Joyoung’s revolutionary S5 Steam Rice Cooker was launched to great acclaim this week in London at a special event at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, London, held in association with Tmall. The Institution was chosen by Joyoung because it was founded by another great innovator, George Stephenson, the British engineer behind the first steam engines.
Among the fifty-plus guests was engineer Dr. Bamber Blackman, who was impressed by the technology behind the cooker. “I was fascinated to learn that this product was inspired by the steam engine, the same technology that revolutionised the engineering industry in the United Kingdom two and a half centuries ago. It is also great to see this new product from Joyoung is equipped with the latest smart technology to make this home appliance more efficient and more environmentally friendly in terms of energy efficiency.”
And the News of a new rice cooker has whipped up a storm of interest in the U.K media. The columnist Zoe Williams reviewed the S5 Steam Rice Cooker in The Guardian, claiming the appliance is so “slick” and “advanced” it looks like it has been designed by the same people who are behind Tesla electric cars. In less than two hours, the article attracted 1000 comments. Some were astonished about the price tag – when it becomes available in the U.K. it will retail for over £300 – but given its versatility – it can steam anything, vegetables, meat, dumplings – many thought it was a snip.
At the launch event, celebrated British chef David Allistone cooked a variety of delicious rice-based dishes. He said the of the S5: “The joyoung rice cooker has shown how easy and convenient steaming rice can be. I particularly like the app when you can turn the rice cooker on before you leave work and it will be ready and waiting for you perfectly cooked when you get home. Just add a few ingredients for an easy nutritious evening meal. I’m hopeful that this will be available in the UK soon.”
At the event, Joyoung’s Brand Director, Eric Si, confirmed that the S5 will be available in the U.K from next year. Which is just as well. Rice is hugely popular in Great Britain. The Rice Association claims the consumption has grown by 450 percent in the U.K. since the 1970s and it is now worth around £750m annually to the economy.
