Is this flatware ugly?

[andiesenji]

I like them and they look substantial.

Actually, there were similar flatware designs sold in the 1960s, very collectible now.

Arne Jacobsen designed the flatware for the movie 2001 A Space Odyssey and it is similar but has ovals instead of rounds.

There was one that had squares and rectangles incised into the surface - I think it was named "Cityscape" and there was one that had a center round with 4 points radiating from it that was named "Bright Star" .

Like these, there were also several "Danish Modern" designs that had wavy lines and undulating forms incised into the surface with a rough finish on the incised parts to contrast with the highly polished finish.

[BryanZ]

So I gave them a "test-run," and they are easy to handle. The knife actually cuts surprisingly well.

I do understand those of you who have complaints toward the design, I, too, share some of them. We'll see how cleaning is. Since I'm hand-washing I don't forsee dried out food debris being too much of an issue (no dishwasher).

They're made by Grunwerg Sheffield. The pattern isn't listed on the box.

I'm glad this has spurned such great debate. The thoughts about table aesthetic are quite interesting to me. I plan on using matte black placemats and all of my china is very white and generally very large. I don't use prints or anything so it's not like the dimple-ing will clash with any of the patterns.

ETA: Link to the Grunwerg contemporary patterns, here. The pattern is called Matchpoint. Apparently this company does have some sort of partnership with Global, as the knives are advertised on the site.

Edited August 14, 2006 by BryanZ (log)

[highchef]

I kinda like them, for what you're doing. I too think they're more of a retro feel (you know, George Jetson modern?) and would look great with some of the fabric that's out there now...browns and greens and irregular shaped geometric patterns in earth tones.

I reacted to the holes with the same thought as upthread...they're gonna be a bitch to clean, but the diner's not going to know that. They're not buying the table ware and bringing it home, they're there to eat!

I wouldn't want it in my house for the cleaning reasons (and my house is victorian..won't work). I think it would/could make a really cool table though.

Good luck with the project!

[andiesenji]

I would clean the handles with a nail brush - I always have one at the sink because I wash my sterling by hand and always scrub the forks with the brush. I also scrub any of my rubber/silicone spatulas with a brush as well as many utensils that have nooks and crannies that might retain food.

Ditto my Global knives.

[petite tête de chou]

I like them. Modern, retro-y, kinda fun- not too serious.

[Kris]

I don't like them. They're too modernistic for my taste and remind me of Global knives (which I dislike for the same reason).

[purplewiz]

They're not to my taste, but then, many restaurants use flatware I wouldn't have in my house, and I manage to enjoy my meals there all the same .

But my first thought on seeing those echoes the thoughts of others: boy, are they going to be a pain to keep clean with that dimpling on the handles. If you're going to hand wash/hand scrub them, ok, but again, in my house, when it comes to dishes, if it doesn't go in my dishwasher, it doesn't go in my house(*).

(*)With a few notable exceptions, like the china which gets used once or twice a year.

Marcia.

[Carlovski]

For a lot of peoples cooking - quite futuristic.

Looking at your foodblog - almost retro!

I don't know - I kind of like them, but for your place, maybe a bit too conventionally modern?

It sounds to me like you aren't too sure yourself - as your project is only serving a few people at a time maybe you should get something you REALLY like - you won't need a lot (yet!) and the cost will only be a small part of your investment.

[BryanZ]

Carlovski, I understand where you're coming from, but cost is a major issue, unfortunately. These were cheap and fit the "vibe."

I don't have a dishwasher so everything will be hand-washed regardless of whether it's easy to clean or not.

[H. du Bois]

I think they look fun. I like it that they're different from the usual cutlery.

[saltylicious]

Definitely fugly.

They handles resemble lizard tongues.

[Marlene]

I'm with JAZ. Even with hand washing, I'd be concerned about making sure they got clean. And the knives just don't do it for me at all.

[Pam R]

I like 'em. As long as the cleaning isn't a problem, I say use them.

[oraklet]

i'm rather old fashioned. i like spoons to be rounded, forks to have long teeth(?) and knives to have long blades. that's the way these things were made for centuries, and for a reason: they're comfortable to use. there have been very few succesfull modern designs, and i think i know of only one example of one-piece stainless knives that work: the knives made by the swedish "jernbolaget eskilstuna" in the 50'ies.

so, as for your knives: no, i don't feel they're ugly per se - but i would certainly advice for knives with longer blades, and the dimples may, as some have pointed out, pose a problem re hygiene.

[H. du Bois]

I don't see how keeping the handles clean would be an issue, but then again, I don't have a dishwasher. Anyone who washes dishes by hand knows well that using a brush will get anything out of any crevice. (Yes, those same brushes that keep crystal from spotting).

[ohev'ochel]

bryan, 2 questions -- if i may:

1. how deep is the dimpling on the handles in reality? many people seem to have an issue w/ that. i have 2 global knives with the same handles [amongst many other expensive and well made/known knives] and i have never had cleanliness problems with them.

