A La Carte Kitchen
A La Carte Kitchen :
While the boys were busy scraping their knees and dreaming of becoming the fifth member of the A-Team, just where were the little girls of the 80s? In the kitchen, that's where (where they belong, some might argue!). But this wasn't any kitchen. No, this one was roughly the size of a tea trolley, it was made entirely of plastic, sometimes it could be found in the garage and sometimes cluttering up the hallway, and its cupboards were always stocked with pots of Play-Doh rathert than yogurt. It was, of course, the A La Carte Kitchen.
It was the stuff of dreams, it really was. After years of having your knuckles rapped for getting too near Mum's bubbling pans or delving into the fridge-freezer before tea time, little girls with generous parents rejoiced in getting their own chef's residence.
A La Carte Kitchen was a miniture kitchen consisting of a sink on one side and a cooker on the other. It had a fold-down table and two wheels to allow it to be wheeled around. Parents must have been horrified by the prospect of an A La Carte Kitchen on the Christmas wish list, especially with the mess the girl made on the advert as she presented her father with a dish of Swiss Roll with baked beans: 'Wake up Daddy, breakfast's ready."'
The A La Carte Kitchen, released by Bluebird Toys in 1982 (the makers behind the Big Yellow Teapot) was one of those classic "toys you always wanted but never got", although you could guarantee your best friend had one. Twenty or so years on, the girls who were aching to get one of these little plastic beauties in her Wendy House probably wonder why they were so infatuated with playing the little 'housewife'. However, it's important to remember that this was a time when no one really worried about stereotyping. No doubt, toys on the same wish list also included things like a toy ironing board, vacuum cleaner or Tiny Tears!
Amanda Adams
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Comments
all i remember is it being just like a kitchen, you had small fake empty boxes of cornflakes and other food items.
donna wilson 16-Dec-2004, 03:48:55 PM
I so badly wanted one of these and never got one! I remember the commercial with the little girl serving her dad cake and baked beans, I was too young to know that it would be a disgusting meal and the dad was just pretending to look pleased! It was so cute, 80s toys were the best I think.
Emma Stewart 21-Jan-2005, 05:21:01 PM
This was simply the best girls toy! I wish I could get my hands on one of these right now! Did anybody used to fill the sink up with water and pretend to wash the pots?? The pretend cornflakes/baked beans etc were ace! They don?t make em like they used to!
Joanne Bowler 01-Jul-2005, 10:46:08 AM
I too remember the advert, where the girl serves her dad swiss roll and beans in a plastic bowl. It was the reason I wanted one. I loved my 'a'la carte kitchen'. I remember playing in the cardbord box it came in for the majority of Christmas day. Happy days!!!
Victoria 24-Jul-2005, 12:06:00 AM
I want an 'A La Carte Kitchen' so much but I never got one. I remember the advert too, with the Swiss Roll and baked beans ("Daddy, breakfast's ready!"), it just made me want one even more..
Jenny 25-Oct-2005, 11:20:04 AM
I always bought my daughter Amy everything on her christmas list when she was small. Then I decided to cut back a bit...what a mistake! She never had an a la carte kitchen and still reminds me each year!! She's now 23 and I'm on the look out for one any ideas fans??
Jo 07-Nov-2005, 10:04:49 AM
I was one of the lucky ones. I did get one for my fifth christmas. I still have it a little worn and torn. I hate to shatter those illusions guys, I was actually a little dissapointed that I coldn't cook with it. My mom wouldn't even let me put real food on it. Having said that I did always play with it when my friends came over. Their dad made them a kitchen out of wood all separate pieces - oven washing machine etc - now that was really really cool.
Eskarina 06-Feb-2006, 09:49:27 PM
I got one of those for christmas when i was four. i remember creeping downstairs to eat the dog biscuits and it was there with a bin liner over it! XD
Jenna 08-Feb-2006, 03:07:19 PM
i always wanted one of these but i never got one i can still remember the advert for it . a little girl who brings breakfast in bed for her dad , a breakfast of what looked like swiss roll and beans mmmmmmmmmmmm tuck in .
joanne 16-Feb-2006, 09:13:47 AM
I had a kitchen, it was ok but not the best gift I ever got. I think I got bored of it fairly quickly.
Lisa 07-Jun-2006, 07:23:32 AM
I am desparate for a picture of a A La Carte kitchen to stick on Myspace, as it was THE toy I wanted when I was young. My next door neigbour had one, but the wheel fell off so my mum point-blank refused to get me one. Even now the wound has not healed!!
Lorna 20-Jun-2006, 02:58:39 AM
I had an a la carte kitchen when i was younger I want to see a picture of one but cant find one anywhere on the internet if anyone has one email it on jo_watson_83@hotmail.co.uk
Joanne Watson 22-Oct-2006, 12:54:21 PM
My friend and I got chatting at work today and started talking about childhood toys, I had an a la carte kitchen and I adored it!! I am trying to find pictures of it on the net but cant find any if anyone knows of a site can they post it on?
