Article: From Kitchen to Candle: The Story Behind the Epicurean Series
From Kitchen to Candle: The Story Behind the Epicurean Series
At Studio McKenna, our passion for creating evocative fragrances has always been at the heart of what we do. The inspiration for our latest collection, the Epicurean Series, came from a place that is central to home life—the kitchen, where the act of cooking and sharing meals brings people together.
The idea for this unique range of candles sparked during a late summer afternoon. My husband and I were enjoying a simple meal of fresh produce from a local market—truss tomatoes, earthy beetroots, and sweet capsicum. As I reached to light a candle, he made an offhand remark: “Please don’t burn any perfumed candles while we’re eating.” It was a moment of clarity for me—our home fragrances, though beautiful, weren’t designed to complement the natural aromas of cooking and dining. They were, in fact, competing with the fresh, organic scents of the food.
This led to a revelation: what if there were candles that could enhance the dining experience, rather than detract from it? What if a fragrance could subtly harmonize with the aromas of the kitchen, adding a layer of depth to the culinary experience?
Intrigued by the idea, I began researching. While there were gourmand fragrances available, I couldn’t find a collection that truly captured the essence of the foods they were inspired by, in a way that would complement a meal rather than overpower it. The market offered sweet, dessert-like scents, but I envisioned something different—fresh, vibrant, and earthy tones that echoed the natural ingredients themselves.
Thus, the Epicurean Series was born—a collection of candles meticulously crafted to bring the authentic aromas of fresh produce into your kitchen and dining spaces. Each fragrance was designed to replicate the true essence of ingredients like tomato leaf, cucumber, green apple, beetroot, and capsicum.
Creating this collection was a journey of exploration and refinement. I collaborated with master perfumers to ensure each note was authentic and harmonious with the culinary environment. I wanted these candles to be more than just background fragrances; they needed to enhance the experience of cooking and dining.
Capsicum captures the crisp, invigorating scent of sweet capsicum peppers, enveloped in green leaves with a fresh, stemmy aroma of galbanum and subtle hints of garden herbs. Beetroot brings an earthy richness, combining vibrant beetroot leaves with the deep sweetness of the root itself, grounded by warm amber undertones. Tomato Leaf embodies the enticing freshness of sun-warmed tomato fields, with verdant, stemmy greens, wild clover, and garden arugula. Green Apple offers the sharp, tart crispness of a freshly bitten apple, enhanced by citrus zest and softened by orchard woods and ethereal musk. Finally, Fresh Cucumber delivers the simple joys of a summer day, with cool, crisp cucumber sweetened by hints of juicy melon and layered with the floral charm of violets over smooth, sun-warmed musk.
Each candle in the Epicurean Series is designed to bring the natural beauty of fresh ingredients into your home, celebrating the kitchen as the heart of the house. These fragrances aren’t just about scent; they’re about creating an atmosphere where the act of cooking and sharing meals becomes a truly sensory experience, enriched by the aromas of the very foods that inspire them.
The Epicurean Series is our tribute to the culinary arts—a collection that invites you to savor the moments spent in the kitchen and around the dining table, with fragrances that are as fresh, vibrant, and authentic as the ingredients themselves.