The Man Behind a Kitchen Revolution

Meet designer Jerome Caruso, creator of the Sub-Zero fridge/freezer and modern status symbol, plus an array of other innovations

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By Stacy Perman

August 5, 2005 at 4:00 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

The man behind the iconic Sub-Zero refrigerator/freezer, Jerome Caruso, is poised for the launch of his newest product -- the Cella Chair. Unveiled in June at the top interior design industry show in Chicago, where it took home the Best of NeoCon award, the innovative Cella will make its market debut in September. And if history is any guide, Caruso's latest creation could be yet another ground-breaking hit for a man with a long list of winning designs.

For starters, the rise of showcase gourmand kitchens in American homes owes much to the mild-mannered industrial designer from Lake Forest, Ill. Sub-Zero's quiet design force, Caruso transformed a bulky, uninspired household appliance into a cleanly sculpted masterpiece of modern food preservation.