Yesterday I did the 5 hour drive from Brooklyn to Beverly to meet Trevor and check out the Culinarian. I registered for the 7pm-10pm Thai cooking class at Eurostoves which I figured would give me ample time to give the range a good test run. I also wanted to try out the bluestar range that Trevor had in the shop - and did not learn until later that day that Bluestar had withdrawn its authorization for Trevor at Eurostoves. A real shame - because I had already decided that I wanted to purchase through Trevor and was still seriously considering the bluestar V1 and Marcus ranges.

I arrived around 6pm and Trevor took me around the shop (where I got a good look at the 36" Closed burner Capital which will more closely resemble the size and styling of the range I would end up with) and then while he ran out to get chickens and steaks to fire up I poked around at the massive 60" bluestar range and the wall ovens which I had never seen in person.

Within minutes of Trevor's return from the local grocery store I was eating a delicious grilled steak and watching the rotisserie go round. Even at high temps the oven in the culinarian is cool to the touch! Amazing! After cooking my entire life on budget apartment stoves (currently I have a bottom of the line sears kenmore!) I must say I was completely overwhelmed by the power and size of the burners. In fact, during the cooking class I twice had to start again with a pan of boiling sauce I was preparing because I turned my back for a second and it boiled over!

Trevor is a powerful advocate for the Culinarian - and there is no denying that because of the unique relationship he has formed with Capital (that I believe he once had and could still be having with Bluestar) he is positioned to provide the highest level of service possible (how many appliance store owners do you know that have actually taken apart and put back together one of their ranges!!!!!).

This is why I will be ordering a Culinarian through Trevor - because I know that if there are improvements/upgrades he will make sure I get the new parts, if there are problems he can get them fixed for me.

I have to say that I really don't like the styling much on the range - don't like the overdesigned looks of the knobs or the handles (which is why I will special order the square ended handle corners) - but having said that - once I saw the culinarian in person - it really didn't bother me as much as I thought it would and I think I could get used to it. If Bluestar had set Trevor up with the V1 or the Marcus range - who knows - I might have been more inclined to buy one of those.

But they didn't -

And the Culinarian is undoubtably a magnificent machine! And like I said - the level of service from Trevor will be higher than anything I could find in a nyc appliance store...

Here are a few of the pics I took while at the store-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sadiejane/sets/72157624286605077/