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Every great chef has a multitude of specialty stores, fresh produce vendors, and kitchen gadgets to support them. This section will provide some essential tips and tricks that may just help bring you to the next level of cooking.
Although I’m still reluctant to call myself a “chef”, I feel that I have learned some very valuable cooking lessons from my time in the kitchen. Whether it be in a cooking role, or back when I worked as waiter, there are a few crucial things that every home cook should know.
At the best of times the kitchen can be a confusing, chaotic place. Among the many things that I’ve learned from Anthony Bourdain, the importance of being prepared to cook is the one that has resonated the most. As I look back on my cooking journey I can recall several “oops” moments where I was forced to scramble to prepare a last minute ingredient or where a critical component was forgotten altogether. I’m sure most cooks have been in this same position which is why the concept of “mise en place” is so important.
I first became interested in bread and bread making in the Fall of 2019. You see, I had always liked to cook, but the baking side of things never really took hold with me. It wasn’t until I returned home from a trip to Ireland that I began to see what all the fuss was about. While there, we were introduced to an incredible Rustic Potato Bread at Aniar restaurant in Galway, Ireland, as well as to an 8-year old sourdough starter named “Hugo” at Ox restaurant in Belfast.
I know that there are a ton of “must read” and Top 10 book lists out there related to food and foodie culture, but I figured what’s the harm with throwing one more into the mix!
In putting together my list of Essential Kitchen Tools my thoughts turned to some of the next level chef tools that I have in my kitchen. These tend to be “specialty” items that serve very specific purposes, but without which I would be deprived of the ability to take my cooking to the next level.
I wanted to share some thoughts on what I consider the essential tools that every home cook (or wannabe chef) should have in their kitchen. To many, these may seem obvious, but without them even the most basic recipes could prove difficult.