Ken Wood first designed the A700 Kenwood Chef food preparation machine in 1948 and launched it at the Ideal Homes Exhibition in 1950. The machine was partly based on existing food preparation tools, but Wood added his own innovations as well, to produce an appliance that could undertake virtually any food preparation task including mixing, blending, sieving, juicing, mincing, slicing and shredding, depending on the attachments used with it.
The versatility of the Kenwood Chef led to it becoming one of the most popular kitchen appliances in history. After it was displayed at the Ideal Homes Exhibition, Harrods sold all its stock within a week.
The Kenwood Chef has undergone some changes over the years, but essentially the version on the market today is the same as that launched in 1950.
In 1960, Kenneth Grange restyled the original Chef, resulting in a new model, the A701.
In 1976, Kenwood introduced the first Chef with electronic speed control, a cutting edge innovation that kept the brand ahead of its competitors.
Kenwood has continued to update the Chef over the years, and even as recently as 2003 a new upgraded model was launched, which saw sales of the Chef double, proving the enduring popularity of the appliance.