The Happy Spatula focuses on high quality, innovative kitchen products for budding chefs
Published in the April 2-15, 2014 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Staff Report
Photo by Marty Cheek
Rebecca Samuel, co-owner of The Happy Spatula, shows off a pair of novelty spatulas in her downtown store.
When Mark and Rebecca Samuel moved back with their three children to Morgan Hill last summer after spending a few years in Austin, Texas, they were pleasantly surprised by how the downtown had changed while they were away. They discovered a growing “foodie atmosphere” with many fine restaurants and people dining outdoors. And while fixing up their home kitchen as they moved back into their house, they felt frustrated by having to travel 25 miles or more to get the accessories they wanted.
These two factors planted the seed for the Samuels to start Happy Spatula, a specialized culinary equipment store in the heart of downtown Morgan Hill. We recently asked Rebecca about her store, which opened in mid-March.
Happy Spatula offers unique kitchen products not previously found in the South Valley region. How would you describe your store’s focus?
The Happy Spatula is an independent kitchen store with a focus on bringing good quality and innovative kitchen products to budding chefs. Whether you have been cooking for years or are starting out, we carry a range of items to help make cooking easier and more fun. Whenever possible, we chose vendors that both design and manufacture products here in the U.S. We have beautiful wooden chopping boards, for example, that are crafted in Vermont by J.K. Adams. Our baking accessories come from Nordic Ware, an American company in Minnesota. We carry products that are designed and manufactured in Europe too – English teapots, German knives, Portuguese bake ware, and French cast iron. We also price check our products to make sure our customers get the best possible prices.
What’s your passion for cooking and helping other people find their culinary craft?
Mark and I are big home cooks. We enjoy the cooking experience and find it very relaxing. We both love finding new gadgets for the kitchen and learning new cooking techniques. We are not experts, not by a long shot – sometimes the dishes work out as planned…sometimes not so much. But we learn as we go and have fun doing it. I think most home cooks have similar experiences and in Happy Spatula, it’s been fun to share stories and encourage people to try different tools and appliances. There are so many products out there to make cooking easier and more accessible to everyone.
You have a special section for kids to develop their cooking skills. Why did you create this kiddie-corner concept?
It’s important for children to start cooking from an early age. They are often so intrigued by and interested in the world around them, so why not encourage that in the kitchen? Our own kids often help out in the kitchen, either by making their own dinner or helping us prep for ours. Having fun in the kitchen also builds their confidence. Over the years I’ve also found that if they make their own food, they are more inclined to eat it. Kids making a meal is a win/win for everyone. The products in our kiddie corner were all chosen by our two boys. They selected the cute mixing bowls, cooking tools and awesome aprons – so hopefully it represents what our little customers will like.
What are some of the customer benefits you plan to bring to Happy Spatula?
As we continue to grow we’ll definitely explore ways to bring cooking demonstrations to Morgan Hill. Having a professional chef demonstrate how to cook regional or international foods, prepare special meals and share their tips and tricks is invaluable. You learn so much. In the meantime, we are looking to schedule a few knife skills classes with J.A. Henckels so customers can learn how to use their knives the right way and look after them correctly. For customers who want their knives sharpened, we will partner with Blade Tech to offer knife sharpening the first Saturday of each month. Customers can drop off their knives at the store at their convenience. We’ll also set up a “gadget table” in the store so that customers can experience using some of our cool kitchen gadgets prior to purchase.
The Happy Spatula
Location: 17145 Monterey Road
Contact: (408) 778-7494 or visit www.thehappyspatula.com
