Kitchen Tips & Tools
Former rocket scientist gives up career to make “best copper pots in America”
Jim Hamann was on vacation with his wife when she found a vintage copper pan that had "definitely stood the test of time." She challenged him to clean it and the rest is history.
Elijah Chan
10.27.22

Oftentimes, you don’t choose the craft.

The craft chooses you.

In a factory in Rhode Island, walls are strewn with finely and newly polished copper that reflects not only the light but the sheer amount of craftsmanship behind them.

Shelves, on the other hand, were filled with matted copper pans that definitely saw presidents come and go.

The insides were crusted and stained with green discoloration, a sickness of age that comes with these world-class pans.

A rocket scientist owns them all.

Believe it or not, this place is run and owned by a rocket scientist. Well, by a former rocket scientist, more accurately.

Jim Hamann was on a vacation with his wife and was enjoying their time in Burgundy’s rolling hills.

His wife found a vintage copper pan that has definitely stood the test of time, but also needed a long overdue cleaning to be useful once more.

She challenged Hamann that if they were going to buy the pan, he would have to clean it.

Hamann accepted the challenge.

YouTube Screenshot - Eater
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - Eater

He read and researched how to restore copper pans then tried it once, twice, and eight times, before he decided to pursue the hobby.

Next he knew, he was restoring pans for clients from all over the country.

But why do people go to such lengths to have their pans restored?

What is it with copper pans that pulled a rocket scientist into the culinary world?

An interesting journey

YouTube Screenshot - Eater
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - Eater

Copper is a great conductor of heat.

This enables the whole pan to heat up evenly and lessen the mistakes born from “wrong timing”, amount of flame, or temperature issues.

YouTube Screenshot - Eater
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - Eater

Copper is also durable and reliable.

This is why Hamann’s first clients never gave their pans up.

And through the restorations, Hamman slowly built a dream of reviving the art of manufacturing copper pans.

Hamann started Duparquet Copper Cookware.

YouTube Screenshot - Eater
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - Eater

As an engineer, he can’t help his instinct to create.

Through copper cookware, he began to appreciate the hidden histories behind it and felt fulfilled in providing people with a tool that will help them attain perfection.

Inspired by a name

He took on the name Duparquet after his deep dive into cookware histories.

He found out that D, H&M Co. was one of the leading producers of kitchen ranges and copper cookware.

YouTube Screenshot - Eater
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - Eater

It didn’t survive the Great Depression and has since been forgotten, except for by people who know the kind of quality the brand carried.

Hamman envisioned Duparquet as a fitting revival of the brand.

“Heirloom-quality”

He and his team churn and shape saute and fry pans, saucepans, bowls, and even butter pans.

They described their hand-crafted pieces as “best-in-class” and “heirloom-quality” which attests to their vision of making pans that would last a lifetime.

YouTube Screenshot - Eater
Source:
YouTube Screenshot - Eater

Duparquet’s pans stand as a fusion of feats in engineering and art.

The progenitors of the business would never have guessed that almost a hundred years after they closed down, a rocket scientist would put on the mantle and pound the name into copper once more.

See this scientist pivot to artisan craftsmanship by restoring copper pans in the video below!

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