My Kitchen Essentials
How to Cook Anything in 30 Steps - Episode 1/30
I’m gonna be honest.
I don’t NEED more than half of the kitchen gear that I currently own. Now that doesn’t mean they’re useless, in fact, most of what I own plays a big role in how I cook. But, there are few things in my kitchen that make me feel like I’d rather die than cook without them… okay that’s a little dramatic but you get what I mean.
Regularly using a kitchen scale was literally the biggest game changer for my home cooking journey. It’s gotten to the point where I will bring my scale with me anytime I’ll be cooking in someone else’s home. I love it THAT much.
Measuring out ingredients by weight is always going to be more consistent than measuring by volume. And it’s not just for baking! Whether you’re portioning meat or measuring liquids for a sauce, a scale is going to lead to more consistent and reproducible cooking. Not to mention all time saved not having to wash 8 different measuring cups for a batch of cookies.
All you’re really looking for is a 5-10 lb scale which will cover you for most homecooking needs. I’ve had these ones from OXO for over 2 years and they’ve held up great.
This is without a doubt my most used kitchen utensil. It’s the first thing I reach for when I cook anything. It’s great for scraping down fond, stirring, and surprisingly even flipping. And because it’s made of wood, it’s compatible with all cookware materials.
Earlywood makes this beautiful wooden scraper that I’ve had now for over 2 years, along with several other of their products. They’re extremely well made and built to last.
A good silicone spatula does the job that no other utensil can do. Flexible enough to scrap every last drop of liquid from a bowl, yet stiff enough to mix and scrape. In my cooking experience, there’s not many instances that feel as frustrating as knowing that a rubber spatula is the right tool for the job, but not having one.
It’s also critical that your spatula is high heat resistant to avoid melting it into your pan (this has never happened to me before). I love this one from OXO because it’s comfortable, and has both a flexible and a stiff edge for useful for many applications.
This is actually my newest pan, but I’m a bit disappointed I didn’t have it sooner. My main workhorse pan has been the 12” stainless steel fry pan, which I still love. But the versatility that the straight walls bring to the table is unbeatable. Not only can it do everything a fry pan can do, but also braises, roasts, soups—things you would otherwise be worried would spill in a fry pan.
Mine is from MadeIn and I love the ergonomics and overall build quality. But honestly, any tri-ply or 5-ply stainless steel saute pan with a minimum 3.5 QT capacity would be great.
I believe that the cutting board is the heart of the kitchen, and if I could only have one, it would have be a wooden one. People pretty commonly believe that plastic cutting boards are more sanitary than wooden ones. However, studies have proven that wooden boards carry less bacteria1. Not only is this because wood is naturally anti-microbial, but deep cuts in plastic cutting boards become breeding ground for bacteria.
Wood cutting boards are generally more expensive, but if it’s well maintained, it’ll last a lifetime. Maple, cherry, and walnut are great wood options.
If I asked you to draw one thing that would represent a chef, odds are you’d probably draw a knife. It can’t be overstated how critical a good knife is. While there are an overwhelming amount of options for knives, there’s only one you really need: a chef’s knife. At 6-8 inches, this is the workhorse that can do anything from mincing garlic to breaking down a chicken.
Thankfully, options for a good quality chef’s knife span the entire price spectrum. You don’t have to break the bank, but you can also get one with all the bells and whistles if that’s what you want.
Ak NO, Cliver DO, Kaspar CW. Cutting Boards of Plastic and Wood Contaminated Experimentally with Bacteria. J Food Prot. 1994 Jan;57(1):16-22. doi: 10.4315/0362-028X-57.1.16. PMID: 31113021.