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In 1976, the food world in America was in transition. The classical cooking of France still held sway, but change was in the wind. Ancient traditions were being jettisoned for nouvelle cuisine, and the American restaurant scene in California began to rival that in New York. And everywhere in the country, chefs, who were, for the most part, either European or European-trained, found themselves needing to up their game in order to compete with a rising generation of homegrown talent who saw themselves as pioneers, even lifestyle enhancers. And in those pre-internet days, none of them had the time to get on a plane and go find the tools that might give them an edge in the kitchen.
Enter Judith Prince, who parleyed an early passion for fine culinary utensils—and an unerring sense for culinary trends and craftsmanship—into J.B. Prince, a firm that has been synonymous with top-of-the-line professional cooking equipment for over 45 years.
After talking her way into restaurant kitchens all over New York to find out what tools chefs were lacking, she began importing them from manufacturers, primarily in Europe. In the beginning, her base of operations was the Brooklyn brownstone she shared with her husband, Larry Prince. A room on the top floor became a warehouse, and the first J.B. Prince catalog was a group effort produced around the dining table.
A couple of years later, Larry left a lucrative corporate job and officially joined the business as the Princes opened their first brick-and-mortar showroom in Manhattan. They weren’t interested in catering to the masses. Instead they focused on a carefully curated assortment that ranges from traditional Mauviel and Sitram pots to handmade Japanese knives and the latest sous vide or molecular gastronomy gear. They also work with manufacturers who can make tools to order.
"Judy refined the concept of a kitchenware store just like she refined the tools of the trade," said chef and restaurateur David Burke in an interview for a 2012 New York Times piece. "The store is a modern-day working museum. When you walk the aisles, you’re reminded of old-fashioned things and see the latest equipment, too. As a chef, it opens your mind."
Now at its third location, J.B. Prince remains a vital hub for chefs and discerning home cooks the world over.
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