Essential Tools

A chef is only as good as their tools. Imagine trying to chop an onion with a wooden spoon. It's a recipe for disaster, not dinner.

Honestly, the most important tools are those sensory organs we talked about last time. It's important to remember: evolution gifted you with a set of organs that are designed to detect good food. Whenever you're cooking, you should use them. Keep tasting things, smelling them, and so on.

But on top of that... knives are also indispensable. Unfortunately, evolution never gave us a body part for slicing and dicing. You could tear your ingredients by hand, or rip them up with your teeth, but as a general rule, a knife is a better option.

When it comes to knives, there are three main types that every kitchen needs: chef's, paring, and serrated. Each of these knives has a different function, so you really want one of each.

A chef's knife is large and reliable, with a nice, broad blade. This design makes it ideal for a wide range of tasks, from chopping vegetables to slicing meats. Paring knives, on the other hand, are much smaller. Their short, sharp blades are easy to control, which makes them great for tasks that need precision and finesse, like peeling fruits or trimming vegetables.

The serrated knife is best for cutting through foods with a hard exterior and soft interior, such as bread and tomatoes. Its saw-like edge grips and slices without crushing.

As well as the type of knife, you should also be aware of the different materials they're made of.

Stainless steel knives are a kitchen favorite because they're resistant to rust and stains. They aren't as sharp as the other options here, but they're solid and reliable, and perfect for everyday tasks.

Carbon steel knives are sharper, with better edge retention, which makes them great for precision tasks. The only problem is that they need more care. Without regular oiling, these knives will start to rust.

Last but not least, we have ceramic knives. These ones are lightweight and incredibly sharp, but they're also brittle and liable to chip. They're best for tasks like cutting soft produce or boneless meats, where nothing hard can damage the edge.

When choosing a knife, there's one more thing to be aware of: how was it manufactured?

Stamped knives are made by taking a massive steel sheet, then stamping out the blade like a cookie cutter. They're light, and cheap, and easy to handle – but in general, these knives are lower quality.

Forged knives, on the other hand, are pieces of metal which have been heated and hammered into shape. They're more expensive, but they're also sharper and more durable. You can spot them by looking for a bolster – that's a thick bit of metal that separates the blade from the handle.

And there we have it. You're now an expert on knives. Just one more tip (and this should go without saying): knives are sharp. Handle with care.

Last time, we learned about knives. Now, we'll be looking at some of the other essential tools that every kitchen needs. We'll start with spoons, then move onto spatulas, and finish by looking at chopping boards.

You can use a spoon to stir, mix, or even serve a dish. In fact, there aren't many recipes that don't use a spoon at some point. For all of these uses, you can't go far wrong with a solid wooden spoon. It doesn't absorb heat, which makes it easy to handle, and its soft edges go easy on pots and pans – you don't have to worry about scratching any metal surfaces.

Having said that, it's worth owning a big metal spoon as well. These are perfect for tasks that require more strength, like stirring thick stews or serving hefty portions (just be careful not to scratch the bottom of the pan). A metal ladle is also a great addition to any kitchen. Use this one to serve up wetter dishes, like soups, sauces and stews.

Spatulas are another essential kitchen tool. And just like spoons, they can be made from different materials.

Rubber spatulas are flexible and gentle, making them perfect for tasks like folding delicate ingredients. They're especially good for baking; think stirring batter or whipping up some eggs. However, they're not suitable for high-heat cooking, as certain temperatures can cause them to melt or warp.

Metal spatulas, meanwhile, can handle higher temperatures, making them great for handling hot foods. They're also solid and strong; you can use them to flip things like burgers or steaks, which a rubber spatula wouldn't have the strength to do.

Like metal spoons, however, a metal spatula can damage pots and pans. Another solid option is a silicone spatula, which functions a lot like a metal spatula, but is kinder to the bottom of a pan. It isn't as durable as a metal spatula, but it's another useful utensil to have around.

The last utensils we need to look at today are chopping boards. Just like spoons and spatulas, the main thing you need to think about here is material.

As with spoons, wood is a solid and reliable option. Wooden chopping boards are gentle on knives, and also have antibacterial properties, making them a great hygienic choice. However, they can be prone to absorbing odors and stains, so they require some upkeep. Ideally, you need to oil a wooden chopping board every couple of weeks.

Plastic chopping boards are easier to maintain, and often slightly cheaper to buy. They can be prone to collecting bacteria in the grooves left behind by knives – but as long as you wash them after every use, that shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Whichever material you go for, we suggest getting two: one for raw meats, and another for fruit and vegetables. This minimizes the risk of bacterial cross-contamination. If you take the plastic option, try a red one for meat and a green one for everything else. That way, you'll never forget which chopping board is which.

