A good wooden spatula goes unnoticed: it sits in the hand, never gets hot, slides across the bottom of the pan without scratching it, and is still there ten years on. That longevity comes down to two things — the species chosen, and the care it gets. We make our wooden kitchen utensils in our workshop in Thônes, Haute-Savoie; here is what we have learned, species by species, and what we advise those who take them home.
Why cook with wooden utensils
- They scratch nothing. Non-stick pan, enamelled casserole, stainless steel saucepan: wood is softer than every coating, so it respects them.
- They don't get hot. Wood is an insulator. A spoon left in the sauce can be picked up without a glove.
- They don't react. No metallic taste, no oxidation with vinegar, tomato or lemon.
- They are quiet — which matters more than you would think in an open-plan kitchen.
- They age well. A wooden spatula wears by taking on a patina. It doesn't chip or warp if it is well looked after.
The names of wooden kitchen utensils
Behind the word "spatula" hide a dozen tools, each designed for one gesture. Here are their names, and what they are for.
- Flat spatula (or bevelled spatula): turn, lift and scrape the bottom of the pan.
- Corner spatula (or angled spatula): its slanted tip reaches the corners of a saucepan or sauté pan.
- Wooden spoon (or stirring spoon): stir a sauce, a soup, a batter.
- Risotto spoon: with a hole in the middle, it stirs rice without crushing it.
- Wooden ladle: serve soups and broths without scratching the pot.
- Salad servers: a matching spoon and fork to toss and serve.
- Pie server: cut and serve a slice without breaking it.
- Honey dipper: its grooves hold the honey without dripping.
- Pestle and potato masher: crush garlic, spices or potatoes.
- Chopping board and rolling pin: the two great classics of wood in the kitchen.
Which wood for a kitchen utensil?
Not all species are equal in contact with food. You want a wood that is dense, close-grained, barely porous, low in tannin and free of resin: it absorbs neither smells nor colours, releases nothing into the dish, and stands up to repeated moisture. Here are the ones we work with and the ones we leave out.
| Species | Look | For which utensil | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beech | Pale, pinkish, fine and even grain | Spatulas, spoons, salad servers: the reference wood | Dense and stable, tasteless. Darkens slightly with oil. The classic of French kitchens. |
| Maple | Very pale, almost white, close grain | Boards, thin spatulas, pie servers | The hardest of the pale woods: stands up to knife cuts and stains. |
| Pear | Warm pinkish brown, very fine, silky grain | Sauce spoons, serving utensils | Soft to the touch, polishes beautifully. A little softer than beech. |
| Walnut | Deep brown, pronounced figure | Salad servers, gift pieces | Rich in colour, stable. Softer: keep it for utensils that don't scrape. |
| Olive | Golden yellow veined with brown | Spoons, short spatulas | Very dense and naturally oily. May move as it dries: choose it in thick pieces. |
| Softwoods (pine, fir, spruce) | — | Avoid | Soft and resinous, they hold smells and split in water. |
| Plywood, glued wood, cheap bamboo | — | Avoid | The glues are not made for heat and soaking; the layers come apart. |
In our workshop, beech and maple make up most of the spatulas and spoons, pear and walnut the more decorative pieces. All our utensils are solid wood, unvarnished: the finish is a food-grade oil.
Varnish, oil or nothing? Finishing a wooden utensil
A kitchen utensil should never be varnished. Varnish eventually cracks with heat, flakes into the food and stops the wood breathing. The right finish is an oil that soaks into the fibres: it slows water absorption, revives the colour and can be renewed indefinitely. Three oils work:
- Food-grade mineral oil (liquid paraffin): neutral, never goes rancid, dries fast. The simplest choice.
- Food-grade linseed oil (raw, not boiled): dries by polymerising and forms a longer-lasting protection. Allow 24 h to dry.
- Walnut oil: a lovely warm tone, but avoid it if anyone has a nut allergy.
Avoid: everyday cooking oils (sunflower, olive), which go rancid and give the wood an unpleasant smell after a few weeks.
Caring for a wooden spatula or spoon: the routine
Wash
By hand, in hot water, with a little washing-up liquid, straight after use. Rinse, then dry upright, handle down, in the open air. Never the dishwasher: heat and forced drying open the grain and split the wood within a few cycles. No soaking in the sink either.
Oil
When the surface turns dull, rough or whitish — every two or three months, more often at first — rub in a generous coat of oil with a cloth, let it soak in for an hour (overnight for linseed oil), then wipe off the excess. The wood gets its colour and softness back for a minute's effort.
Refresh
A utensil that has taken a knife cut or a stubborn stain can be lightly sanded with fine paper (240 to 320 grit), along the grain, then re-oiled. A well-treated spatula can be sanded several times over the years.
Deodorise
A garlic or onion smell comes off with half a lemon rubbed over the wood, or a paste of bicarbonate of soda and water left for ten minutes, then a rinse and a coat of oil.
How we make our utensils
Each piece starts from a board of solid wood chosen for its straight grain. The shape is cut out, then carved and sanded by hand in ever finer passes, until the wood is smooth under the thumb without a single sharp edge. The piece is then oiled, left to rest and wiped. On request, we engrave a first name, a date or a short word on the handle: that is what turns a spatula into a wedding, housewarming or Mother's Day gift. Everything happens in our workshop in Thônes, Haute-Savoie, where we also make our mountain maps and our mountain lamps. A particular shape, length or wood species? Describe your project through our custom-made service.
Frequently asked questions
What are wooden kitchen utensils called?
The main ones are the flat spatula, the corner spatula, the wooden spoon (or stirring spoon), the risotto spoon with its hole, the ladle, salad servers, the pie server, the honey dipper, the pestle, the chopping board and the rolling pin.
What is the best wood for a kitchen spatula?
Beech is the reference: dense, fine-grained, free of taste and tannin, it stands up to hot water and repeated use. Maple, harder still, suits thin spatulas and boards; pear and walnut, softer, suit utensils that don't scrape. Softwoods and glued woods are best avoided.
Can a wooden utensil go in the dishwasher?
No. Heat and forced drying open the grain and split the wood within a few cycles. A hand wash in hot water, drying upright and a coat of food-grade oil every two or three months are enough to make it last for years.
Which oil should I use on a wooden spoon?
A food-grade mineral oil (the simplest, it never goes rancid), a raw food-grade linseed oil (longer-lasting, 24 h to dry) or walnut oil. Avoid everyday cooking oils such as sunflower or olive, which go rancid.
Are your wooden utensils made in France?
Yes, entirely: they are carved, sanded, oiled and engraved in our workshop in Thônes, Haute-Savoie, near Annecy, from solid wood. Free collection at the workshop or Colissimo shipping in 3 to 5 days.