Dekton by Cosentino x The Frog by Adam Handling: Revolutionising fine dining

Bringing sustainability to the fore of fine dining, Michelin accredited chef Adam Handling “pushes Dekton to its limits” at his restaurant The Frog in Covent Garden. Lauding Dekton’s unprecedented sustainability and visual appeal, Handling, in conversation with Cosentino, shares his insight into how the high-performance surfaces facilitate greater precision and creativity in the kitchen.

With several impressive awards to his name, including Scottish Chef of the Year, Handling champions zero-waste dining, a concept which epitomises The Frog. Situated in the heart of London’s Theatreland, The Frog is Handling’s flagship restaurant, with its most recent achievement obtaining a Michelin star in 2022. Experimental, sustainable and immersive, a truly memorable journey is promised from start to finish; boundary pushing dishes use locally sourced ingredients and an exposed kitchen welcomes guests to interact with the chefs. Handling considers his restaurant the epitome of “sustainable, British luxury” with a theatrical flair, which the Dekton collection more than lends itself to.

The perfect balance of beauty and functionality, Dekton showcases throughout the restaurant; a testament to its versatility and effectiveness. Dekton Reverie is used on all surfaces in the kitchen, including wall claddings, splash-backs and worktops; a matt finish with rich terracotta and inky blue veining.

A ultra-compact surface, Dekton has no micro-defects and virtually zero porosity, meaning it performs incredibly well in hospitality environments, where impact and stain resistance are nonnegotiable. Having previously used whole marble surfaces in The Frog’s kitchen, Handling found that the material simply couldn’t keep up with the demands of high-performance commercial cooking. “We wasted thousands of pounds on marble worktops; they couldn’t handle exposure to freezing liquid nitrogen and cracked.” he states.

Fortunately, Dekton served as a stand-out alternative, establishing itself as a key player in commercial kitchen design. “We use -188-degree liquid nitrogen on our Dekton worktops, as well as ingredients that are prone to staining.” continues Handling. “Nothing happens. No damage, no mess that can’t be easily removed. It’s like the surface is brand new.” Reliable, functional and low maintenance, Dekton does not limit culinary creativity like other materials, rather it encourages it.

Handling recongises that sustainability goes beyond just food and considers Dekton’s carbon neutrality one of its most important benefits. “When it comes to materials or suppliers that I use outside of food, they too have to measure up.” he states. As the wider Adam Handling restaurant group also follows strict sustainability standards, the chef is determined to only specify brands that are providing greener solutions, innovatively changing the game environmentally. Dekton is one of the only surfaces of its kind on the market delivering cradle-to-grave carbon neutrality. Made from 100% renewable energy, 99% re-used water and over 20% recycled materials, it is the worktop choice for specifiers looking to deliver greener projects.

Transparency is often the biggest challenge faced by businesses looking to be as sustainable as possible, particularly when it comes to sourcing suppliers. As Cosentino produces all its own products without outsourcing, specifiers can have surety that sustainability claims are being upheld.