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Elihome Stories | Empowering Young Minds
When Young Ideas Are Taken Seriously
How one young mind's curiosity became a meaningful design opportunity at Elihome.
Every meaningful idea begins somewhere.
Sometimes, it's in a classroom or a design studio. Other times, it begins in the middle of an ordinary family conversation — with a question that no one thought to ask before.
At Elihome, we believe those questions deserve to be heard. This is the story of one of them.
It Started with a Burger.
Growing up in Irvine, California, Michel Ge often visited the local In-N-Out Burger with his father.
Like many families, they shared familiar routines and favorite meals. Among them was the restaurant's iconic Double-Double burger.
One day, Michel asked his father a simple question:
"If a burger can be double-double, why can't a cutting board?"
It might have sounded like an amusing observation. But Michel had already imagined something more.
He wondered why a cutting board couldn't offer the same functionality on both sides — including juice grooves on each surface, rather than treating one side as secondary.
Two sides. Both useful. Neither an afterthought.
It was a small idea that challenged a familiar way of thinking. And it was worth exploring.
An Idea Worth Listening To.
What happened next is what makes this story meaningful to Elihome.
Michel's father didn't let the idea remain just a passing conversation. He listened, recognized the possibility behind it, and brought the concept to Elihome's Milan design team.
Suddenly, a young person's everyday observation had become the starting point for a professional design project.
The challenge was more complex than the original question. Designing functional juice grooves on both sides required careful consideration of usability and structural integrity. The team needed to explore how both surfaces could serve a practical purpose while maintaining the strength of the board.
Through design exploration and technical development, the Milan team began translating Michel's concept into something tangible.
The goal wasn't simply to add another feature. It was to make both sides genuinely useful.
Original Concept & Inspiration: Michel Ge
Design Development: Elihome Milan Design Team
Where Curiosity Meets Expertise.
A young idea doesn't need to arrive fully formed to have value. Sometimes, its greatest potential lies in the new questions it encourages others to ask.
Michel brought a fresh perspective to an everyday kitchen essential. His father recognized the opportunity to explore it. And Elihome's Milan design team brought the experience and technical expertise needed to begin developing the concept.
Each played a different role. Together, they helped move the idea from a family conversation into a real design process.
For Elihome, this is what meaningful collaboration looks like: creating space for new perspectives and connecting them with the people and resources that can help them grow.
The Future Begins with Being Heard.
The Double Double story is about more than a cutting board. It's about the value of listening to young people and recognizing that meaningful ideas can come from unexpected places.
At Elihome, we believe supporting the next generation means more than encouraging them to dream. It means giving their perspectives serious consideration. It means connecting curiosity with opportunity. And it means recognizing that young people can contribute to meaningful work long before they enter a professional design studio.
This belief is reflected in our broader commitment to supporting emerging talent, encouraging creative collaboration, and helping the next generation explore its potential.
Because the future isn't only something we build for young people. It's something we can build with them.
A Small Question. A New Possibility.
The Double Double cutting board is still in development and has not yet officially launched. But the story behind it already represents something important to us.
A young person asked a question. Someone took the time to listen. And a team of designers saw an opportunity to explore what that question could become.
Not every idea begins with a detailed plan. Sometimes, the most important first step is simply giving it a chance.
At Elihome, we believe every generation has something valuable to contribute. And every meaningful idea deserves the opportunity to grow.
Explore Our Commitment to Innovation →