Tales from the history of cookware
When I think about the art of cooking, I often imagine that every great meal begins long before the first ingredient is chopped; it begins in the hands of the cook, and the tools they wield. The invention of pots and pans, after fire, are some of the most important innovations in cooking.
Clay pots
Clay pots are among the earliest storytellers of our shared table. First shaped in East Asia 16,000 years ago, and later in North Africa 12,000 years ago, they carried not only food but the beginnings of culture itself. Fired in simple pits, these vessels transformed humble ingredients into sustenance, leaving behind evidence of communal dining in the Libyan Sahara that still speak to us today. From earth and fire, the pot was born, a quiet invention that forever changed the way humanity cooks, gathers and remembers.
The copper pans and pots
Long before kitchens as we know them existed, copper shimmered as a durable material. Humans first fashioned this metal into tools as early as 9000 BCE, and by 4500 BCE the Mesopotamians had perfected the craft, shaping the first pans that would one day evolve into the utensils we cannot imagine cooking without. Ancient Greeks and Romans fried and seared in copper, while the Egyptians discovered its power to purify water. In France centuries later, copper would become the cook’s metal of choice, the secret behind the gentle simmer of ratatouille or the glossy sauce of coq au vin. Excellent at conducting heat and beautiful to behold, copper has carried us from fire pits and three-legged “spider pans” to the sleek kitchens of today, proof that sometimes, the oldest tools remain the finest.
Cast iron
Cast iron was first poured into moulds in China as early as the 5th century BCE. Unlike hammered iron, which was brittle and slow to shape, cast iron could be melted and moulded into strong, enduring pots and pans, sturdy enough for fire, yet affordable enough for every household. While it took centuries for Europe to adopt the technique, by the time settlers crossed the Atlantic, cast iron cauldrons had become essential to survival, suspended over open hearths where families gathered for warmth and food. Heavy in the hand and seasoned by time, cast iron carries with it the memory of countless meals, reminding us that some tools are built not just for cooking, but for a lifetime.
Stainless steel
Stainless steel, a relative newcomer compared to clay, copper, or cast iron, only entered our kitchens in the early 20th century, but it quickly proved itself indispensable. Resistant to rust, durable against wear, and sleek in its shine, stainless steel became the cook’s reliable all-rounder. Unlike copper, it doesn’t react with acidic foods; unlike cast iron, it doesn’t demand constant care. Its strength lies in its versatility: from simmering soups to searing meats, stainless steel pots and pans offer a clean, steady surface that endures through time. A modern classic, stainless steel is proof that sometimes the simplest tools are the ones we return to again and again, and it was my first choice for the cooking tools in the JAN Homeware collection.
And who says history is done teaching us? Even today, chefs (myself included) have discovered the consequences of choosing the wrong pan or pot. A caramel that refuses to set, a sauce that sticks stubbornly, a pan that warps under heat, these little misadventures remind us that cookware is not just functional, it’s part of the story of every dish.