The Kickstarter campaign to fund Dave Arnold's The Searzall has already received funds from some 900 backers since launching at midnight on Thanksgiving. With more than three weeks left to go, the campaign needs only $20,000 to be fully funded.
Though technically the hand-held kitchen torch is still in beta testing, some of New York's highest-profile chefs already are using the tool to sear fish, sous-vide, foie gras, and more. In the campaign video, chef David Chang of Momofuku and Daisuke Nakazawa of Sushi Nakazawa voice their support of the new product.
See also: A Peek Into The Momofuku Kitchen Laboratory
Arnold, the man behind the New York cocktail bar/food and drink lab Brooker and Dax, initially created the Searzall to allow chefs to get a crispy outer layer on sous-vide. The process of low-temperature cooking helps chefs achieve juicer proteins but means the surface of the food is crustless. The Searzall was Arnold's solution to that problem.
But that's not all the torch can be used for. Arnold (and his band of Searzall bearing chefs) say it will allow your average homecook to toast cheese or bread, sear steaks, and even reheat pizza in a dorm room.
Prizes for donating to the Searzall campaign include everything from getting the latest updates on the product's development ($10) to a day at the Brook and Dax lab eating and cooking with Dave Arnold himself ($5,000).