#09
cutting / cooking
Chopper
Kitchen Artefacts
TE MIRO, Waikato, New Zealand
- volcanic matai
- approximately W14.7cm D2cm H12.5cm
the product:
Tom was originally a sculptor. Out of curiosity, he started to shape, sharpen and polish left-over pieces of wood and accidentally created a chopper that was attractive, easy to hold and functional to use.
Each piece is hand-carved and polished with a safe plant-based wood finishing to give it a beautiful sheen.The multi-purpose chopper and can be used to cut pizzas, cheese, herbs and pastries, or it could also be used as a scraper to divide bread dough without damaging the cutting board.
Around 2000 years ago, there was a huge eruption at Taupo Volcano, in New Zealand, that caused burnt trees that had fallen into a river to become covered with volcanic ash. This volcanic ash was slowly absorbed into the wood over many millennia, making it denser, heavier, and darker in colour.
The wood used for the chopper is Matai, a tree native to New Zealand, that is renowned for its excellent durability and hardness. While the original wood already had a high density, the volcanic ash has made it even denser, so much so that the chopper is strong enough to cut a cob of corn. The markings on the surface come from the coalescence of sap and resin in the wood, which provide us with a glimpse into its unique and remarkable history.
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the maker:
Kitchen Artefacts is a kitchen tool enterprise founded by two sculptors, Tom and Louise, that produces beautiful yet practical hand-handcrafted utensils.
Tom was raised by a father who was a farmer and butcher, and a mother who was a cook, so he learned from an early age to appreciate ingredients, the joy of creating delicious, nutritious food, and the importance of sharing it with others. Growing up in an environment with a rich history of volcanic activity, he developed a fascination with natural stones, which eventually led him to become a sculptor. Kitchen Artefacts tools are a combination of Tom and Louise's love for food, appreciation of natural materials, and Tom's innate sense of toolmaking.
All the natural wood used for their tools is precious, rare and collected from throughout New Zealand. Each piece of wood has its unique own story, so no two are alike. They describe these practical and beautiful wooden tools as ‘Heritage Cookware’ in the hope that they will be passed down from generation to generation.
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・The Volcanic Matai is very rare and hard to find wood and it will be sold irregularly
・Currently main product on sale at the moment is small chopper blade made from Black Maire which is sustainable, sourced by salvaged log operators who locate overlooked logs in the cut-over native bush which has since been replanted in Pine forests
・Currently main product on sale at the moment is small chopper blade made from Black Maire which is sustainable, sourced by salvaged log operators who locate overlooked logs in the cut-over native bush which has since been replanted in Pine forests