Kitchen Gadgets Every Home Chef Needs, According To Professional Chefs
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Cooking is a way to nourish your body, express yourself and, for many, it’s a love language all about bringing people together. Even during times when we can’t exactly be together.
You’ve probably been on social media and seen a lot of people sautéing, grilling and baking their way through social distancing (especially bread). Cooking has become a means of survival, entertainment and stress relief when restaurants are closed, ordering takeout can be challenging and sitting down for a good meal feels like the only thing that’s still normal in our lives.
If the closest you’ve come to cooking is whipping up a PB&J, there are plenty of online classes you can take through programs like Bluprint, Udemy and Masterclass. (And even if you’re not typically a home chef, you may have stack of cookbooks collecting dust on your coffee table, like Alison Roman’s cult-favorite “Nothing Fancy.”)
Some people are putting their culinary skills to the test with exciting new recipes, while others are struggling to cook at home for the first time. Whatever your reason or skill level, there are few essentials you’ll need. We asked two culinary experts to dish on the absolute must-have for cooking at home.
Get your kitchen in order
Organizing your kitchen is the first step to your cooking journey, according to Barry Tonkinson, the director of culinary research and development at the Institute of Culinary Education.
Organize your cupboards and utensils, keeping everyday items close at hand. Most importantly, have a clean working space with sharp knives and a solid cutting board.
Master the basics
Good food doesn’t mean going overboard, Tonkinson said.
“Good flavor comes from solid, precise technique and not an overabundance of flavors,” Tonkinson told HuffPost Finds. “Learn how to master the basics: roasting, sautéing, frying and braising.”
If you’ve just perfected the art of boiling water, it might be best to stick with simple dishes that only require a few ingredients, said Kelly Ruben, a private chef based in New York City. She recommends one-pan recipes for beginners, and working your way up to more complex recipes.
When in doubt, turn to the experts
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the number of recipes out there, Ruben has a good hack for deciding what you want to cook.
“The best way to ease into an at-home cooking routine is by narrowing it down to one blog, Instagram account or cookbook that seems approachable,” she said.
Ruben recommends watching video tutorials to master complicated techniques that often get left out of written recipes, like how hot a pan should be when searing a steak or how thick to roll out a certain type of dough before baking.
Make sure you have the right tools
There are two essentials Tonkinson and Ruben agree are necessary for a well-prepared kitchen: a sharp knife and decent-sized cutting board. Together, they can make all the difference when preparing meals.
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Choose recipes that fit to your kitchen and not the other way around. Barry Tonkinson, director of culinary research and development, Institute of Culinary Education
But remember, as with most things in life, kitchen products are about quality over quantity.
“If you look at the recipe first and then have to buy the equipment for it, you could end up hoarding an enormous amount of cookware that you rarely use,” Tonkinson said. “Choose recipes that fit to your kitchen and not the other way around.”
If you’re not sure what tools you might need to become a burgeoning master chef, Tonkinson and Ruben shared the gadgets they swear by in the kitchen.
Take a look below:
A multifunctional microplane
Find this one for $15 at Target.
No surprise, a KitchenAid stand mixer
Find this one for $380 at Sur La Table.
A set of stainless steel mixing bowls
Ruben said stainless steels bowls are ideal for proofing dough and even using as a double boiler for melting chocolate: "They maintain heat and/or cool temperatures better than plastic bowls and aren’t as heavy as glass."
Find this set for $20 at Target.
A bread-baking book for beginners
Find it for $30 at Barnes & Noble.
A nice set of nonstick skillets
Find this set for $60 at Bed Bath & Beyond.
A Vitamix
Find it for $350 at Vitamix.
A trusty set of pots and pans
Find this set for $525 at Le Creuset, or this slightly more affordable dupe from Caraway for $395.
A guide to Italian cooking for beginners
Find it for $40 at Target.
A multipurpose silicone spatula
Find this one for $12 at Sur La Table.
A heavy-duty cast-iron skillet
Find this one for $23 at Target.
An immersion blender
Find this one for $179 on Amazon.
A cookbook for those with a more scientific mind
Find it for $31 at Target.
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A cutting board
A set of mixing bowls
A skillet
A stand mixer
A measuring cup and spoon set
A dutch oven
A microplane grater
A food processor
A colander
A stockpot
A thermometer
A glass baking dish
Food52 Five Two Essential Knives
A saucepan
A whisk, tongs and spatuala
A wooden spoon
A multipurpose pan
A rolling pin
A starter cookware set
A baking sheet, round pan and loaf pan
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
