Samsung Shows Off Upscale Appliances, Adds Elena Arzak to Club des Chefs

Samsung already released a series of new smart home services ahead of IFA. But the massive Korean company's home appliance division also brought plenty of physical products to Berlin, too.

Foremost was the European launch of Samsung's Chef Collection, including its new WaterWall dishwasher.

We first saw elements of the Chef Collection at last year's IFA, including the formation of Samsung's Club de Chefs—a group of celebrity, Michelin-starred pitchmen.

That Club got one more member at IFA. Elena Arzak, chef at the eponymous restaurant Arzak she and her father share in San Sebastián, Spain. Arzak the restaurant has three Michelin stars, and a months-long waiting list to taste innovative New Basque cuisine.

Arzak was on hand to show off the upscale Samsung sub-brand, which first hit the show floor at CES 2014 and went on sale in the U.S. earlier this year.

Now, Chef Collection is getting a European accent, complete with steam ovens, smaller refrigerators, and induction cooktops. It's a competitor to LG's Studio Series, which also debuted at IFA this year.

Still, some products are similar to their American counterparts: WaterWall is basically the same, with a unique washarm that moves from back to front instead of spinning around. And the Virtual Safety Flame induction cooktop uses LED lighting to simulate the visual feedback of a hot burner.

The Chef Collection offers a slightly different approach to home appliance from Samsung's gadget-heavy touchscreen fridges and general focus on high-tech connectivity. The new products are also a sign that the massive company is beginning to broaden its focus towards higher-end home appliances worldwide.

Check out all of Samsung's IFA 2014 Announcements:

• Samsung Unpacks New Note Phones, Co-Branded Oculus VR Headset
• Samsung's New TVs Are All About the Curves
• Slim, Ruggedized Samsung Tab Active Debuts at IFA Berlin
• Samsung's New Robot Vacuum Is Your Most Humble Servant
• Samsung Flexes at IFA With a 105-inch Bendable UHD TV
• Samsung Outs a Curved Sound Bar to Match Its Curved TVs
• Samsung Adds Third-Party Support, Voice Control to Smart Home System
• Samsung UHD TVs Will Soon Stream Amazon's 4K Content
• Samsung Announces Its First 3G Smartwatch: The Gear S
• Samsung Adds Swarovski Band to Otherwise Tasteful Gear S