Angela 23-Oct-2006, 12:00:02 PM
If you click on the following youtube link... the advert for A La Carte Kitchen is on it at about 2m 22s in... unfortunately it's not the whole advert :( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERu9DcmeeCA
Louise 13-Nov-2006, 04:40:47 PM
My best friend's sister had one of these in the mid 1980s. There was also a market stall version with a similar daft ad. My sister had something similar by Fisher Price which wasn't on wheels. I remember catching with my foot & sending it skating across our kitchen with pots & pans flying in all directions.
Richard Davies 29-Dec-2006, 11:49:13 PM
oh i adored my al a carte kitchen !!!! Wake up daddy breakfasts ready who remebers the swish rolls with beans?? lol
Nadine 08-Feb-2007, 03:58:58 PM
Oh yes I remember the swiss rolls with the beans they were the reason why I wanted one. Bit disappointed when I realised it didn't come with food!
Linda 10-Feb-2007, 04:06:38 PM
I always wanted an A La Carte Kitchen and a Big Yellow Tea Pot. I did not get either and always felt that I had missed out on something!!!!! But for my recent 28th birthday my friends bought me a Big Yellow Teapot. Woohoo!!! We searched high and low for the A la Carte Kitchen but have had no luck so far. I live in hope.
Siobhan 08-Mar-2007, 06:23:30 PM
I had one and I loved it!!! I used to sit in my caravan wendy house and make my mam and my grandma eat chipsticks and chocolate buttons (beefburger and chips!!!!) lol
Lindsey 08-May-2007, 09:18:33 PM
I stiil have the box in the loft for the A La carte kitchen, although the kitchen is long gone. I never did get to make beans and a swiss roll for my Dad although I'd always planned to!
Emma (26, Essex) 13-May-2007, 10:03:33 AM
I had one. My parents bought me one before we came to Australia. It was the best Christmas ever bcos in the same year i got not only an ala carte kitchen but i also got a lullaby nursery (my little pony) It was awesome. I had brought both toys to Australia and kept them at my parents house ever since. I had been planning to give them to my own daughter one day only to discover that 2 years ago my mum gave the toys away. I have been heart broken ever since, and whenever i am anxious in life i have dreams about my a la carte kitchen. If anyone has one to sell or knows where i can get one i will pay AU$500 for one. email sambassett36@yahoo.com.au
Sam 17-May-2007, 12:57:28 PM
I still have mine, with all the bits (I cant believe I was that tiny!) My 3 yr old neice plays with it now!!! I still love it........
Geraldine 22-May-2007, 02:56:53 PM
I would really like to purchase one! Anyone know of where one can be obtained from?????? PLEASE!!!
verityshinarbush 25-Jul-2007, 06:29:08 PM
I am currently working on a 1980's nostalgia show for ITV1 and we would love to get our hands on a La Carte Kitchen to use as a prop in our studio show. If anyone out there has one that we could borrow please could you get in touch. We promise to return it safely.
fran.davies@ucgtv.com
fran_davies 04-Oct-2007, 02:30:37 PM
i had an A La Carte Kitchen too! it was awesome! Not too long ago we were chatting about old toys, and i remembered how cool it was :D so i made it my mission to get one, and now i do! i found it ina charity shops for £3 but it is missing the utensils and stuff :( I cant remember being so small! Xx
bellysavalas 04-Oct-2007, 03:00:44 PM
I loved my a la carte kitchen it was marvelous.Actually i had two of them but I Filled one of them with mud.Which I deeply regret actually im gutted.Im seaching for one so if anyone knows where I can get one please help. I want to serve my boyfriend swiss roll and beans for breakfast! love jewls xx
julie jewls 14-Oct-2007, 10:49:25 PM
I had one of these kitchens, and although i dont remember it all, i do remember getting my tea made for me (cheap beans on toast) by the babysitter.....i didnt like it so i proceeded to scrap it into my blue saucepan and wheel it into my wardrobe.....pencillin was found growing out of it a few weeks later ha ha
Laura-nwc 12-Dec-2007, 06:19:15 PM
I was another that always wanted one of these... and like everyone else, I remember the ad of the little girl making breakfast consisting of a swiss roll and beans... yummy!
I wanted one of thee play-kitchens for my daughter. No, I didn't buy her an A LA CARTE, but when we thought this was the bees-knees, there are some very impressive, modern childrens' kitchens around. How times change... yet remain the same...
Jacamanda 01-Jan-2008, 07:33:34 PM
hi xx i was actually the little girl on the box for this toy. anyone know where i can get this box from xxx
klawsy 13-Mar-2008, 10:18:53 PM
ohhh al la carte kitchen!!! i loved those little cardboard food packets :) this was a wonderful toy.
lokirat 20-Oct-2008, 09:56:13 PM
i got one for my fifth christmas and i loved it and always will. the only problem is my little baby sister ate the cardboard boxes of daz and cornflakes which i have never forgiven her for x i would just love to get one for my next christmas if only the still made them. bring back a la carte kitchen!
kelly sim 14-Feb-2009, 10:44:39 PM
Haha I had this very one pictured, lol one Christmas me and my brother got to pick what we wanted, he picked a go-cart and I picked this, I have no clue to this day why?? I only wanted to play on my brothers go cart when Christmas came round.
I did enjoy cooking on it though!
pontoon 18-Apr-2009, 09:33:39 PM