Marcel Biró: Biro Cookware

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Some Celebrity Chefs seem to slap their brand name on pots and pans without really adding to their design. The result is that they might look good on a TV infomercial, but they don't really work well at home. What can a professional chef add to cookware design? It turns out, plenty. Biró Cookware designed by Marcel Biró, was launched last month at the 2007 International Home and Housewares Show in Chicago. Biró Cookware is made by Regal Ware Worldwide, a Kewaskum, Wisconsin-based company that manufactures high-quality stainless steel cookware. This fall Marcus Samuelsson will also be coming out with branded cookware produced by Regal Ware. What stands out in these pots and pans are the details that make them useful for the home cook. The cookware is handsome and sturdy. Each piece is brushed, three-ply cast stainless steel, with an aluminum core that reaches up the sides. Aluminum sides and bottom distribute heat evenly on more than just the bottom. The saucepans have two handles so that you can use both hands to carry them. The lid handles arch up so it is easy to slide a thick silicon glove around to grip it. The German-born Marcel told Super Chef that his students at the Marcel Biró Culinary School helped him design his cookware line: Super Chef: What was the main idea behind your cookware? Marcel Biró: We worked on this for a lot of time. We use a lot of All-Clad at the school when we work with our students. They told us what they liked and didn't like. It's good to get input not only from chefs. Also ovens are getting strong, wider, bigger, more professional looking -- you need something to match that kind of power. Many of ovens now have 15,000-25,000 BTUs, while restaurant stoves start at 50,000 BTUs. You need something that cost a little bit more money and can last for a long time. Super Chef: What is the most important feature in Biro Cookware? Marcel Biró: The most important feature is handles. Other companies forget that the clientele are mostly ladies. The pans get heavy. It is hard for ladies to carry around most pots. We use Le Creuset and they are extremely heavy and hard to move around. One of the most important parts on Biro pots is the handle on sauté and fry pans. If you watch a professional chef, they grab the handle towards the front (closest to the pan) and use the handle as leverage under their arm. But ladies often carry pans with both hands. So we made our handles longer. They are also wider and thicker, so that even if they get warm in the oven, you can grab it with an oven mitt. Biró Cookware’s 8-piece stainless steel set is available for purchase on his website or on Amazon.com. Marcel is committed to managing his brand. One way is by sticking to quality products. The other part of his formula is timing. Marcel has great timing. Marcel and his wife and partner Shannon Kring Biró have been based in Sheboygan Wisconsin since 2002 when he opened Biró Restaurant and Wine Bar. They closed Biro Restaurant and Wine Bar in December and plan to re-open in Santa Monica in the fall of 2007, pending lease negotiations. They also own Ó, A Biro Restaurant, a casual restaurant in Sheboygan. The second season of his PBS cooking show, The Kitchens of Biro, will be filmed at Ó and his cooking school and will feature Shannon. Shannon will add a home cook's perspective and soften the show to appeal to those who like Bobby Flay and his wife, Stephanie March. Marcel told Super Chef that he and Shannon plan to open more Ó's across the country. They are still evaluating potential investors. They also have a tourism company that takes people on culinary tours in Europe and Asia. They plan to limit trips, despite high demand, to 2-4 a year. Marcel and Shannon are both pursuing other product branding deals with clothing and cutlery lines. Shannon and her sister Natalie have just published a joint memoir, Sister Salty, Sister Sweet (Running Press 2007). Super Chef asked Shannon about their move from Sheboygan to Los Angeles: Super Chef:: How do you feel about opening a restaurant in Los Angeles compared to Sheboygan? Shannon Kring Biró: It is really good practice to start here. In some ways, things will be easier in LA. The networking and making connections is harder, but the work is much easier. You don't have to explain what escargot are. Super Chef:: Why LA? Shannon Kring Biró: The weather. We were sick of the cold and it's expensive to do TV with us here where we are. LA is trying to change perception of their food. LA has a huge concentration of Germans and Swiss. Marcel is an Ambassador of German Cuisine. They are dying for good European cuisine. There is so much support for us to come out to California. We found the same thing in Miami. We couldn't figure it out at first. Ratings for the cookbook and TV show were very high in Miami. Then we found out we have markets like Houston, and Miami where there are huge populations of Germans. Super Chef:: Are you planning to expand the Ó concept? Shannon Kring Biró: Our goal right now is to open in 10-12 in key markets, then continue with franchising. We'll do it slowly and do it right. Our food cost is perfect and it an easy concept to replicate, it is easy to do cookie cutter concept. It is perfect for Ó-to-go. Sounds like a busy year for the Biros. Previous articles: Marcus Samuelsson: BlueStar Kerry Simon on HSN Daniel Boulud v. Todd English: Initial Branding Richard Hamilton: Test Drive a Bonnet Kitchen: Better with a Super Chef? Todd English: Pots and Pans Pucked? 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