Sizzling grease, scorching-hot barbecue, a bubbling pot of shrimp: these makings for a delicious meal can quickly turn into hazards for the home cook. In fact, after industrial safety equipment sales guy John Cato watched his uncle go through treatment for a serious burn by crab boil, he and friend Chuck Bates, a graphic and product designer, resolved to create a protective accessory.
This fall, their new company, MicroLok, introduced the MicroCool apron ($85), made of lightweight, fire-retardant denim enforced with a silicon-based technology that protects against liquids as hot as 2,800˚F. “Everything is made in the USA, and most of it in South Carolina,” Bates notes of the washable apron’s components.
The pair already has chefs wearing their creations to famed Kansas City Barbecue Society competitions and hope to get the product into restaurants and homes around the country in short order.
Aprons, as well as holiday gift packages, are available at www.microlok.com.
