At the helm of Mullet’s Appliances since his dad, Bill Mullet Jr., retired two years ago, Scott Mullet joined the company in 2005 after graduating from the University of South Florida. “But honestly, I’ve been working here all my life; I’ve done everything from deliveries to answering phones and sweeping the warehouse floors,” he says.

Though the company hasn’t changed its focus on customer service since his grandfather, Bill Sr., and father opened shop on Clark Road in 1974, Mullet’s has evolved into a complete source for state-of-the-art appliances—and kitchen design inspiration. “Now 50 percent of our customers want high-end kitchens and come in asking to see the hot new item,” Scott says.

When top brands like Wolf or Sub-Zero roll out new technology, Mullet is invited to their headquarters to review prototypes months in advance. “The next big thing is touch screen ovens with swipe technology,” Scott says. “With Wolf’s new models, you tell the oven what you want to cook, and it will do it for you. They’re intuitive, as easy to operate as an iPad tablet.”

What’s hot in kitchen gear? “Convection steam ovens are replacing built-in microwaves. The new Wolf CSO24 ($3,800) is popular with serious cooks because it has a large interior, and it bakes as well as steams. It actually browns meat while keeping it moist; customers even use it to make artisan breads.”

What do you cook with? “My wife is in charge of the kitchen, but barbecuing is my domain. I use a Lynx barbecue; it’s one of the nicer grills, with a spring-assisted top and LED lights. I’m a steak man; I like a real hot-burning grill.”

What’s new for Sarasota’s wine lovers? “Sub-Zero is coming out with a full-height wine cooler that has a self-regulating humidor, and a label inventory system for wine [from $6,500].”

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This article appears in the February 2014 issue of Sarasota Magazine. Like what you read? Click here to subscribe. >>