Exclusive interview with James Russell, Country Manager, UNOX

Can you briefly explain what sets your ovens apart from other products in the market and how they enhance the overall kitchen experience?

What sets our ovens apart is their innovation and sustainability. Our goal is to raise the bar of technological innovation in foodservice equipment, especially with the evolution of more advanced technologies, stricter demands, and the global pursuit of sustainability. If you’re passionate about designing your ideal kitchen experience, we leverage on innovative features such as Digital.ID, Data Driven Cooking, and OPTIC.Cooking to deliver best outcomes. Moreover, we let you test our ovens in your kitchen or at our Experience Center. In fact, our dedication to innovation has been recognised industry-wide as UNOX AI-powered combi oven CHEFTOP-X was awarded the Red Dot Winner 2024 and Red Dot Winner 2024 – Innovative Product.

If you’re passionate about sustainability, we are the oven manufacturer with the most ENERGY STAR rated ovens. We also have ambitious corporate sustainability targets and aim to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030 through the Unox e-miXion program.

What inspired the development of the new CHEFTOP-X and BAKERTOP-X ovens?

Today, it is important for ovens to combine mechanical robustness and performance with digital user interfaces, electronic controls and sensors, and make them work together in a way that can be easily understood by customers and users. The CHEFTOP-X and BAKERTOP-X combi ovens are robust, AI-integrated, futuristic technologies with automated cooking algorithms and user-friendly interfaces – transforming the foodservice world’s views of what people generally think an oven can do.

Can you explain the benefits of voice-activated controls and OPTIC.Cooking for kitchen efficiency?

HEY.Unox, the voice-activated control, allows chefs to operate the ovens hands-free, which streamlines workflows in the kitchen. With your voice, you can tell the oven to adjust settings, start or stop cooking cycles, and even access recipes without needing to touch the oven.

OPTIC.Cooking, through the use of our optic lens, detects the food inserted in the cooking chamber and automatically starts the right program. Once the food is in, OPTIC.Cooking monitors it in real-time and adjusts cooking parameters based on the food’s characteristics.

Together, these features significantly reduce the time chefs spend managing equipment, allowing them to focus on creativity and presentation.

How will the new Dubai experience center improve customer interaction with UNOX products?

Unox Experience Center is all about exchanging ideas.

In September, we launched our UAE Experience Center, aiming to bring more people to experience our innovative ovens with our Chef, to participate in our Individual Cooking Experiences. A key factor in Unox success has been allowing our customers to test our latest ovens before they purchase.

The new UAE Experience Center is an essential part of Unox broader vision. Over the past two years, Unox has opened 8 new Experience Centres in Brazil, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Sweden, India, France, Colombia, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia in 2025. This strategy brings our customers right to us and our innovations, allowing them to test our products with their own recipes, and for us to personalise interaction while gathering valuable feedback on a global scale.

Additionally, as the Headquarters of the MENA region, the center will serve as a hub for training and workshops, enabling our members to gain practical insights into how to maximise efficiency and creativity with Unox ovens. This interactive approach not only fosters a deeper understanding of our products but allows our members to build stronger relationships with our customers, ensuring customers feel supported and inspired in their culinary journeys.

How does cross-industry collaboration drive innovation at UNOX?

Cross-industry collaboration is a cornerstone of innovation at Unox. We partner with diverse sectors – culinary, education, food and beverage – to gain unique perspectives and insights that enhance Unox product development. Working with professionals from various industries helps us identify emerging trends and consumer needs, which inspire new product features and solutions. Collaborating with chefs, KOLs, restaurateurs, business owners, industry professionals, organisations, and trendsetters helps us understand day-to-day challenges of the kitchen, which shapes our ideas for future products and solutions.

Why are live product demonstrations, like at GulfHost, important for UNOX’s brand?

Live product demonstrations, such as those at GulfHost, are crucial for Unox’s brand for several reasons. Firstly, this is the chance for potential customers to have an immersive experience of our ovens’ innovative technologies in real-time. 

Additionally, live product demonstrations foster direct engagement with our audience. We ensure our potential customers’ needs are met as our Unox representatives address any questions our customers may have. This interaction not only helps us understand customer needs better but also strengthens relationships with industry professionals.

What’s next for UNOX in terms of innovation in kitchen technology?

Something is cooking in our R&D kitchen right now. We launch a new product approximately every 18 months. Next year, we will be unveiling a brand-new oven that addresses the topics of space, service speed, time, and cost. In 2025, we will also bring to life the concept of Unox Lounges throughout the UAE and beyond. We are proud to be the market leader in commercial combi ovens, and all our products are created to continue elevating culinary standards worldwide.

Will robots take away the personal touch from the hospitality industry?

Robots and technology are designed not to replace humans in the industry; they are designed primarily to help chefs in the kitchen and to enhance the level of service businesses can provide.

Customers crave personal touch. As a technology-centric manufacturer of combi ovens, we invest heavily in our Unox People, conducting consistent upskilling workshops and training.

The future of hospitality lies in striking harmony between technology and human interaction.