In March, members of NKBA Manhattan and Westchester traveled to Louisville, Kentucky, as the guests of GE Monogram, to tour the company's  900-acre factory and training facility.  During four days of product demonstrations, tours, training lectures, and hands-on experience with the Monogram brand, attendees came away with a thorough knowledge of what makes Monogram tick, spin, freeze, and broil!

First stop was 1st Build, an idea lab where new product ideas are conceived and receive their initial development. In another building, attendees observed 3-D printers churn out everything from replacement-part prototypes to miniature models of extraordinary detail and even delicacy.  Later, guests toured the all-union facility where Monogram refrigerators are made, and witnessed the entire manufacturing process, from the pouring of molds for appliance interiors to the soldering of plumbing parts, to watching the completed product roll off of the assembly line.

One afternoon, each attendee was given the experience of designing on paper a  prototype of the perfect range and cooktop. This exercise was followed by a close-up inspection of the four top GE Monogram product brands.  Having all of the ranges in one room presented the perfect hands-on opportunity to explore the differences and similarities of each model and try out their many features, including turning knobs, pulling out racks, and comparing leg styles.

Michelle Abell, MEC training manager, led intensive daily lectures and Q&A sessions on a wide range of Monogram products, from dishwashers to microwaves.  Her intimate knowledge of the products, along with over 20 years experience with Monogram, made her the perfect instructor. Quality time was spent in the test kitchens too. When Chef Brian Logsdon and Chef Joe Castro were not busy cooking up fantastic meals, they provided tutorials on the finer points of working with Monogram products like the induction cooktop and the Advantium oven. NKBA designers were then divided into teams and challenged to an "Iron Chef" contest with a secret ingredient-pretzels. Team Dawn De Luca won with pretzel and molasses coated bacon and a pretzel-crusted frittata.

None of this would have been possible without the extraordinary efforts of MEC Concierge Nancy Wolff, who made all of the travel arrangements and saw that every need and dietary requirement were met with speed, grace, and generosity. Thank you Monogram for an amazing and informative week in Louisville!