Cutting a path with wood and steel
- Vu crafts high carbon steel knives and other kitchen utensils
- His tools are inspired by his experiences as a chef and restaurateur
- Beautiful cuts of wood, stainless steel and copper feature in his pieces
Vu Nguyen trained as a chef in Chicago before opening and running two restaurants in Charlottesville, Virginia. “I have always enjoyed bringing people together around a table, so I thought the natural fit would be to go into the restaurant business,” he says. But the late night, high stress lifestyle eventually took its toll, and Vu decided to trade in his toque for a job at a local cookware company, where he learned to make carbon steel pans. He launched his brand The Dustworks in 2022, crafting knives and other kitchen tools. Vu focuses on creating chef-quality objects that are rarely marketed to home cooks, such as tweezers and icing spatulas. “I enjoy the feedback I get from clients who find that my tools add value to their lives,” he says.
INTERVIEW
I started out by watching knifemaking videos on YouTube. The knife community is very large and very welcoming. There is little gatekeeping and the information flows freely, so I found it accessible from the get-go.
I am often inspired by the material itself. I have furniture maker friends who have given me cuts of really beautiful woods, for example. I love the challenge of converting the material into a spatula or a muddler or something without having to relegate the wood to a handle. I try to keep things as natural as possible.
I think TV shows like Top Chef have engaged people and made them want to buy nice things for themselves. My customers appreciate the artistry and the craftsmanship that goes into the creation of my objects, so they do not baulk at the pricing. It has really helped our field.
I do not know if there is an American tradition of knife making, per se. Many makers here draw on European or Japanese styles, but a lot of us work in a hybrid way. It is a reflection of the country's melting pot culture. That blend of influences has given me freedom to experiment.
