I’m talking about cooking utensils this week – namely the Njori Tempo, the first pack-away smart induction cooker. The Njori Tempo is the brainchild of Jack Raison and Nick Orme. The Njori brand designs and develops innovative kitchenware and its prestigious clients include TV chef Jamie Oliver. I caught up with co founder Jack Raison to find out more about his products and cooking passions … Hi Jack, welcome 😊
Hello, my name is Jack Raison and I’m one of the founders of Njori.
What inspired the setting up of your brand Njori and the introduction of the first pack -away smart cooker?
Nick (the other co-founder) and I are both design engineers and have been working together, designing/making products for other people for years. During this time, we obsessively talked about food and cooking and came up with a few concepts and business ideas together. When we first came up with the idea for the Tempo, we both agreed that if it existed, we both would have bought one already.
What are the attributes of the Njori Tempo?
The Tempo is a versatile precision induction cooker. We wanted to create a device that gives people accurate control over the exact temperature they are cooking at to help refine recipes and perfect their technique. We found that the sensors and systems required for this can easily be applied to a whole range of different techniques, so it can also be used as:
An exact pan temperature regulated cooking surface,
A water circulated sous vide cooker,
A temperature regulated deep fryer,
A slow cooker with the option of using an external temperature probe to monitor internal temperatures of what you are cooking,
It has built in scales so you can measure your ingredients straight into the pot,
The scale functionality can also be used to ‘reduce by weight’ for exact reductions.
Have you got a favourite recipe/food that you would highly recommend making using the Njori Tempo?
Fried chicken has always been a passion of ours. We’ve spent years perfecting a sous vide fried chicken recipe which is incredible. The Tempo obviously has you covered on the sous vide front, but also the exact control over the oil temperature is ideal for really perfecting your technique. With most deep fryers, the temperature of the oil isn’t very accurate and drops a lot when cold food is added. The Tempo counters this change and brings it back to temperature straight away.
What are the benefits of using the Njori Tempo as opposed to using conventional cooking facilities or camping stoves?
Conventional cookers are normally set to 9 different levels and are basically just ‘power output’ levels. This means that whatever level you set it to, a pan will get hotter and hotter over time. It’s up to you to be able to tell when our pan is at the right temperature for what you’re cooking and to keep it at the right temperature while it’s in use, often resulting in burnt food. The Tempo can be set to an exact temperature, so no matter what you’re doing, you know the pan temperature is what it’s supposed to be. This is especially important for more adventurous things like sugar work, tempering chocolate, sauce making, etc.
As you are based in the UK, is the Njori Tempo available to purchase internationally?
Yep. We’ve recently closed a Kickstarter campaign in which we had backers from many different countries ordering them. We have developed two different power systems to work on the different international voltages.
What are the dos and don’ts when it comes to caring for your Njori Tempo?
Nothing that isn’t quite obvious. The nature of induction cooking and the smart systems make it a very safe device. It’s obviously an electrical device, so I guess the only ‘don’t’ is don’t put it in the dishwasher.
Have you always wanted to design innovative kitchenware or did your career aspirations lie elsewhere?
Generally, yes. We’ve more recently been making all sorts of random things for other people, but we both started out designing for clients like Joseph Joseph and Jamie Oliver. It hasn’t been that intentional, but we both always end up working on kitchenware.
Hypothetically speaking, if you could create your ideal 3 course meal what would you cook & eat?
That’s a big question, and the answer would probably change from day-to-day. Right now, I’d say sous vide and grilled spanish style pulpo (octopus), then our signature sous vide fried chicken, and for dessert – I would probably just have more chicken.
Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?
I’m quite into overshirts at the moment. And I recently got a pair of Adidas Ultraboost 20’s, which I love. They are so comfortable I barely take them off.
Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?
Er, not really. I recently found Everpress which is a great website for people to sell their own t-shirt designs. It’s almost like crowdfunding for t-shirts.
What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?
More ultraboosts!
Boots or Shoes?
I do love a good boot, but they are harder to find the perfect one, and are pretty seasonal, so I guess I’m a shoe guy!
Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook/twitter etc so that readers can find out more about Njori Tempo
www.kickstarter.com/projects/njori/njori-tempo-the-smart-cooker-for-adventurous-chefs
Thanks for the chat, Jack. I think the Njori Tempo looks super cool yet practical.
Linda x
All photographs have been published with kind permission of Jack Raison & Nick Orme.
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