28. The Prospector Pan

Across Europe, we’ve been cooking with iron pans since the 1600s (the Chinese were using them 1,000 years before that), but they fell out of favour after the invention of ‘non-stick’ chemicals.

Now, following studies suggesting some of those chemicals may be bad for our health, iron pans are returning to our stoves. The UK market is currently estimated to be growing at almost 10% year-on-year.

On this week’s The Factory Next Door, we head to Shropshire to meet the team crafting the iron pans that celebrity chefs and Michelin star restaurateurs seek out.

Number 28 on our list of the greatest products we make in Britain is The Prospector Pan by Netherton Foundry.

Founder Neil Currie shows us the beauty of spinning iron, explains his love of industrial design, and reveals why he once called home to ask his family to throw out all their cooking pans.

Also on the show, we celebrate the versatility of flaxseed oil, recognise the power of local provenience, and hear about exporting woks to China.

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