Shuttle Chef keeps a whole cooking pot warm

A pot of soup can keep you near the stove, checking the heat and watching for a boilover. Thermos's Shuttle Chef reduces the time a pot needs on the burner. Once heated, the entire cooking pot goes into an insulated outer container, where retained heat continues cooking the food and frees up the stove.

The system has two parts: an inner cooking pot and an outer vacuum-insulated container. The inner pot goes on the stove; afterward, it goes straight into the outer container. There is no need to transfer hot soup or stew to another vessel.

Thermos recommends choosing a capacity similar to the pot you normally use. Options include 2.8, 4.3, and 6 liters, with ceramic-coated and stainless-steel inner pots among the available models. The outer container also needs a place to sit and somewhere to be stored.

The food needs enough heat before the pot is insulated. Follow the specified boiling time rather than moving the pot as soon as it reaches a boil. Larger pieces take longer, and the liquid needs to cover the ingredients sufficiently. Recipes separate the initial time on the stove from the subsequent insulated cooking time.

Keep both lids closed during insulated cooking: opening them releases heat. Small quantities of food and a cold room can also affect heat retention. For prolonged holding, follow the manufacturer's instructions on reheating rather than assuming the pot will stay hot indefinitely.

Cooking continues inside the insulated container. Noodles, for instance, need to be removed when done rather than left to soften further. Using the pot means planning both the time over heat and the time the food spends continuing to cook afterward.

Liquid does not keep reducing inside the insulated container as it does in a pot on the stove. Seasoning therefore does not become more concentrated in the same way. Thermos explains that there is no need to begin with deliberately weak seasoning in anticipation of prolonged reduction. You can adjust the seasoning afterward or return the pot to the stove if the dish needs reduction. The two stages do different jobs.