A Gloucestershire chef has teamed up with a top designer to launch a new range of kitchen utensils and knives.

Ethan Rodgers is head chef and proprietor at Eastington’s Kings Head House Hotel and also runs the Ivy Lodge Bar and Brasserie, situated on Cirencester Park’s polo fields.

The chef won a Michelin Bob Gourmand and his first two AA Rosettes by the age of 25. It was this and the history of Cirencester Park and the Eastington hotel that persuaded Abode Creative director and principal designer, Gary Birks, to approach Ethan after enjoying a lunch at Ivy Lodge.

Gary Birks has previously designed for some of the biggest names on the high street as well as various celebrities and world Kings and Queens. He has designed a unique set of utensils and knives and needed an experienced chef to aid the design, from the ergonomics, the look and feel but also the weight of the implements.

“Designed and tested by professionals means we have confidence in the product,” explained Gary. 

“Ethan has the experience we wanted as well as the background. We are taking the collection to Paris, the Maison&Objet design festival, it is held in Paris every year.

The knives are something Gary and his team are particularly proud of, being made of a harder steel. 

“The steel on the bread knife, for instance, extends back through the handle for strength and balance. 

"The ABS handle is made from a post-consumer waste and is therefore recycled. 

"We wanted to use Ethan’s professional knife skills to show that the blade has a perfect curve on the blade edge so it rocks nicely and smoothly. Lots of cheap knives are flat towards the back of the blade so it never rocks completely. 

"It’s also ground from top to bottom in a fully tapered shape so it’s easy to sharpen and slices through food nice and smoothly,” he added.

Maison&Objet is part of Paris Design Week runs from Thursday, September 8 until Monday, September 12. It will be Abode Creative’s first show. 

“We are looking forward to it. It is a great chance to showcase our homeware design and what we can do from ideas to production.”

For information on Abode Creative visit: abodecreative.design