We live in the age of technology – there’s a gadget for
everything, and your kitchen is no exception! Between infomercials, cooking shows,
and celebrity endorsements, there seems to be a new “kitchen essential” every
day, each more time-saving and life-changing than the last. But the temptation
to perfect your kitchen arsenal can have unforeseen consequences, ending in
drawers overflowing with single-use items and a kitchen so cluttered you’d need
a map to locate anything.
Fortunately, you don’t need much to create a truly well
equipped kitchen – investing in the right basic tools can save you money, not
to mention a lot of time spent rifling through cabinets in search of the garlic
press/avocado cutter/etc.
First, let’s cover the most basic of basics; though they
may not be flashy or glamorous, these are the building blocks for a functional
kitchen, and for any chef - amateur or professional - they’re the first step to
success in the kitchen.
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| Left to right: Serrated knife, paring knife, French chef's knife, Santoku chef's knife |
A good set of knives
Surprise! Knives are first up on our essentials list, and
it’s probably obvious why – they’re doing most of the prep work in the kitchen,
after all. But you don’t need a 20-piece knife set to be successful; as a
matter of fact, you probably only need three.
A paring knife
will help you with more finicky tasks – removing seeds from lemons, peeling
fruit, and cutting out stems in peppers. The small blade gives you more
control, which comes in handy when you’re doing something tricky like removing the
skin from a slippery mango, or taking the tops off strawberries.
A chef’s knife is
your kitchen all-star; great for everything from dicing an onion to cutting
down pumpkins and squash. In fact, most of the personal chefs in our team carry
more than one their arsenal! A traditional “French style” chef’s knife has a
slight curve to it’s cutting edge – this allows for more of a rocking motion
while chopping or dicing things such as herbs. “Santoku” knives, which are
Japanese in origin, feature what’s known as a “sheepsfoot blade” and have
little to no curve on their cutting edge.
A serrated knife
or bread knife will likely see a bit
less use than the others, but for many tasks it can’t be beat. Between carving
roasts, breaking down loaves of bread, cutting pies and tarts, and slicing
tomatoes with ease, it’s sure to come in handy more than you’d think. While
sharpening these knives can be far more complicated (or even impossible), some
brands like Cutco produce serrated knives which can be sharpened in their
store, just like a chef’s knife or paring knife would be!
Quality cutting
boards
Those knives need a spot to work, which is why cutting
boards are second up! There are two types of cutting boards you should invest
in: wooden and plastic. Wood cutting boards will dull your knives far more slowly
than plastic or glass, making them ideal for nearly all your prep work. The
exception is when you’re handling raw meat or fish, which should always go on a plastic cutting board
(glass works too, but it’s harder on your knives). Plus, when you’re finished,
just run it through the dishwasher for complete sanitation! Just make sure your
wooden board doesn’t go in the dishwasher, and oil it regularly to keep the
wood in good condition. No chef likes to see a split cutting board!
The essential pots
and pans
Similar to knives, you’ll need a few different pots and pans
to efficiently execute your kitchen tasks. Cast-iron
pans are excellent for everything from searing meats to baking bread and
pizza, but they do require very specific care and seasoning to maintain their
effectiveness; cast-irons can handle extremely high heats, and once hot, stay hot, so don’t forget your oven
mitts when cooking with this pan!
At least one nonstick-pan
is always a good idea, particularly if you are a fish-lover. There’s nothing
more disappointing than destroying a beautiful piece of meat or fish because it
got stuck to the pan while cooking – just make sure to avoid metal tools while
cooking in your nonstick, or the coating can easily be damaged.
A heavy-bottomed
small pot is an absolute necessity for anyone making rice on a regular
basis, and a good idea even if it’s not your forte. This pot will handle
everything easily - making caramel, cooking grains and beans, poaching eggs,
making sauces and gravies will be a cinch (and a heavy bottom will keep more
delicate items, like rice or grains, from burning before they’re completely
cooked).
A stock pot with a
steaming basket is more useful than most people might think, and the
personal chef’s best friend. Whether I’m cooking for a client or myself, it
seems this pot is always in use. Because of it’s height, a stock pot is great
for anything involving a lot of liquid – cooking pasta, boiling potatoes,
making soup, and of course making your own stock are all ideal uses. And
assuming your stock pot is metal, then you’ll have no problem deep frying in
this pot as well! Add a steaming basket and it’s productivity skyrockets – no
need for an extra machine cluttering up your cabinets.