Another vital part of every kitchen toolbox is a good set of pots and pans. First thing's first, let's take a look at the difference between a saucepan and a frying pan.

A saucepan is a pan with nice, deep sides. It's perfect when you're cooking with lots of liquid – think soups and sauces, pasta and rice, boiling vegetables, and so on. The deep sides prevent major spatters and spills, and the best saucepans also come with a lid to help contain any heat.

A frying pan, on the other hand, is wide and shallow. You use it to cook foods that need quick, even heat across a wider surface area. Think frying a steak, or a piece of fish, or an egg, or some veg, or a pancake. The shallow sides also make it easier to flip and stir the food.

As always, you also need to think about the material your pans are made of. The four main options are stainless steel, aluminium, carbon steel, and cast iron.

When we looked at knives, we talked about stainless steel as a solid, durable option. And that's also true with stainless steel pans. But they aren't as good at conducting heat as the other three options here. As a general rule, it's good enough for a saucepan, but not for the relatively higher heats of a frying pan.

Aluminium is another solid option. Compared to stainless steel, it's slightly better at conducting heat, which makes it a good option for a frying pan.

While aluminium is a decent option for a frying pan, the higher end options are carbon steel and cast iron.

Carbon steel is incredible for heat conduction. If you want to fry something at a very high temperature, quickly and evenly, this is probably the way to go.

Cast iron, meanwhile, is much heavier than carbon steel, and takes a lot longer to warm up. But once it does warm up, it holds its heat well, and provides a reliably even cook.

You really don't need both of these. But if you're serious about cooking, it might be worth getting hold of one or the other.

There's a drawback to cast iron and carbon steel: these materials are pretty high maintenance. They're prone to rust, and general corrosion, if you don't follow a process called seasoning.

Seasoning a pan involves applying some oil (like olive or avocado), then baking it at a very high temperature. This turns the oil from a wet, slick liquid, into a hardened layer called a patina.

This patina protects the metal. But it also has another benefit. Without it, these pans are sticky. But the patina is smooth and non-stick. It's essential when you're cooking delicate foods like eggs or fish, and don't want them sticking to the pan.

If seasoning sounds like too much work, you can always use a non-stick frying pan instead.

You might already own one: a frying pan that comes with a ready made synthetic patina. These synthetic patinas are generally found on aluminium or stainless steel pans.

The problem is, these patinas degrade if you subject them to too much heat. They can handle most daily frying tasks (anything lower than 260°C) but for high temperature cooking, they aren't a viable option.

As a general rule, it's a good idea to own one or two reliable non-stick frying pans, and use them for daily cooking. On top of that, you can get yourself a pan that requires seasoning, and use it on those rare occasions when you're cooking with a bit more heat.

People have been using knives and pans for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. But it's also worth having some kitchen gadgets – a splash of modern tech.

First, an incredible modern tool is a digital thermometer. Later in this pathway, we'll see how tiny temperature differences can make a massive difference to your cooking. And how can you keep track of those temperature differences if you don't have an accurate tool?

An old-school analogue thermometer is also a decent option. It uses a liquid-filled tube to indicate changes in temperature. But this liquid-filled tube is slower and less precise than a digital version. If you're really serious about quality cooking, digital is the way to go.

On the subject of precision cooking: it's also worth buying a set of digital scales. Again, you can also use analogue scales, but they're nowhere near as precise as digital. With a set of digital scales, you'll have a greater sense of consistency, quality, and control.

So, digital options are recommended when you're measuring weights and temperatures. But it has to be said, you don't need to go digital when you're measuring different volumes.

A good measuring jug can handle the task. Plus a solid set of measuring cups, and a set of measuring spoons as well. Together, these tools should be more than enough to keep track of volumes while cooking.

One more gadget that makes a world of difference is a versatile food processor. This tool can slice, dice, and puree. It can blend and whip up a sauce. Some of them can even knead dough for you, grate cheese, and so much more.

As a tool, it isn't strictly essential. With a bit of elbow grease, you can also process ingredients by hand. But an automated processor saves you time. If you want to streamline your cooking (and you're happy to spend), it's a useful tool to have.

If you don't get a processor, grab a few other tools instead: a grater, a whisk, and a mortar and pestle. In case you were wondering, the mortar is the bowl, and the pestle is the grinding club.

There are hundreds of other kitchen gadgets out there. You've probably seen them advertised: miraculous tools that promise to change your cooking experience forever.

But honestly, you don't really need them. As long as you have a digital thermometer, digital scales, and maybe a food processor, all those other gadgets will just be taking up space in the kitchen.

You also need those knives we've talked about, plus some utensils, pots and pans. Put them all together, and you'll have a set of tools which can rival any chef.