Chef Christopher Koetke, one of our expert food columnists, has advice
on what equipment you need in your kitchen if you want to be a great chef.
He is the co-founder of
www.ChefTalk.com, a web site run by
and all about professional chefs for anyone interested in cooking and
food.
Dear Chef Christopher:
I dream of being a great cook. What equipment should I have in my kitchen
so that I can fulfill my dream? I want everything I need to be a great
cook.
Chef Christopher's Answer: For those who aspire to be the
best cook they can be, having the proper kitchen equipment is paramount to
maximizing success and limiting the frustration (you know, the kind you get
when trying to whip egg whites with a fork and a small plastic bowl, or roast
a turkey in a flimsy pan that's plainly too small--all while your in-laws
look on).
If you begin with the following equipment, you will be well on your
way to having what you need to cook with ease. As you continue cooking, buy
additional tools as you need them.
* Knives: The importance of high quality knives can't be
stressed enough! Buy the best you can and expect to spend some serious money.
It is better to buy a couple of excellent knives and slowly add to your
collection rather than buying an entire set of low quality knives.
Start with a chef knife and paring knife. You will also want to
buy a sharpening steel. For more information on knives, consult:
http://www.cheftalk.com/HTML/Education/
past_articles/knife1.shtml
* Cooking Pans: This is another area where spending money
is justified. The best pans combine different metals like aluminum or copper
on the outside and stainless steel on the inside.
Aluminum and copper are valued for their ability to spread heat
evenly over the entire pan, and stainless steel is valued for its non-reactive
qualities. Buy pans which are heavy and thick with solid handles that are
well fastened to the pot.
As with knives, buy the highest quality cooking pans you can afford
one at a time, starting with a sauté pan and a 3 qt. sauce pan. They
will last forever. At some point, a stock pot (which will be especially pricey)
should be considered for serious cooking.
* Non-Stick Pans: I recommend having at least 1 high quality
non-stick sauté pan. It makes cooking eggs and delicate items like
fish a breeze. It also cuts down on the amount of fat necessary to effectively
sauté. The best place to buy such pans is from a restaurant
supplier.
* Cutting Boards: There seems to be little difference between
hard wood and plastic cutting boards from a safety standpoint, as long as
they are properly washed and sanitized after each use. Personally, I like
the feel of solid wood. One piece of advice--buy large cutting boards. Don't
bother with these tiny boards that everyone seems to have in their kitchens.
They are not user friendly. Once you get down to serious cutting or chopping,
the small boards are always woefully inadequate and downright
maddening!
* Whip/Whisk: Many still consider a whip as a "gourmet" piece
of kitchen equipment. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is as essential
as a kitchen stove and should be in everyone's kitchen. Nothing works better
for mixing a multitude of different preparations or for making sauces or
gravy. Buy a solid stainless steel whip with moderately stiff wires. Very
thin wires are for mixing delicate things like egg whites or whipped cream.
Very thick, solid wires are for mixing stiff dough.
* Spoons: Buy stainless spoons (both slotted and non-slotted)
which are solid and won't bend no matter how tough the job. Also, buy several
high quality wooden spoons for stirring delicate dishes like risotto (the
sharp edge of a metal spoon would cut or bruise the rice).
* Ladles: Look for ladles that are made of one piece of stainless
steel rather than a handle and dome which are spot welded together. With
use, spot welded ladles tend to come apart. Buy several different
sizes.
* Spatulas: Buy a sturdy stainless spatula for general uses
and a Teflon spatula for your non-stick pan. In addition, buy a silicon baking
spatula for scraping bowls. Silicon is an amazing substance which is heat
resistant up to 550 degrees.
* Food Processor: This is a big ticket item, but worth its
weight in gold. It will save so much time when it comes to simple chopping
or more advanced preparations like mayonnaise. As with most things, buy quality--
it will last longer, be capable of tougher jobs, and give you less problems.
To make the food processor easiest to use, leave it on the counter top instead
of storing it in a cabinet.
* Mixer: Pretty much the same thoughts as the food processor.
High quality mixers are great for making bread or other tough jobs. Every
kitchen should have one. Be sure that any mixer has all three attachments:
paddle, dough hook, and whip. Also, find a spot on the counter where it can
be easily accessed at a moment's notice.
* Strainers: I recommend 2 strainers for every kitchen. The
first is a solid stainless steel colander (one big enough to wash a lot of
lettuce at once). The second strainer is a fine mesh conical strainer (called
a chinois) which is a must for any serious sauce or stock making. A chinois
is an expensive purchase, but with care it will last many years.
* Stainless Steel Bowls: These are the best all purpose bowls
for a multitude of applications. Choose a wide range of sizes (be sure to
get a large bowl for whipping egg whites and whipped cream). In general,
the heavier the bowl, the higher quality.
* Baking Sheets: Not too much romance here, but essential
for any functional kitchen. By the heaviest pans possible. Also, you should
consider buying a non-stick silicon sheet: they make baking very
easy!
* Grater: In my opinion, the old fashioned box graters work
the best since they are sturdy and offer several different grating
sizes.
* Salad Spinner: While some may consider this a bit on the
gadgety side, I think it is a must as dressings do not stick to water-logged
salad greens..
* Plastic Wrap: An absolute must with a million and a half
uses. But do not buy just any plastic wrap. Go to a restaurant supply store
and buy a large roll of restaurant plastic wrap. It sticks much better than
the common grocery store plastic wrap and is much cheaper per foot.
As a side note to this list, don't forget something all chefs know--
equipment is not everything. Experience is crucial to being a great cook.
Having the right tools at your disposal is important, but practice, practice
and more practice will make the well seasoned cook. So, get the right tools
and lose yourself in your kitchen--a well equipped one!
About the Author: Chef Christopher Koetke is the co-founder of
www.ChefTalk.com, a web site run by
and all about professional chefs for anyone interested in cooking and food.
Get credible information from real chefs and their purveyors, ask questions
on our chat room, and see where chefs dine and what they are cooking. It
is a web site all about professional chefs (what they're cooking, where they
eat, favorite books, culinary history, educational articles and much
more), written byprofessional chefs for anyone interested in food. He is
also a culinary instructor at Kendall College in Evanston, IL. Visit
ChefTalk at
http://www.ChefTalk.com. |
