As anyone who has shoved a panini press into the back of their utility closet knows, kitchen counter space is a precious commodity. If only kitchen space magically grew to accommodate the growth in your small appliance collection!
Toronto businessperson Dayna Boyer has a solution, particularly for the try-before-you-buy set: she runs the Kitchen Library, where members can rent cooking gadgets.
“My little elevator pitch that I give to people is that we’re just like a regular library but instead of lending books we lend things like stand mixers, dehydrators and juicers,” she says. “When the concept resonates with someone their whole face lights up and that’s probably the best part of my job.”
With everything from Vitamix blenders to oyster shuckers lining her shelves, it’s clear a love of homemade food is the undercurrent that keeps the Kitchen Library afloat.
But, to Boyer, it’s more than just a place to test drive the juicing craze or get the equipment to make your own kale chips.
“We’ve found some amazingly skilled and passionate volunteers to teach everything from pasta making to dehydrating to canning,” Boyer says. “I’ve learned so much just from chatting with people and throwing around ideas for recipes. I can’t believe I get to talk about food for a living!”
As the foodie scene in many cities shifts from a restaurant focus to feasts from home (that are often shared on social media in real time), Boyer has picked the perfect moment to let everyone release their inner Julia Child and experiment with dinner. She believes that homemade food carries real importance: “I think if you cook from whole raw ingredients (not processed pre-packaged ingredients) then you’ll absolutely end up with a meal that is healthier, cheaper, and probably more delicious than convenient food. There’s a whole revolution happening around home cooking and being in charge of what goes into your food and I hope The Kitchen Library becomes a big part of this movement.”
Hmm… I wonder what the waiting list is like for the Vitamix?
Don’t miss the Kitchen Library’s FREE cookbook swap on March 21.
