Commentary by Jillian Albrecht
If I didn’t already know how welcoming the Indiana Design Center and its staff were, I can imagine being daunted. Even the building is gorgeous, but by all means – go in! The IDC is not your typical design center. The way it connects designers with each other and directly with customers is, honestly, a treat! Other cities have design centers for trades’ people – common folk not welcome. At our lovely IDC, absolutely everyone is welcome and encouraged to visit. One way the designer center accomplishes that task is through the Designer On Call Workshops. Make room in your schedule on the third Tuesday of every month, and come see an expert for free!
My first DOC experience was in the breath-taking Reese Kitchens showroom, in their working GE kitchen. Chef Ben Lierman gave a fun and informative demonstration highlighting induction cooking. As he made the same pasta with pesto-alfredo sauce, chicken, and vegetables on a 48” professional range with stacked burners as he did on the induction range with the aid of the GE Advantium microwave and convection oven, he explained the pros and cons of each cook top.
Most importantly in my opinion, the induction cook top got the job done faster and was much, much easier to clean. After his demonstration was complete, Chef Ben answered cooking and appliance questions and all attendees got a bowl of the delicious pasta. Deborah Mader of Ferguson Enterprises and Reese Kitchens was on hand to answer any design questions we came up with. It was a lovely way to spend a Tuesday, and I left feeling excited about cooking. That’s a seriously big deal in my neck of the woods! These workshops are so much fun, and such a wonderful free service, I feel silly for not having attended sooner.
