Bora’s Willi Bruckbauer on why cooking is a joy everyone can experience

Willi Bruckbauer, founder and CEO of Bora, explains how well-designed appliances can play a vital role in enhancing the cooking experience as well as the aesthetic of a beautiful kitchen design.

Q: In recent years, the interest in home cooking, food trends and culinary content on social media has been growing. Why is cooking perceived such a relevant topic across all age groups?
A: Whatever the age, nationality, gender and ability, everyone loves enjoying food. Eating and cooking are elementary; they are about both energy and experiences – and more than just physical acts. When doing so, we reflect on ourselves and others, on the world and on nature. How you cook and eat is a concept of life. A personal matter and an expression of creativity. It is the culmination of planning, preparation, enjoyment and storage. Individual experiences and memories are merged, and shared moments can be celebrated.

Q: Why do you think cooktop extractors are experiencing such a growth in popularity?
A: Being a carpenter, I was driven by the imagination that kitchen planning would be possible without the extractor hoods which prevented me from creating the most creative and beautiful kitchen for my clients. The appliance manufacturers did not have a solution to the problem, nor did they consider there could be a profitable business case for a product idea. This is why in 2007 I had to come up with my own product: the cooktop extractor system. The company and brand Bora actually emerged at that time to challenge the extractor hood. Still, many interior architects and kitchen designers are facing the same restrictions to their planning when including a hood, so worldwide success of the downdraft systems is only a comprehensible consequence. I like the fact that because Bora was the company that provided the kitchen market with that innovative solution in the first place, the brand name is used very often as a generic term for any downdraft system.

Q: Are the effects of a cooktop extractor concerning fresh air and clear view comparable to any other extraction system?
A: The functioning of a cooktop extractor system is always more effective than that of a separate extractor hood. This is due to the distance between the extraction system and the pots and pans where vapor emerges. Fresh air is the result when odours and grease particles are suctioned away precisely where they arise and then are effectively filtered by an activated charcoal filter. Just a hint: there are differences in the quality of those filters, so if in doubt we advise to choose a longer version over a short filter and also make sure that it includes a special filtration layer that removes the smell of fish.

Talking about clear view, a Bora system provides this in 2 ways. Firstly in the planning phase, allowing for kitchen islands and other floor plans that were not possible before. Secondly, during daily use as without the hood, nothing disturbs communication with guests and the family in the kitchen living area or steams up your glasses. Bora systems simple and intuitive to operate. Innovative operating features make cooking an even more enjoyable experience – just like the tri-coloured design of the slider of the recently introduced BORA X Pure hob. As a pioneer in the kitchen market, revolution is part of our DNA. Our brand is known for challenging the status quo and coming up with innovative solutions. We are constantly enlarging our product portfolio of premium built-in kitchen appliances, and for all products we feature a timeless minimalistic design that allows for an aesthetic interior.

Q: Will the classic extractor hood eventually disappear?
A: This is what we aim for at Bora. As many other manufacturers have tried, tested and finally adopted the Bora principle, the success of cooktop extraction systems is unstoppable. There is huge potential in the community of architects & designers to recognise the advantages and recommend meaningful downdraft solutions to their end consumers’ housing projects. Increasingly, people are embracing open and minimalist kitchen concepts where the kitchen seamlessly integrates with the living space. A big, intrusive hood simply doesn’t fit that vision. So, while the classic extractor hood may still be around for some time, I am convinced that innovative solutions like BORA will eventually replace it as the new standard.

The Bora principle: the cross flow from cooktop extractor systems is greater than the speed at which the cooking vapours rise. This effectively extracts steam and odours downwards.

Q: What is driving the shift toward more streamlined and minimalist kitchen spaces?
A: We're seeing a trend towards a back kitchen in exclusive homes where the cooking and baking is done and where appliances like the vacuum sealer BORA QVac are by hand, whereas the food is presented and savoured in a device-free front kitchen. As a carpenter and a man who has always been passionate about design and functionality, I believe kitchen design is becoming increasingly minimalist because people are seeking more simplicity, efficiency, and elegance in their living spaces. Modern life is fast-paced, and people want clean lines, open visual axes, and smart solutions that enhance both aesthetics and usability. This is exactly how we intend Bora products to fit in: eliminating bulky range hoods and giving people more freedom in their kitchen design. Minimalism is not just about looks; it’s about creating a space that feels open, inviting, and practical.

In our company vision, we focus on innovation that enables this minimalism – integrating technology seamlessly into the kitchen so that it serves the needs without being intrusive. The kitchen is no longer just a place for cooking; it has become a social and architectural centrepiece of the home, and our minimalist approach helps it to blend beautifully with modern living.

Q: A few years ago, you started to expand the product portfolio – why is that and how can a cooktop extractor system can be made even smarter than before?
A: At Bora, we can't help but constantly reinvent the kitchen – this is based in our history and is just the way we function. As we strive to re-think existing solutions, new products emerge like BORA X BO, a steam oven also with steam extraction and with professional features which this product makes now available for home-usage, or the well-organised food storage that come when choosing the BORA refrigeration and freezing systems. We are starting to connect our appliances with an app called BORA JOY and have also developed compatible kitchenware with the recently launched cooktop BORA X Pure. Its functions in connection with those pots and pans help to save time and intelligently accompany the cooking process, consequently we have named them ‘BORA Assist’.

Q: With a product like the BORA X Pure cooktop, which are the important aspects for you in terms of design?
A: Bora's design is pure and minimalistic; the performance becomes clear during everyday use. In launching the new BORA X Pure, we are providing a visually and technically enhanced successor to one of our most popular cooktop extractor systems from previous years. Easy to recognise by the signature design of the air-inlet nozzle. In that newest generation, state-of-the-art technology meets highly effective vapour extraction and supportive assist functions, rounded off by a clever tri-coloured design for better orientation in the operating menu. I really like that it is offered in 2 glass styles: either with a shiny surface or the beautiful eye-catching version of a matt glass ceramic – which already has become a very popular design feature, easily concealing stains or fingerprints.

Q: How often do you use your cooktop extractor system at home, and what do you like to cook?
A: Cooking is one of my passions. At home, I use a modular cooktop from the BORA Professional 3.0 range. From the broad choice, I have opted for a Tepan stainless steel grill in combination with a gas cooktop because I like to be flexible and try out new things during cooking. The hob is in constant use, whether for quick meals during the week or for extensive cooking sessions at the weekend. As with many things in life, your personal experience is key. At the Bora live cooking events, our dealers actually invite customers to cooking sessions, letting them experience for themselves how easy and versatile it is to cook with Bora. My personal favourite meal to cook is with fresh, regional ingredients that can be turned into a healthy and tasty dish in just a few simple steps.