valentina Bertazzoni: Emilia-Romagna is known as the ‘bread basket’ of Italy and home to much well-known Italian produce, such as Parmigiano Reggiano, aceto balsamico, and Prosciutto di Parma, as well as an incredible variety of fruits and vegetables. We are proud of our roots in Gustalla, and the land has inspired the colours of our appliances, from giallo (yellow), representing the sun and rosso (red) the shade of a well-known sports car, as well as many the recipes in our special edition 140th anniversary cookbook ‘Good & Simple; Traditions of Family Cooking’.
In Emili- Romagna, there is a strong engineering culture that finds application in different industries: mechanical, automotive, food processing and packaging machines, and agricultural machinery, so we have access to the best engineers.
This unique combination of food and engineering cultures makes the Emilia-Romanga region the perfect place for a company like Bertazzoni.
“It’s this unique combination of food and engineering cultures that makes the Emilia-Romanga region the perfect place for a company like Bertazzoni.”
– Marketing communications director at Bertazzoni, Valentina Bertazzoni
The new range of heritage cookers embodies the very first range cooker from 1882. How has this collection been modernised to appeal to today’s contemporary kitchen spaces?
Valentina Bertazzoni: Modern technology has enabled us to evolve this iconic product into what it is today. While some aesthetics may have been maintained, the range cookers’ inner workings, energy efficiencies, and cooking capabilities continue to improve. For example, introducing induction cooktops gives the range cooker ultra-flexible capabilities, such as bridging cooking zones for large cookware and is a very efficient way of cooking. In addition, it can boil water faster than a kettle and is more eco-friendly than a gas equivalent.
When embarking on the design of a new range, what key elements are taken into consideration?
Valentina Bertazzoni: When we design a new product, we always have in mind the people that will use it every day. So every product should be easy to use, perform supremely well, and look beautiful in the kitchen.
As a family business, we are constantly working for the next generation. This is reflected in our evolutionary concept of design: we have some elements that are always present, and we evolve some features and embrace today’s best technology to create modern machines with timeless style.
Combining a time-honored appeal with the latest in technology, the in stainless steel pairs beautifully with this traditional style of kitchen design.
Which Bertazzoni product(s) is the Australian design market currently drawn towards?
Valentina Bertazzoni: The is very popular. Combining classic aesthetics with modern technology, it’s the epitome of style and substance, so customers don’t have to choose between the two.
Following our built-in launch, we can now offer a full suite of appliances, enabling complete consistency with design, finishes, and quality across the kitchen. Elements such as anti-slam doors, digital programming, and integrated food probes have been favoured of late, and these features are available within our integrated products too.
What can we look forward to seeing from Bertazzoni this year?
Valentina Bertazzoni: As a brand that has continued to innovate since its inception in 1882, we’re excited about a new product combining three appliances: a range cooker with an induction hob and integrated extraction. Range cookers are very complicated products as it is, so integrating an induction cooktop with an integrated ventilation hood is a major feat of engineering!
Launching in our , this unique product is suitable for kitchen island installations. It will eradicate any need for an overhead hood, making it perfect for minimalists and those who want clean lines in the kitchen.
“The Bertazzoni brand is built upon the solid foundations of family, food and engineering which are integral to everything we do; from how we make decisions, treat each other and of course how we design and manufacture our products.”
– Marketing communication director at Bertazzoni, Valentina Bertazzoni
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