Los Angeles, CA. October 2019. Alvin first came to me for getting some custom sayas made for his favorite knives. After wow-ing him with my sleek wooden extensions of his knives own character, I made him a selection of wine keys back when I was just getting started with them. But then I was asked about another project - a pair of burger spatulas.
In the Burger World, Chef Alvin Cailan is nothing short of a celebrity. The Filipino-American chef behind Eggslut, also hosts and creates amazing stacks that'll make your mouth water on First We Feast's "The Burger Show", and sells his creations to the public in LA at Amboy. Aside from his even newer unlisted burger joint Greenlight Burgers in Manilla that sells out in minutes, this dude is so rad that he even has his own Bob's Burger's character! So, I knew that I would have to make this pair of burger spatulas other-worldly!
The ask? Definitely one in Carbon Fiber and the other, just make it dope! At first glance the standard spatula looks pretty basic. But this is where my background in industrial design really got a chance to shine. The function of the original over-molding plastic handle is to become one with the spatula. This means that when it flexes, the handle must hold the steel so tight that it can't budge either. So, when Alvin asked for me to make it octagonal this meant that I needed to not only re-engineer the form but also develop a new construction method that would act the same way and lock all of the materials in place.
The results speak for themselves, and there's nothing finer than watching your homie Alvin Cailan use the tool you crafted on his show with ease and pleasure, just like he expects it to. Everything flows. The mix of carbon fiber and brass is murder'd out with class. Even the balance is on point. Big grips for big hands. Facets for control. Materials that perform in high-heat, with the stats to back it up.
And for the other spatula that Alvin gave me free reign with, it got a lil crazy in a good way. By taking the same construction and applying it to neon materials and crazy fiber that has UV features this magical version became a work of art on a different level - and it even got a little national coverage hanging out on The Drew Barrymore Show. I especially love how the squiggles in the pattern kinda look like a burger patty from the end in blacklight - but it looks pretty dope in the daylight too!
“Amazing!!!! Holy Crap!!! You’re a talented dude brother.” - Alvin Cailan