The Anything-But-Basics You Need for Your Kitchen, According to a Cookware Expert

Material was started by two friends, Eunice Byun and Dave Nguyen, who saw a gap in the cookware market. The best-looking equipment was a bit too pricey, while more affordable options didn’t look or work great. After talking to family and friends about their essentials for a "real kitchen"—one with kids scrambling around, late-night meals, and little room for extraneous gadgets—the duo created a line of space-saving kitchen tools and cookware that works for every walk of kitchen life.

Everything Material offers is designed to be beautiful, multifunctional, and fit the lifestyle—and budget—of home cooks. We chatted with Eunice about the little luxuries that keep her kitchen fun.

"Sure, a perfectly clear sphere of ice is impressive—but for a drink at home, I love these drink rocks made of soapstone and marble. I also fully appreciate that there are different shapes, because they make distinguishing your glass from your guests that much easier!"

"The versatility of these cloths makes them worth it—and so do the color combinations and print options. You can fold them up and use them as napkins, or lay one down in a basket and transform said basket into serveware."

"These little maracas bring me joy. They may not be the most practical things to have in your kitchen—I would always advocate for a proper salt well and pepper grinder first—but if you are looking to add some fun to your table, this salt and pepper shaker set will do just that."

"I have two kids that thankfully have good appetites, which I attribute to sharing my love of food with them—from different textures to flavors to cuisines. My friend, Joshua David Stein, just wrote this book which compiles recipes that cooks we know and love prepare for their kids. Genius."

"One of our products that I use daily is our mini recycled plastic cutting board. It’s the perfect size to pull out for quick chopping jobs…and also equally perfect to serve as my plate while grazing in the kitchen. I love our newest color, Kumquat, because it adds a drop of color in my otherwise neutral kitchen."

"I have been a fan of Goodee founders Byron and Dexter Peart since their WANT Les Essentiels days. Everything they design for Goodee is magical. I particularly love the size of these serving paddles—and the bone detailing on the olive-wood handles take them to a whole nother level."

"I eat everything out of this bowl. We designed it to be closer in shape to a pasta bowl, where it’s wider and shorter. We partnered with a South Korean ceramicist, Hyerin Yang, and developed this deep, blueish-gray shade that makes you feel like you’re diving in the caves in Jeju."

"A good pot of tea is like medicine to me. It can soothe a stressful day instantly. I love that the infuser is designed into the pot. It’s also a great piece to have sitting out on your stovetop."

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