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    Olive Wood Utensils

    Every olive wood utensil we make, in one place — cooking spoons, serving spoons, ladles, spurtles, spatulas and coffee scoops. Each one is hand-carved from Mediterranean olive wood by refugee artisans on the Greek island of Lesvos, restoring dignity and rebuilding lives, so no two grain patterns are alike. Free US shipping over $100.

    All olive wood utensils

    Buying guide

    Which utensil do I need?

    If you are starting with one piece, take the multi-purpose cooking spoon — it stirs, serves and scrapes. Everything else in the lineup solves a more specific job.

    Olive wood utensils compared by best use, size and price
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    The material

    Why olive wood?

    Olive wood is one of the densest, hardest hardwoods used in the kitchen. The grain is tight and closed, so it absorbs very little moisture — which is why olive wood resists odors, staining and warping far better than softer woods. It will not scratch nonstick or enameled cookware, it will not melt against a hot pan, and it sheds nothing into your food.

    It is also slow-growing and dramatically figured. Because each piece comes from a different branch of a different tree, the colour banding and grain are unrepeatable — your spoon looks like no one else's.

    Caring for it takes five minutes a month

    1. 1. Hand-wash with mild soap and warm water.
    2. 2. Towel-dry immediately — never let it soak.
    3. 3. Once a month, rub on a thin coat of care balm or food-safe oil.
    4. 4. Never the dishwasher. Heat and steam can crack hardwood.

    Read the full care guide →·Shop the care balm →

    Olive wood vs. bamboo vs. plastic →

    How to clean wooden spoons →·Reviving dry utensils →

    Who makes them

    Carved by refugee artisans in Lesvos

    Every utensil on this page is carved one at a time in our workshop on the Greek island of Lesvos by displaced artisans earning fair wages, restoring dignity and rebuilding lives. Nothing here comes off a production line, and each piece ships with one of the marks of the makers who carved it.

    Meet the makers →·Read our story →

    Common questions

    Olive wood utensils, answered

    Olive wood is one of the densest, hardest hardwoods used in kitchenware. Its tight, closed grain absorbs very little moisture, so it resists odors, staining and warping, and it will not scratch nonstick or enameled cookware. With basic care a piece lasts for decades.

    No. Dishwasher heat and prolonged soaking will dry out and crack any hardwood, olive wood included. Hand-wash with mild soap and warm water, then towel-dry right away.

    Hand-wash, dry immediately, and rub on a thin coat of our care balm or food-safe beeswax and linseed oil about once a month. Never soak them or leave them sitting in water. That five-minute routine is the whole maintenance story.

    Olive wood is denser and harder than bamboo, and unlike bamboo it is a solid piece of wood rather than strips bonded with glue. Compared with plastic it will not melt, leach or scar your pans, and it does not shed microplastics into food. Teak is also a good cooking wood; olive wood is denser and has far more dramatic grain, since every piece comes from a different tree.

    Cared for properly, they outlast most kitchens. Olive wood darkens and develops a patina with use rather than wearing out, which is why these pieces are so often handed down.

    No two are identical. Each piece is carved by hand from a different branch, so the grain pattern, colour banding and figure vary. The shape and dimensions match; the markings are one of a kind.

    Looking for a gift instead?

    Our bundles pair these utensils in gift-ready sets with a care card and the maker's name inside — nothing extra to wrap.

    Shop gift bundlesBrowse everything