The Tool Room

Observatory, Cape Town

The Toolroom began with blacksmith and artist Conrad Hicks, who started making pans for family and friends alongside his children. By 2013, what began as a family craft had grown into a full-fledged business. Guided by the belief that "if you use beautiful tools, you make beautiful things," Conrad has built a workshop dedicated to incredible handcrafted cookware.

Today, he works alongside Marli Franzsen, whose creativity, organisation and attention to detail help shape every part of the business. Together, they craft each pan from pure steel, carefully hammering, shaping and finishing every piece by hand from their forge in Observatory, housed within the beautifully restored Art Deco cinema, The Bijou.

What we love most about The Toolroom is their commitment to creating objects that are made to last a lifetime and be passed down through generations. Their pans are a reminder that the tools we cook with can be just as meaningful as the meals we share.