Materials Overview: Kitchenware designed for the house cook dinner

For residence cooks and pals Eunice Byun and Dave Nguyen, the battle to search out stunning and modern kitchen units that labored for his or her areas is what actually led to the creation of their kitchenware model, Materials. As a model for the “discerning residence cook dinner,” Materials, which launched in March 2018, affords a considerate, pared-down choice of cookware and tableware for the house. In September of this yr, the model collaborated with trend stylist Beverly Ngyuen to launch a brand new beautiful inexperienced colorway for its signature Trio of Knives.

Other than Materials’s dedication to creating high-quality, useful and aesthetically pleasing items, giving again to the group can be central to the model’s id. In partnership with Coronary heart of Dinner, which offers the aged AAPI group in NYC with groceries and meals, Materials donates 50% of the earnings generated from the sale of its reBoard within the colorway To Pó-Po with Love. To study extra concerning the model, we spoke with Byun concerning the model’s bestselling merchandise and the way forward for Materials.

Eunice Byun: When Dave and I first got here up with the concept of Materials, it actually got here from a spot of private want. We actually struggled with discovering units that have been extra fashionable, whether or not it was the scale of the units — we don’t want 32-piece kitchenware units in a New York Metropolis residence — and even simply the model and the aesthetics. Looking for a extra modernized model of stunning issues for the kitchen was one thing we each needed. We realized there was one thing there as we began speaking to family and friends to study extra about their cooking habits, what they’d of their kitchens and issues that they couldn’t dwell with out. As we began to place pen to paper and began designing a number of the preliminary items, we have been fortunate sufficient to have pals round us which might be residence cooks as nicely and actually noticed the necessity and alternative to have extra stunning but extra sensible issues for his or her kitchen.

EB: I like how the phrase “materials” can imply important, like what are essentially the most materials issues that one wants. However I additionally favored the juxtaposition of it’s only a materials merchandise. With the ability to discover a phrase that performed on so many various meanings was one thing that was actually placing to me. It popped into my head whereas I used to be strolling via Union Sq. and I keep in mind bursting into the restaurant being like “Dave, I believe I’ve a reputation.”

What merchandise did you launch with and why?

EB: We launched with a group referred to as The Fundamentals and the imaginative and prescient behind our preliminary assortment was modifying down this actually massive, complicated world of kitchen instruments and devices to the issues that you simply’re gonna attain for daily, for each meal. We love creating sensible indulgences — issues which might be nicely designed, stunning and aesthetically pleasing but in addition extremely sensible that may stand the check of time — and The Fundamentals actually served as the inspiration for that imaginative and prescient.

EB: One is the reBoard and it’s compelling due to the sustainable supplies. We searched excessive and low to search out the proper mixture in order that it will not solely carry out nicely but in addition be produced in a manner that was going to be as eco-friendly as doable. After which I might say the knives and the stand. It made Oprah’s Favourite Issues final yr. It’s certainly one of our core merchandise as a result of not solely are the knives made with three layers of Japanese metal, however the weight of it’s very nice, the deal with materials is good and grippy and in addition the stand is basically distinctive in that it’s a magnetic block that lets you retailer as much as eight knives.

EB: My favourite primarily as a result of I exploit it each single day and I’m nonetheless utilizing the pattern from two and a half years in the past and it has held up so properly is The Coated Pan. It’s our nonstick pan. It’s made with out PFOAs, it’s lead-free and cadmium-free, so it’s a extremely protected possibility for nonstick coatings, and it simply performs fantastically. I cook dinner breakfast on it for my two ladies each single day and it has actually weathered the various days that I’ve used it properly.

For people who find themselves unfamiliar along with your merchandise, what do you most need them to learn about your model?

EB: What we predict as we speak’s residence cook dinner is on the lookout for is substance over stuff, sustainability over disposable issues of their kitchen and a value-driven group. We actually focus in on these parts and design a product that may work within the kitchen so it may be as straightforward and easy as doable to place collectively an assortment that’s best for you. We’re actually meticulous about ensuring that the whole lot isn’t simply stunning but in addition sensible and long-lasting. We put a whole lot of time and care into desirous about how lengthy issues will final, like our nonstick pan, and we predict that’s necessary as a result of persons are deserving of issues that aren’t going to be disposable and fail on them after a sure period of time.

EB: From a design perspective, there are some new classes that we are going to be launching. For us it’s at all times simply attempting to proceed to deliver that easy model throughout the kitchen and your desk. Now we have some partnerships that we’re engaged on and we’re persevering with to search out new methods to have interaction our prospects.