By James Wells

SYDNEY: Fisher & Paykel has appointed Australian celebrity chef, Tobie Puttock, co-owner of Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen restaurant in Melbourne to be the brand ambassador of the company’s new range of cooking appliances.

Fisher & Paykel is utilising Puttock’s award-winning Italian cuisine to promote the range of cooking products including those manufactured at the company’s Elba factory, previously owned by De’Longhi.

Puttock will also promote the flagship product of the brand’s range – the Project Luna gas-in-glass cook surface which features retractable gas burners.

According to Fisher & Paykel, Puttock will make public appearances, conduct cooking demonstrations, host exclusive events where a select few will  get to meet, greet and eat, as well as interact with the public at appropriate venues, signing copies of his book ‘Daily Italian’ while endorsing Fisher & Paykel’s new Italian inspired Designer Series cooking range thoughout 2007.

“Tobie’s signature is his flair for Italian styled food, and so we felt, with his rising profile, he would make an ideal brand ambassador for our soon-to-be released collection of Italian designed cooking appliances,” said Fisher & Paykel marketing manager, Peter Russell.

Puttock’s face will appear within a point-of-sale campaign supporting the new cooking range at store level, as well as online via the Fisher & Paykel website where access to Tobie recipes and competitions will serve to drive consumer traffic, said Russell.