Inside the Sparkly (but Serious!) Kitchen of David Burtka

There's a lot to take in at David Burtka's sprawling, suburban-sized kitchen. There's the antique dinner bell mounted on the wall. (He bought it on a trip to Italy with husband Neil Patrick Harris.) There's the miles of pristine white marble countertops, and, sitting on top of the counter when I visit, a huge vacuum sealer. There's the deck off the side of the kitchen that hosts a super fancy grill. (A grill! In Manhattan!)

But it's the chore chart I can't stop staring at. Its vibe is cute—but firm. Harper and Gideon, Burka's two children with Harris, each get their own column, and their chores are written out in cheerful, brightly-colored chalk, with boxes to be ticked once the work is complete.

I'm baffled that Harper and Gideon have to do regular housework as if they are mere mortals, and not the astronomically cute children of famous New Yorkers. But Burtka draws a hard line. I learn that Harper doesn't get to go to the premier of Aladdin on Broadway that night because she threw a temper tantrum in the morning. He wants to give in. He wants her to go. But he's holding strong.

That attitude—cheerful cuteness mixed with hardline discipline—is also the one Burtka takes towards cooking. As I watch him slice carrots and sous vide chicken breasts, I notice how organized and regimented he is, all while maintaining a bouncy delightfulness I can only manage after three cold brews. A peak inside the refrigerator reveals stacks of prepped ingredients that can be thrown on the skillet at any time for an impromptu dinner party. And in general, the vibe of watching Burtka cook is like watching food television: everything is organized and clean, everyone has a sparkling personality.

Maybe it's the acting background that makes him so sparkly. Burtka was a successful actor for years, but eventually he found the hustle exhausting. So after his mom passed away, he decided to go to culinary school. (Cooking had always been something that had connected them.)

Now, Burtka has a cookbook dedicated to entertaining, aptly titled Life Is A Party. It's a seasonal guide to throwing parties of all kinds, complete with recipes and entertaining tips. His parties have star-studded guest lists that very few people will be able to replicate. And yet, the book—and my visit to his home kitchen—is not just aspirational, but inspirational. Hanging out in Burtka's kitchen, I begin to think that, given the right tools, I could do what Burtka does. I can cook without stress. I can throw a good party. I can sparkle!

Well, I can try, anyway. And the first step to cooking like Burtka is having a kitchen like Burtka. Below are the tools Burtka leaned on to cook me lunch. I'll be outfitting my own kitchen with them shortly; I've been assured that the sparkle will soon follow.

Shun 8” Chef's Knife

Burtka describes this lightweight Japanese knife as pure artistry. "It's got a beautiful wood handle and it stays sharp for a really long time," he says. He also thinks it's the perfect all-purpose size. You can use this knife to do everything from prepping vegetables to breaking down a whole chicken. And Burtka thinks you might consider buying one for your friends, too. "You know, I hate when I go over to other peoples' houses and their knives are so dull you can't cut through anything," he says.

BUY IT: Shun Cutlery Premier 8” Chef’s Knife, $185 on Amazon

OXO Peelers

"I've always used OXO tools," Burtka says. "Their products are so foolproof." He's a fan of the Y-peelers in particular. "It has a great grip, is super sharp, and it peels thinly and precisely, so you don't waste any of the vegetable."

The company also has a new julienne peeler that Burtka loves. "It used to take me forever to julienne carrots and get that perfect cut. But I'm telling you, for coleslaw and things, this peeler does all of the work for you. All you have to do is peel the vegetable with your Y-peeler and then shred it with the julienne peeler. And it's unbelievable. It looks like you spent hours in the kitchen julienning."

BUY IT: OXO Good Grips 3 Piece Assorted Prep Y Peeler Set, $25 on Amazon

BUY IT: OXO Good Grips Prep Julienne Peeler, $10 on Amazon

OXO Citrus Juicer

Burtka's not alone in loving this juicer. Why is it so popular? Mostly because the cup attached to the bottom has measurements, meaning you'll always know exactly how much citrus you've juiced. "You can put it in the dishwasher. And it doesn't break or wear out," Burtka says. "I feel like an infomercial for OXO because I love their products so much."

BUY IT: OXO Good Grips Small Citrus Juicer with Built-In Measuring Cup and Strainer, $10 on Amazon

Geoffrey Zakarian 12” Cast-Iron Skillet

Food Network personality Geoffrey Zakarian recently sent Burtka some of his cast-iron pans. Like all cast-iron, they heat up evenly and retain that heat well. These pans are also impressively nonstick right out of the box, without any need to put in heavy-duty seasoning work, Burtka says. "I don't know how he has done it. It gives you the best sear. They're so easy to clean because they are so nonstick, and they are so durable, too."

BUY IT: Geoffrey Zakarian 12" Cast-Iron Skillet, $46 at QVC.com

Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker

Burtka employs the chef-y technique of sous viding to get ahead on a week's worth of meals. "On the weekends I'll do giant batches of chicken, lamb chops, and beef for the upcoming week ,and I'll stock pile my fridge and freezer. I'll bring out the chicken or the lamb that morning if I know I'm going to have that for dinner. It thaws out in the refrigerator and then, boom, by dinner time [all you have to do is] take it out of the sealed bag and pat it dry."

BUY IT: Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker $157 on Amazon

Originally Appeared on Epicurious