Those with more specific tastes may want to branch out even
more. Love braised meat or veggies? Investing in a high quality enameled, oven-safe pot (like the
famous Le Crusets) will save you time both while cooking and cleaning up! And
for anyone who loves their meat grilled, but hates getting caught in the rain
or cold, a grill pan will be your
hail Mary.
A good set of baking
sheets are useful in every kitchen, and even more so if you decide to
invest in some silicone baking mats
as well. Make sure to pick baking sheets that have sturdy, thick bases – a
baking sheet that is too thin will buckle every time it gets hot, which is less
than ideal in most cases. Heavy-gauge aluminum pans are used in most kitchens
because they’re effective, conduct heat evenly, and last a lifetime. Silicone
baking mats are nonstick, so they’ll save you a ton of time in clean up and
keep your food looking great as well; they can be used for everything from
baking to making candy and brittle, because they’re heat-proof in addition to being
non-stick! My silicone mat has been one of the most heavily used kitchen items
I own – both when I was baking professionally, and now as a personal chef; it’s
versatility can’t be beat!
Mixing bowls
might seem like an obvious kitchen necessity, but having the right variety
matters too! Not only should you invest in a variety of sizes, but having at
least one set of both glass and metal mixing bowls is a wise
choice. Glass can handle the microwave, while metal can handle high-heat or
even the oven, and both are suitable for use as a double-boiler. Plastic may be
tempting, it’s best to have bowls that you won’t worry about melting!
An immersion blender
is a wonderfully diverse piece of equipment, and a big favourite of our
personal chefs as well! Immersion blenders are hand-held, portable, and just as
useful as your average blender (with 1/4th the clean up time). No
more messing around with blending hot liquids in batches while worrying your
blender lid will fly off – an immersion blender allows you to puree sauces and
blend soup with ease, all inside the pot! Not to mention it’s perfect for all
those smaller tasks like emulsifying a vinaigrette or making a quick batch of
pancake batter. Some immersion blenders even come with additional attachments
like whisks and mini-food-processors, making your prep work all the easier!
Don’t forget your
tools!
I know, I know, it’s easy to get excited by fun little
kitchen gadgets – after all, there’s so
many to choose from! But it’s less charming once you find your kitchen is
filled to the brim with things you’ve never touched. Now, I’m not saying you
need to throw everything out – if you love your garlic press then by all means,
keep it close! But if you’re struggling to figure out which tools are really necessary, then our checklist may
help:
- One balloon whisk and one French whisk
- At least two heat-proof spatulas
- Tongs (grill-lovers, you may want a longer pair too)
- One set of liquid measuring cups, and one set of measuring
cups/spoons for baking
- A meat mallet/tenderizer
- A good set of thermometers (one for your oven, so you’re
not baking at the wrong temperature; one for your meat, so it’s not
over-cooked; and a candy thermometer if you’re an avid baker – or deep fryer!)
- A set of funnels
- A sturdy peeler (ceramic is a favourite among many
professional chefs and bakers)
- A good grater (box graters give you many options with one
tool, but if you prefer a hand-held grater try Microplane)
- A fresh pepper grinder
- Tweezers (if you’re a big fish eater, this is important –
those tiny bones are slippery!)
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| Left to right: French whisk, balloon whisk, ceramic peeler, metal tongs |
Ultimately, everyone’s kitchen (and kitchen needs) are
different – but beginning with these tools and pieces of equipment means you’ve
got a head-start towards culinary success. And having a well-equipped kitchen
has another great perk – it’s easier to tell when you actually need to buy something else. Not to mention, by investing
in fewer tools overall, you can focus on investing in higher quality, not higher quantity. As the
German say - “Weniger aber besser” – meaning, “less but better.”
Happy cooking!
Last year there were 6 lucky
couples in Atlanta that had arranged for a personal chef to come cook dinner
for them in their homes on Valentine’s Day.
And I helped arranged each one of them.
So, around 3 pm, all the chefs and I met outside WholeFoods, so they
could pick up last minute needed ingredients (vanilla bean gelato anyone?) and
let me tell you, that was a planning mistake!
We couldn’t even find parking available at the Whole Foods on West Paces
Ferry, and the whole place was a zoo!
There was literally a live band playing music inside the Whole Foods, I
suppose to keep stressed shoppers a little bit calmer? The
place was chaos. No gelato, no scallops,
and shelves empty of your basic ingredients.
I still can’t figure out why everyone was in Whole Foods Valentine’s
Day, but I am guessing many people planned a romantic evening in, and then were
as surprised as I was to see the crowds in the middle of the afternoon!
