Vilicci Virtuoso – A BBQ masterpiece

The Vilicci Virtuouso isn’t just a BBQ, it is a work of fine art. This is a grill that you keep out on display as a conversation starter. Made of stainless steel and some brass, it has a hexagonal cone shaped fire chamber with strategically placed air vents to ensure perfect air circulation around the fire which will burn evenly and efficiently throughout the grilling.

Alongside the grill, there is an additional rotisserie system that can be safely placed on or removed from the grill by opening a sturdy deadbolt latch. This makes it easy to load the rotisserie with up to 5 lbs of meat. You can of course, rotate the skewer rotisserie, or lock it in place and adjust its angle up to 90 degrees when needed. Skewers can also be individually removed from the rotisserie.

The ½’ inch thick cooktop is made of stainless steel, it is slanted inwards to that grease will always go back into the firepit and it will never deform from heat. Emptying ash from the fire chamber is very easy due to the convenient vacuum cleaner port. By adjusting the height of the inner fire chamber, you can fine-tune the temperature of the grill’s cooktop. The cooktop’s temperature also slightly varies between the inner and outer parts, so you can control the speed of cooking by placing food at the appropriate area.

The double wall construction of the grill ensures that the outer walls are much cooler than the walls of the fire chamber. This makes out grills safer and easier to stand near. The generously sized cooktop – which measures nearly 40 inches in diameter and the Virtuoso costs €13,500 and comes with a 10-year warranty.

learn more

Advertisement

Seletti Palace Dinner set – MUST HAVE

Do you remember going to a friend’s house when you were younger and their parents always had a nice dinner set that was brought out for special occasions?

Seletti, a company that focuses on design projects and creative, characteristic Italian excellence has the ultimate special dinner set. One that depicts Italian renaissance architecture but is also useable. Designed by Italian industrial designer, Alessandro Zambelli, Palace is a modular table set, both stackable and compact.

Each set is for six guests, including plates, soup dishes, bowls and fruit dishes showing palaces and renaissance architecture – Palazzo Torrione, Palazzo della Signoria, Palazzo Borghese and Palazzo del Governo. The sets vary from £270 to £390.

The roof lids are interesting, not only do they serve as covers but they are also containers. Each of the table sets are made of fine dolomite porcelain and are truly works of art that shouldn’t be hidden away when not in use.

BUY NOW

Frank Stephenson explains how he designed the Maserati MC12

The Maserati MC12 is a car that is rarely spoken about when talking about the greats of that era – Porsche Carrera GT and the Ferrari Enzo, which the MC12 is in fact based upon.

The MC12 was built to signal Maserati’s return to motor racing after 37 years. Borrowing the Enzo chassis and drivetrain, Frank Stephenson created a completely different car; longer, wider, taller with sharper nose and smoother curves. But why not have Frank, explain it in his relaxed demeanour in his YouTube series, “How I designed…”

Frank Stephenson‘s back catalogue is incredible – McLaren 675LT, BMW X5, BMW Mini, Ford Escort Cosworth, Fiat 500 and many others. His series is one that not only explains the design and some background into his thought process, but it is great to see him actually take pen to paper and sketch those designs we know and love.

Watch more

Porsche…. Who knew they weren’t lazy?

Normally when someone looks at a Porsche, the main critique is that there has been no design changes from one model to the next. They come across as the laziest designers to date. But this all changes when you take a look at Porsche Design. this company is a subsidiary of Porsche AG and takes everyday objects and throws exceptionally cool design making it compete with the sexiness that Apple products have. The have altered designs from simple cigar cutters and external hard disks all the way up to Humidors and this lovely new piece of kit in collaboration with Johnnie Walker Blue Label Whisky. (Whiskey if you are American)

These designers have thrown everything at this piece. Can you call it a whisky drinker’s dream? I think so.

Depending on your love for your whisky and mainly your budget, you get a choice of three products.

The Chiller: a brushed titanium case with blue leather to hold a bottle of Blue Label.

the Cube: basically the same as the Chiller where the top turns into an ice bucket, however this piece holds four crystal tumblers, a pair of stainless steel tongs and an individually numbered bottle of Blue Label.

The Private Bar:  Now this is the piece I would save my money for….. 6.5ft tower of titanium, glass and leather. The top opens via electronic sensors and pivots 180 degrees to show off its gifts (somewhat like an oyster showing off its pearls) three bottles of Johnnie Walker Blue Label, four illuminated crystal tumblers, chilled water and an ice bucket.

The Private Bar..... Beautiful isn't she?

If you feel you must have these, you can find them at Harrods stores. If the shop wasn’t any indication of the price I will give them to you.

The chiller goes for £240

The Cube goes for just under £500

and the Private bar goes for a cool £100,000 and can only be bought on special order. Better get your order in as only 50 of these magnificent pieces will be produced for sale worldwide.

 

 

Starting your own business

Starting your own business can be scary and risky.

I found a video that can put your mind at ease. it gives tips from entrepreneurs around the world and what they think is needed to succeed.

It is all sketched out and is interesting for designers into typography. It’s a fun video with some life lessons.

I would love to see someone follow this video to the letter and then post how it went……. either successful or a learning experience.

Going Solo. from Studio Botes on Vimeo.