2. could u place the cutlery out with an example of the dishes u will be using and the table napkins/mats, etc.? often, that will change the look of things when it is all put "together".

i imagine u will be serving dishes as i saw on some of ur posts w/ sodium alginate. that in itself is "out there" food wise. if these are futuristic cutlery then it wouldn't be a far stretch. while this particular cutlery would not be my first choice or even maybe 2nd or 3rd, u r limited on a budget for the outset of ur venture and 40 bucks is hella good. one opinion amongst many.

thanx

[Shalmanese]

I've had a bit of a think about why I dislike them so much and this is what I've come up with. Of the people I admire in the molecular gastronomy movement, the thing that stands out is their restraint.

It's very easy to just decide to go crazy and throw out all the rules willy nilly but what that leads to is crap food. Only those able to deliberately break from tradition in a carefully chosen and clearly superior way can really demonstrate mastery of the rules.

These utensils strike me as rule breaking for the sake of rule breaking. As oraklet says, the design of tableware has been a gradual process of refinement for very specific reasons. Unless you can demonstrate a very good reason to break from that tradition, I would be hesistant to try and introduce something radical.

Have you actually tried sitting down and eating a meal with these utensils? How do they feel in your hands. I'm worried that if I sat down at a place like yours and found the utensils clunky, the thought going through my head would be "If this guy is so concerned about cool looking utensils that they don't even work right, whats my food going to taste like?"

Just my thoughts.

Edited August 15, 2006 by Shalmanese (log)

[ludja]

...

Have you actually tried sitting down and eating a meal with these utensils? How do they feel in your hands. I'm worried that if I sat down at a place like yours and found the utensils clunky, the thought going through my head would be "If this guy is so concerned about cool looking utensils that they don't even work right, whats my food going to taste like?"

Just my thoughts.

←

From an earlier post...

So I gave them a "test-run," and they are easy to handle.  The knife actually cuts surprisingly well.

...

←

[Shalmanese]

From an earlier post...

So I gave them a "test-run," and they are easy to handle.  The knife actually cuts surprisingly well.

...

←

←

Fair enough, I'm still sceptical though. Have you tried cutting through a bread roll? Or disassembling a quail? Those knife blades just seem wrong for so many tasks. I'm hoping to be pleasantly proven wrong though.

[Kouign Aman]

I'd look at 'em there on the table in front of me and think: the food here is gonna look interesting at the very least.

My first thoughts on seeing the picture were:

can that knife cut ?

can they be kept clean ?

You've addressed the first.

The second - hard to address and keep the stuff returnable. For little crevices and holes (those are holes right thru, yes?), brushes rule. Bottle brushes rule over nail brushes IMO.

But you are not going to want to spend hours poking into each hole to get them clean. And you may have to clean mid-service if you dont have extras and someone drops a piece on the floor.

Also, you'll probably have to hand dry them as even stainless will rust if left too wet too long. Those holes look like they wont dry quickly by themselves unless the air is crackling dry.

For the reasons of maintenance, Im thinking return.

Bummer. I'd like to use them in a restaurant.

[annecros]

I like them very much. More retro I think than other's are citing. Retro right back to punched tin pie safes.

As long as the heft, and comfort are OK, then go for it. So much can be done later.

Anne

[ohev'ochel]

I'd look at 'em there on the table in front of me and think: the food here is gonna look interesting at the very least.

My first thoughts on seeing the picture were:

can that knife cut ?

can they be kept clean ?

You've addressed the first.

The second - hard to address and keep the stuff returnable. For little crevices and holes (those are holes right thru, yes?), brushes rule. Bottle brushes rule over nail brushes IMO.

But you are not going to want to spend hours poking into each hole to get them clean. And you may have to clean mid-service if you dont have extras and someone drops a piece on the floor.

Also, you'll probably have to hand dry them as even stainless will rust if left too wet too long. Those holes look like they wont dry quickly by themselves unless the air is crackling dry.

For the reasons of maintenance, Im thinking return.

Bummer. I'd like to use them in a restaurant.

←

a japanese tawashi would work also if it doesn't damage the metal. haven't had problems using mine.

[Toliver]

What's with all the posts about keeping them clean?!

What am I not getting here?

Will Bryan be serving people who eat from the wrong end of the utensils?

Has he misjudged his target clientele that much?

While the utensils may get a little dirty, I would assume they would be cleared from the table to be dropped into whatever cleaning set-up he has. If they were left dirty to air-dry overnight, then there might be something worthy of a discussion about difficulty in cleaning, but somehow, Bryan doesn't strike me at that type.

If I sat down to a restaurant table set with this flatware I'd expect something exciting and unexpected to be served out of the kitchen. This isn't flatware you use to eat Spaghetti-O's.

I say, "Good choice, Bryan".

Now let's discuss china.

[Suzy]

I love them and if I came across them locally, I'd even purchase a set for my home. As long as they table setting goes with it, keep them.

[highchef]

If I sat down to a restaurant table set with this flatware I'd expect something exciting and unexpected to be served out of the kitchen. This isn't flatware you use to eat Spaghetti-O's.

I say, "Good choice, Bryan".

Now let's discuss china

ok, I just painted my dining room to coordinate with my wedding china..had to be done if I was ever going to use it. Pink and rusty/orange do not go well together, add a little yellow..well it was disturbing.

Oh! you meant Bryan's china! I vote for this. but it's melmac....