E. Dehillerin

Text: Carly DeFilippo
Image: Kevin Walsh

If E. Dehillerin is not the most practical place to shop for kitchen equipment in Paris, it’s certainly the most nostalgic.  The vintage, forest-green storefront spans the corner of rue Coquillière and rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau, windows brimming with gleaming copper and stainless steel (as they have for nearly two centuries).  Opened in 1820, in the heart of the renowned Les Halles food district, this family-run business was a favorite spot of the Cordon Bleu-trained Julia Child; today, its old-school charm and friendly service continue to attract top French chefs, from Bocuse to Rebuchon.

Fortunately, one doesn’t have to be a professional chef to appreciate the offerings at Dehillerin.  The first time I visited, the wall of whisks caught my eye: various volumes and weights of froth-forming curved wire, just waiting to aid in my amateur experiments.  If whisks aren’t your thing, perhaps French copper pots will do.  E. Dehillerin has every shape and size possible, and as a recent purchaser of these gleaming stovetop wonders, I can confirm they’ve made my cooking more fun.  Maybe you’re in the market for a deli-meat slicer?  Spatula lover? Knife connoisseur?  You name it; they’ve got it.  Even the most confirmed food aficionado will have a hard time identifying all the gadgets one finds hiding in the wooden shelves of Dehillerin.  And that’s only a description of the first floor.

Like any good “historic monument”, E. Dehillerin welcomes curious non-shoppers; so if the closest you’ve gotten to cooking is watching Julie & Julia, no worries, you too can stop by.  And who knows?  A shiny new balloon whisk or specialty spatula might inspire you to head straight to the nearby Montorgueil market.

E. Dehillerin 
18-20 Rue Coquillière, 51 Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 1st
Ph: 01 42 36 53 13
Hours: Mon 9am-12.30pm, 2-6pm; Tues-Sat 9am-6pm
Metro: Les Halles (4)