You’ve got the white apron, now what other important tools do you have to have in your kitchen in order to be serious about your cooking?
Proper Chef Clothing
You don’t need to be a professional chef to have the right uniform for the kitchen. Even just a simple apron can put you in the right frame of mind. But if you’re serious, you’ll want to have some practical chef clothing that does more than just look professional.
A standard apron will protect your clothes, but you can also invest a little more into something moisture-proof as well so that splashes don’t soak in. Do a lot of grilling? A leather apron will help keep any sparks at bay.
It’s probably a good idea to have comfortable shoes as well, since you’ll be on your feet for a while as you cook.
Good Knives
This is the most important set of tools in any chef’s toolbox: good-quality knives. And a variety of them. No single knife is going to be suitable for every cutting job, and a serious chef knows that. Chopping herbs, slicing fruit, cutting meat and filleting a fish will all require a slightly different type of blade.
Good Tongs
You may not think of tongs right away when you are thinking of vital chef tools, but they will make a big difference in your cooking if you are trying to get by with the wrong types. They need to be solid so that you don’t drop what you’re handling, and have the right kind of tips. Larger and flatter tips are better for handling pieces of meat, but ones with more “teeth” can be a better tool for grabbing up spaghetti or vegetables.
Oven-Safe Pots and Pans
To make full use of all your kitchen appliances, having pans that can smoothly move from burner to oven is important. After searing or frying, you often then shift to the oven for a more thorough cooking. Having to stop and transfer to a new pan is time consuming and you end up with a lot more pots to wash later on.
Sometimes, it is simply an efficient way to keep things warm as you get all the components of the meal finished up. Typically, it’s the handles that make pots and pans oven-safe or not. Choose all-metal pans without any non-stick coatings and they should be fine to move from burner to oven whenever you need to.
Lots of Bowls
It might seem silly but a busy kitchen can often run out of the appropriate sized bowls. If you’re serious, you’ll have plenty. Stainless steel are very handy for most standard mixing, but a few heavier glass bowls can be better when you are using beaters (deep bowls are also better for beating too). Larger shallow bowls can be a better choice if you are marinating large pieces of meat. You just can’t have too many bowls in all shapes and sizes.
Depending on your cooking preferences, you might find a few other items to be indispensable in your kitchen. Whatever your style, a good kitchen will run smoother with these quality tools.
