All But The Kitchen Sink, April 2026
Now then! So, after two and a half years in hibernation, we thought it was about time the Community Cutlery newsletter made a comeback. And, like all good comebacks, we’re returning with a belter of a new line-up!!
Over the last few years, Community Cutlery has evolved into more than we’d ever expected and to keep our shelves stocked with amazing products we’ve got to find ideas and inspiration in fascinating places – online, on our travels and at home - and we wanted to bring you all along for the ride in case you’re seeking the same kind of joy as us!
So, version 2.0 of All But The Kitchen Sink, let’s get going!
GO
We’re coming to London – and you should join us there!
We’re excited to announce that on Friday 19th June, we’re going to be hosting an exclusive knife sharpening class at The Dusty Knuckle bakery in Dalston and what’s more, newsletter subscribers get first dibs at nabbing a spot!
It’s going to be a proper intimate session, with only 10 places available, so if you’d like to come along, just follow this link to book your place.
Tickets are £65 each and for this you’ll get a 2 hour class with Gaz, a strop to take home (to help keep your sharp knives sharp), a guide of everything we’ve gone through in the class and there may even be a few nib-nobs from the bakery. Get involved!
Wait! There’s more!
The day before - Thursday 18th - to continue the promotion of my book, DO MAINTAIN: How to sharpen your knives scissors and garden tools, we’re joining forces with our pals from DO Books and the legendary Labour and Wait to do some (and talk some) sharpening at their Covent Garden shop.
The event will be open to the public but we’re expecting it to be a really popular so keep your eyes on future newsletter drops and socials for further deets.
Then in the evening (yeah, we’re totally making the most of our 48 hours in London!), we’ll be hooking up with the team from Blacklock restaurant in Covent Garden where we’ll be talking about what we do and they’ll be talking about what they do. Again, more info on this closer to the time, although places for this will be reserved directly through Labour & Wait.
BUY
We’ve got some right bonny gear in the shop at the moment (take a look at our Instagram and Tik Tok for all the latest chat on that) but the one thing most of our products have in common is colour. We both naturally gravitate towards warm, vibrant shades - not much in the way of monochrome round here! So with spring finally putting in a shift (most days!), we’ve rounded up some of our favourite mellow yellow goods to give you some seasonal kitchenware inspo. 🌼
Left to right from the top:
RENOVATE
If you’ve ever been into Community Cutlery here in Ilkley, you’ll know how much we care about how a space feels. Yes, how it looks but also how it makes people feel when they’re in it: there’s something about a well-designed space that quietly tells you you’re in the right place, that what you’re buying is good quality, perhaps it’s reassuring and affirming on a subconscious level.
We’ve grown so used to working in such a well considered environment and we now want to bring into our home.
From the very beginning we’ve had the honour of working with the insanely talented Matt Kelly from Plaey. He’s built absolutely everything in here and pretty much created our shop space, so we’re over the cocking moon that he’s agreed to design and build our kitchen at home too!
Over the next few months, we thought it’d be fun to share the whole process with you - from our early ideas and plans through to the build itself (and no doubt a few bumps along the way). As well as insights into layouts, materials and functional choices, we want to share what we’re learning as first-time renovators.
Already, we've got three solid insights to share:
1 - the people who tell you your budget won’t be enough are probably right.
2 - accept the fluidity of a tradesperson's schedule.
3 - buy the best you can afford.
The design work is already well under way and physical work will be starting very soon. After many months of vision boarding via Pinterest, we really feel like we’ve developed a clear idea of how the space needs to work and look.
Here’s a look at the vibe we’ll be aiming for:
READ
Gaz’s book pick this month is Stoner by John Williams, it came by way of a recommendation by @booksaresick on Instagram and it did not disappoint.
It’s the story of the entire life of an ordinary man: William Stoner, a university professor who lives a modest, uneventful life. He studies, he works, he marries, he parents, he endures - it is so compelling. There are no big plot twists or drama, it’s about the small moments, the quiet disappointments, the unexpected joys and the way a life slowly unfolds.
If you’re in the mood for something thoughtful and beautifully written - the complete opposite of a page turner but you still can’t put it down - it’s got Gaz’s stamp of approval all over it!
LISTEN
For Gaz, Prince has been a lifelong music companion - he’s been a fan since he was a lad when Uncle Geoff passed on his unwanted copy of Diamonds and Pearls. In May last year, he took his fandom to a whole new level and began a year-long deep dive into Prince’s FULL back catalogue.
Teaming up with Chris, his friend and fellow Prince devotee, Gaz began The Prince Retrospective. Since May 2025, the pair have had one goal - listen to a Prince album every week, starting with 1978’s For You, and then get on the phone for a chat about it, explore the evolution of his style, sound and artistry over the decades.
So far, they’ve worked their way through the first 32 studio albums, discovering many hidden gems along the way (yes that does equate to more than a week per album but if you’ve ever listened to late 90s-early 00s Prince, you’ll appreciate the need for a few breaks!).
From these sessions, Gaz has curated a playlist of what he considers to be the finest Prince tracks, the songs from each album that he would gladly go back and listen to again and again and again.
There are about six studio albums left to go, so it’s still a work in progress, but with 94 stone cold bangers, it’s worth diving into straight away!
Give the whole thing a listen here and don’t forget, always shuffle the playlist!