We read a fascinating piece in The Telegraph of London recently that caused lots of discussion and debate among our staff. Apparently, the new-new trend in the world of luxury scented candles is products that smell like food, cooking and kitchen scents. Is this a good thing, or another sign that the apocalypse is nigh? You be the judge. Here are some of the best smelling on trend new luxury scented candles with fragrances that smell like savory foods, cooking and the kitchen. Just don’t light one on an empty stomach.
why are savory food, cooking and kitchen scents on the rise in luxury scented candles?
Back in the day, a scented candle served a simple purpose: to make a room smell sweet. You know . . . like flowers. Then came more sophisticated scents, including candles that smelled like favorite sweet foods: cotton candy, birthday cake, fresh-baked cookies and the polarizing pumpkin spice.
But those days are over. And now, the top luxury scented candle brands are forging a path into a new, less traditional, frontier. In the Telegraph article, perfume specialist Lizzie Ostrom, founder of Odette Toilette, notes: “The emerging trend in fragrance is for ‘fugly’ smells; moving beyond the glamorous to embrace the everyday.”
The best smelling new luxury scented candles currently on trend, with fragrances that smell like savory foods, cooking and the kitchen. Fresh garlic.
beetroot and garden peas, anyone?
We’ve previously reported on luxury candles that smell like rain. And like whisky and craft cocktails. And marijuana! But this is something altogether new. And apparently a trend at the highest levels of the luxury ecosystem. “I know that Spanish luxury house Loewe are doing beetroot home fragrance and I think they’ve got a garden pea scent, too,” says Ostrom.
Given all of the turmoil in the world at the moment, upon reflection we see that this new direction actually makes sense. What could be more soothing than the scent of grandma’s kitchen? Or your favorite restaurant? Or your comfort food of choice? If candles that smell like coffee are a good idea, why not one that smells like early morning greasy spoon diner pancakes with maple syrup?
The best smelling new luxury scented candles currently on trend, with fragrances that smell like savory foods, cooking and the kitchen. Pasta water.
We firmly believe in the value of everyday micro luxuries – and a really good meal definitely counts as one. So it should come as no surprise that luxury candle maker Apotheke launched a collaboration with Shake Shack for two limited edition scents: Burger in the Park. And Shake N Fries. The brand says the initial run sold out in 48 hours. Beloved San Antonia-based grocery store H-E-B offers a small collection of food-scented candles, including one that smells like “a fresh butter tortilla sliding out of the oven.”
well . . . maybe not beets
Of course, not every food scent is a monster hit. In a recent New York Times article on the subject, Todd Green – maker of private label candles – once produced a beet candle for luxury brand Otherland. But there were no takers. What??? “’Beet is very polarizing,’ he said, comparing the smell to mold or dirt. ‘You like them or you hate them.’” Truer words were never spoken.
The best smelling new luxury scented candles currently on trend, with fragrances that smell like savory foods, cooking and the kitchen. Coriander seeds.
If you’re intrigued, follow your nose and check out some of the best smelling of the new generation of scented candles with the fragrance of savory foods, cooking, restaurants and the kitchen.
8 luxury candles with the scent of savory food, cooking and kitchen smells
1. OVEROSE Croissant and Macaron Pistache.
The purple Croissant candle is listed as a best-seller on the website of Parisian brand Overose. And it seems to be true, because it’s basically impossible to find one online, at least as of this posting. Ditto the equally savory and elusive pistachio macaroon scent. The brand promises that the fragrance from these will transport you to Le Marais, where you stroll past “tiny parks in odd corners, only a few blocks from the Seine.” Sadly, as with any great Parisian bakery, you have to show up early or all the good stuff will be gone.
BUY NOW: $58 for 8.4 oz size.
2. Joya Aglio.
In 2022, New York candle company Joya teamed up with Brooklyn chef and owner of acclaimed pizza restaurant Lucali to create “Aglio.” The limited edition candle has “notes of fresh minced garlic, sautéed garlic and caramelized garlic.” Stop it! You’re making us really hungry.
BUY NOW: $50 for 6.5 oz size.
3. Loewe tomato leaves.
Available in both a room diffuser and three sizes of scented candles, Loewe’s tomato leaves fragrance smells exactly as promised. We think it’s even better when coupled with the brand’s oregano candle. The savory home fragrance collection also includes the aforementioned beetroot. Luscious pea. Coriander. And cucumber.
BUY NOW: $213 for medium size.
4. D.S. & Durga Pasta Water.
Brooklyn-based perfumers D.S. & Durga have launched Pasta Water, a collab with the restaurant Jupiter. It’s the logical follow up to their holiday fragrance Lightable Latkes. And their previous foray into savory smells, Breakfast Leipzig and Breakfast Highlands. The Pasta Water scent is “full of faint umami depth.” It has top notes of saline water, and heart notes of semolina wheat. One reviewer says it “smells like dirt, in the most wonderful way.”
BUY NOW: $70 for a 7 oz size.
5. Flamingo Estate Roma heirloom tomato.
Flamingo Estate was one of the first candle brands into this new space, having introduced its Roma heirloom tomato candles in 2020. The New York Times reports that these are now the brand’s best-selling products. The brand proclaims that the scent “conjures memories of late summer dinner parties in Sicily.” Yes, please! We’re also up for two other fragrances in the collection: Adriatic Muscatel Sage and Climbing Tuscan Rosemary.
BUY NOW: $50 for an 8 oz size.
6. Literie Hot Roasted Nut Cart.
The hot roasted nut cart candle from New York brand Literie is meant to evoke the smoky aroma of roasted nuts sold by street vendors in NYC. Or as the brand puts it: “Of all the smells in all the cities, this one is by far the best. It’s your favorite thing about running through Times Square to catch your matinee.” Having just moved there, we’re psyched to inhale the scent of Brunch in the West Village. And of course, you can never go wrong with Pizza from a Guy Named Joe, right?
BUY NOW: $45 for 9 oz size.
7. Diptyque Coriander Candle.
Legendary luxury fragrance maison Diptyque is in on this trend, as well. Have a whiff of its coriander candle. As the brand explains: “The scent of coriander seeds has enchanted its admirers since Antiquity. Its delicately herbaceous, aromatic accents and spicy freshness were treasured from the Mediterranean to Asia Minor.”
BUY NOW: $72.
8. Carrière Frères tomato candle.
This Carrière Frères Lycopersicon Esculentum candle smells like a freshly-picked tomato. The French luxury brand specializes in botanicals, and unlike some other savory scents, this one is meant to be fresh, tangy and sweet – like raw nature.
on trend new luxury candles that smell like savory food
That our round up of the best new luxury scented candles that feature the fragrance of savory food, cooking, a restaurant or the kitchen. Ready for a stroll in the vegetable garden, dear reader?
