If you think sporks are the only hybrid eating utensil, this comprehensive Wikipedia article will expand your culinary horizons dramatically. The piece presents the surprisingly rich history of combination eating utensils, from the common spork to lesser-known implements like the splayd, chork, and the military-issued FRED.
The article details how these hybrid tools often solve specific eating problems. For instance, the ramen spork was designed by Masami Takahashi specifically "to eliminate waste produced by disposable chopsticks." With its unique design — "a spoon with four prongs that extend directly from the front rim" — it lets diners "twirl the noodles with the prongs and then ladle the soup with the spoon part."
Some combinations are truly ingenious, like the Splayd, which combines "the functions of the three main eating utensils: forks, spoons, and knives." This Australian invention from the 1940s was created after William McArthur "saw people having difficulty balancing all their utensils and their plate." By the 1990s, it had become an international success, "sold in 52 countries, with over 5 million pieces worldwide."
The article also reveals how some utensils arose from specific cultural needs or accessibility issues. The chork — a chopstick-fork hybrid — was designed by Jordan Brown who "was inspired by his difficulties using chopsticks when he was at a sushi restaurant, needing to reach for a fork instead when attempting to grasp smaller grains of rice." The design was later popularized by Panda Express.
Perhaps most surprising is the historical depth of these combination tools. While we might think of them as modern inventions, the article notes that "Roman artifacts that date as far back as the 3rd century CE" show evidence of spoon-knife combinations.
The military even gets involved in utensil innovation. Australian soldiers are issued the FRED (Field Ration Eating Device) — "humorously the 'f**king ridiculous eating device'" — which combines "a can opener, bottle opener, and spoon into one compact utensil."
Previously:
• How to make America great again: get rid of the spork
• At first I thought this Ka-Bar Tactical Spork was an artisanal Spork
• Yes, this is a tactical spork
• Silver spork made from Taco Bell plastic spork
