Kenwood Chef

The Kenwood Chef is an iconic food mixer developed by Ken Wood in Britain. It is a single machine with a number of attachments that allow it to perform many functions. The Chef, based on the earlier A200, was introduced in 1950. Kenwood mixers, along with most other Kenwood products were originally manufactured in the UK by Kenwood Limited (not to be confused with the Japanese Kenwood Corporation which manufactures audio equipment). Through globalisation and changes of ownership, eventually production of all products except the Chef and Major mixers were transferred overseas; but even the mixers are all now made in China rather than in Havant. The Chef Mixer was an instant success in the UK and is still Kenwood's top seller today^[update]. Kenwood Ltd has been owned by the Italian company De'Longhi since 2001.

Ken Wood began trading as Woodlau Industries Ltd in 1947. His aim was to produce luxury items that would quickly be seen as necessities. He began marketing a toaster and a food mixer with two beaters. The original mixer marketed as "The Kenwood Electric Food Mixer", designed in 1947 was very similar (possibly too similar) to the Sumbeam Mixmaster an American mixer of much earlier origin and he faced serious competition possibly objection. He completely redesigned the mixer, which was then launched at the Ideal Home Exhibition in London in March 1950. This mixer was no longer just a mixer, as he had added several other functions, and so he called it the Kenwood Electric Chef. It sold for £19 10s. 10d. (£19.54).

Since it was first introduced the basic Kenwood Chef design has changed little, with most changes being cosmetic. The A700 was the first model, superseded by the A700D with minor cosmetic differences and internal updates. In 1960 the Chef was redesigned by Kenneth Grange. During the 1960s the familiarly shaped A701 series was introduced in white with grey trim. Other standard and special versions of the A701 had different colours.

...
Wikipedia