Epicurean Cutting Boards & More

If you use Epicurean products, your eco-friendly cutting boards might be made from the same material as the ramps at your local skate park. That's because the folks who founded Epicurean first made skate park ramps out of a durable wood composite, which they realized would be perfect for creating foodservice supplies that can withstand the demands of commercial kitchens. Although it may be best known for its cutting boards, the company also offers a variety of kitchen supplies for cooking and baking, including stirring paddles, serving boards, and pizza peels. Below, you can learn more about why it might be time to add wood composite to your kitchen.

Advantages of Using Epicurean Products

The material used to create Epicurean cutting boards and kitchen tools is called Richlite. It originated in the Pacific Northwest in the 1940s and, according to the manufacturer, is "composed of approximately 65 percent FSC®-certified or recycled paper content and 35 percent phenolic resin." ¹ As part of its dedication to sustainability, Richlite implements Waste-to-Energy Technology, which recaptures wasted resin and repurposes it as fuel. This lessens the amount of resin wasted during the manufacturing of Richlite, and decreases the company's natural gas consumption by 83 percent.

In addition to being made entirely from recycled products, Richlite offers a number of properties that make it a great choice for commercial kitchens. The wood composite's durability makes it a long-lasting option for demanding foodservice environments, whether a cutting board is being banged around on a countertop or withstanding the repetitive impact of a sharp knife during food prep.

Epicurean cutting boards also offer the following benefits:

• Unlike most wood products, Epicurean cutting boards are non-porous and can be easily cleaned and sanitized in the dishwasher. If you'd rather wash your cutting board by hand, use hot, soapy water, and ensure it is thoroughly dried.
• They are also resistant to temperatures up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, which allows them to double as trivets for hot pots and pans.
• All Epicurean products are made in the U.S.A. and contain no BPA.
• Many Epicurean commercial products are NSF tested and approved.

As with any material, there are some recommendations for the use and care of Epicurean products.

• Store your Epicurean cutting boards on their edges, not flat. Laying a cutting board flat allows moisture to get trapped underneath it, which can lead to warping.
• Epicurean products are resistant to stains, but may still be stained by acidic, oily, and highly pigmented ingredients.

1. About Richlite. Richlite. Accessed October 2017.