Vintage Kitchenalia

As one world vanishes, another takes its place. The objects we collect are a record of the past, and of these objects, the least recorded are often the ones we all take for granted. Antique and vintage kitchenalia can tell us so many stories about Britain’s culinary, scientific and innovative past.

Yet in a society seemingly so obsessed with food – the preparing, eating, sharing and sheer enjoyment of what and how we all eat – the humble kitchen utensil and its evolution is an often overlooked aspect of Britain’s heritage.

Cooking evolved from a fire in the middle of the homestead, with a crude container to boil up every meal, to the vast shiny, glossy, gadget and accessory-driven kitchen, where most people now have to conjure up complex and clever dishes created by grilling, frying, poaching, roasting, baking, toasting, boiling, braising, slow-cooking, steaming and many other techniques to test and challenge the skills of even the most talented cooks.

By investigating the objects themselves, Emma Kay discovers the rich history of how Britain’s kitchens became so versatile and, as the gadgets increased in availability, how cooking became so much more accessible, labour-saving and addictive.