Enamored by a demonstration of a restaurant food preparation machine in France, Carl Sontheimer and his wife, Shirley, are convinced they can adapt this technology to a useful home appliance for Americans. Sontheimer, a retired MIT-trained physicist and accomplished cook, makes a daring decision to jump into the highly competitive housewares business with his own company called Cuisinart. The company would initially import an exclusive line of top-quality stainless steel cookware.

Under management from Conair Corporation since 1989, the legacy is alive and well. Today, Cuisinart is a universally recognised name, endorsed by culinary connoisseurs such as Paul Bocuse, Jacques Pépin and Hubert Keller.