Bermuda's "Mr. Saladmaster'' Junius Durrant has been served up an award.

He was honoured by Dallas-based Saladmaster for representing the firm for 30 years to August 15.

Mr. Durrant took home a cash award and a plaque in recognition of the honour, bestowed on him yesterday by the president of Saladmaster Distributors Inc., Chris G. Nahatis, who for 45 years gave Saladmaster international exposure by hosting television programmes about the high quality cooking utensils.

Mr. Durrant had worked as a distributor for Dallas-based Saladmaster on the side from 1968, originally on commission through the family of Erskine Adderley. He took over the distributorship in 1977.

It became a full-time job in 1990 when his position with the Department of Agriculture & Fisheries at the Sargasso Sea Foods fish processing plant was made redundant and the plant closed.

After 30 years, he said thousands of Bermuda families were using the products because of the life-time warranty and the significant health benefits to the waterless, greaseless cooking methods.

And at 64, the Cup Match cricket star of the late 1950s has no interest in retiring from the distributorship.

Mr. Nahatis, who is from the Boston area, said the cooking equipment was designed to retain the nutrients in cooked food.

He said, "If people prepared their food the Saladmaster way, they could eat all they want and not gain weight.

"The number one killer in the world is heart attacks. Sixty years ago, there was no such thing as heart attacks. It is a man-made disease caused by diet.

Using these cooking products, you can reduce the chances of heart attacks.

"Here in Bermuda, we have parents who purchased our cookware, children who also realised the benefits and purchased a set, and grandchildren who are now purchasing their sets.

"We are selling more today than ever before. In this small Island, more and more people are recognising the health benefits of careful food preparation.

"And Mr. Durrant has been outstanding in his representation of the company and provides great service to his clients. He is a leader in service throughout the company.'' Mr. Durrant had previously won other awards from the company, such as the Diamond Pin Award for selling more than a half a million dollars worth of merchandise. He has also won numerous travel awards.

Saladmaster was started by Cherokee Indian Harry Lemmons, a short order cook in his father's Oklahoma restaurant. He became famous for his Saladmaster Food Processor, a utensil designed to assist in the making of salads.

He was so successful that he later started his own line of high quality cooking utensils, which are made of surgical stainless steel. The company is currently owned by three brothers in the US.