"I never had the space to cook with and store over-sized pans before, and now I do. "

About the Chef
Figure Skating legend Brian Boitano, has had a long career of accolades both on and off the ice, including Gold Medalist, Emmy Award Winner, Best Selling Author, and Youth Skate Founder. An avid entertainer, Boitano is known as an amazing host. His adventures skating abroad fueled his passion for cooking and a belief that great food is a key part of any gathering. Brian has put his own spin on irresistible, accessible dishes in his best-selling cookbook, “What Would Brian Boitano Make?”

A San Francisco resident for over 30 years, Boitano purchased his home in the mid 1990’s. While he did an initial facelift when he first moved in, Boitano is now completing a major renovation of the entire home, with the kitchen being one of the most exciting new spaces.

Why did you select BlueStar®?
We entertain a lot, and the kitchen has always been the nucleus of our home. So when we started the overall house redesign, we focused our attention on the kitchen first. Everything was centered on entertaining—from small and unplugged, to large and elegant.
We sought out appliances that would enable us to entertain like a pro, plus fit our personal design aesthetic. The new kitchen is stocked with the best of BlueStar®, including a range, salamander, hood and refrigerator.

What influenced your color choices?
The kitchen design was inspired by the Italian countryside and has the air of an ageless, rustic Tuscan village. The BlueStar® honey yellow (RAL #1005) Platinum range was picked to accent the backsplash tile. The range hood is covered in handmade lacquered Fireclay wall tiles. And for the refrigerator we picked agate gray (RAL 7038), and the cabinet maker actually matched the cabinet color to the refrigerator, so its a perfectly seamless look.

Which are your favorite features of the equipment?
There’s a lot. I really love the industrial lines, the black grates and the contrasting beautiful yellow color of the range. It’s like a piece of art. The salamander is perfect for everything from steaks to delicately broiled crab cakes. My prior kitchen had no vent hood and it would get smoky in the kitchen, and we would have to open all the windows. I wanted a hood that would literally suck the smoke out of the kitchen, and the BlueStar does just that. The refrigerator is incredible! It fits so much, and the interior is just stunning, the lights and stainless steel interior make it so easy to see everything.

How has party prep become easier?
I never had the space to cook with and store over-sized pans before. For instance, I could not stockpile polenta bites and cool them to cut and now I can. It all boils down to sheet pans and baking dishes for me. So whether entertaining or preparing things ahead of time, I now have ample storage, from cooling to freezing, and right into my huge ovens for cooking.

Favorite Products

Recipe

Seared Scallops with Creamless Creamed Corn and Bacon Lardons

Serves: 4

Ingredients – Corn:

2 thick slices bacon (about 5 ounces total), cut into 1-by-1/4 inch pieces
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 small white onion, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound corn kernels (about 3 cups), fresh or frozen (kernels from about 4 ears corn)
1 1/2 cups water

Ingredients – Scallops:

3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
20 large sea scallops, patted dry
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Instructions:

Heat bacon in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until crisp and brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-line plate; set aside. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat and return the skillet to the stovetop. Add the butter. Once melted, add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the corn, season with more salt and pepper, and cook until they start to crackle. Add the water and simmer until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Transfer three-fourths of the corn and its liquid to a blender (or use an immersion blender) and process to a chunky oatmeal consistency. Return the skillet with the remaining whole kernels and warm through. If it’s too thick, add some water; if it’s too thin, let it reduce a bit. Season again as needed and set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Season both sides of the scallops with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, place the scallops one at a time into the pan. Sear scallops on first side until caramelized and crispy, about 4 minutes (avoid moving them or peeking as they will not crisp up as nicely.) Flip and cook on the second side for 30 to 60 seconds. Remove to plate. Set skillet aside to make sauce. (If you don’t have a pan large enough to hold all 20 scallops, then cook them in two batches. You can hold the first batch in a low oven while the second batch cooks.)
Set the skillet used to cook the scallops back over medium heat and melt the butter. Stir until the butter solids start to brown. Stir in the wine. Add 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice as needed. Add 1 tablespoon each of the chives and parsley. Keep warm.
Reheat corn. Line up four large plates. Evenly divide the corn between plates and sprinkle with reserved bacon pieces. Top each plate with 5 scallops. Drizzle a little pan sauce over the scallops. Top with chives and serve immediately.

48" Platinum Range in Honey Yellow (RAL 1005)

36" French Door Refrigerator in Agate Grey (RAL 7038)

24" Dishwasher Panel in Agate Grey (RAL 7038)

52" Metal Ventilation Liner

Seared Scallops with Creamless Creamed Corn and Bacon Lardons