La Cornue has long been one of our all-time favorite brands, earning a place year after year on our top picks for Best Luxury Kitchen Appliances. The reason is simple: La Cornue is an iconic name; perhaps even the crème de la crème of cookery. Starting around $20,000, La Cornue ranges get a lot of attention purely because of the cost associated with them, with higher-end models going for as much as $50,000.
In a recent interview with Xavier Dupuy, the third generation La Cornue company head explained that “It is expensive because of what it takes to make – [they are] a very complicated product to make.” He says this because each unit is made by hand, built from start to finish by a single craftsman. The result is not only a beautiful product, but a high quality one. Without hesitation Dupuy assures buyers that “La Cornue is a genuine French product that keeps its value," also noting unsurprisingly that like any kitchen upgrade the name dually brings up the value of any home, although in this case buying one probably gets you a little more bang for your buck.
Up until now, anyone in the market for a La Cornue range would have had to also be a fan of the fairly ornate look the brand is known for. Even CornuFè, a more mass-market line released in 2005 (units come in closer to $8,000 thanks to factory assembly) still maintains a very French provincial design. But in late 2013 that changed, bringing us to the company’s latest project: a collaboration between Xavier Dupuy and architect and designer Jean-Michel Wilmotte.
Having now been in charge of the family business for the past 25 years, Xavier Dupuy has decided to bring the French brand straight into the 21st century with the new La Cornue W. by Wilmotte line. The brand new collection was designed specifically for people with more modern design tastes. The first new aesthetic to be introduced in 30 years, the idea was born over a friendly dinner between the two and has just recently become available after four full years of thought and design. In comparison to the brand's previous appliances, the new collection boasts minimalist form married with 100 years of craftsmanship.
