was intrigued by fossils. Perhaps
this inspired his love of collecting
and preserving antique and vintage
culinary items. Some of the oldest
pieces he owns are probably a
marmalade cutter manufactured by
Follows & Bate Ltd in Manchester,
England, in 1870 and a cast iron and
wood coffee-bean grinder made in
Germany in 1886. However, with a
collection this vast, he realises there
may well be older items spread
across the property.
“I imagine the story behind the
piece, where it was manufactured,
when it was shipped to a shop, who
bought it, put it in their shopping
basket, took it home and used it.
I can picture people making things
with these utensils and appliances.
Time and again, I realise the old
saying is true: ‘They don’t make ’em
like that anymore’,” he muses.
“I think it’s very good for the
students and visitors to the school
to see how it used to be, from stoves
you had to light a fire in to stoves
you can now programme with your
cell phone; a Magimix ice-cream
maker versus old-fashioned ones
that used to hold ice in the middle to
chill the cream you had to stir around
the outside. Past and present live
alongside each other, and youngsters
get to see how quick and easy
things are today,” Stephen notes.
128 BRAM FISCHER DRIVE, FERNDALE,
RANDBURG, 2160; 011-285-0937/16;
HTACHEFSCHOOL.CO.ZA
CULINARY HERITAGE