10 Kitchen Must-Haves for All Types of Cooks

Just like what troopers do, you can't go to the battlefield without the right set of weapons.

The same goes for restaurant kitchen cooking. First, you need to think of the menu and then prepare the necessary ingredients. But even before all of that, you need to have the most essential restaurant equipment for your staff.

It's perfectly fine not to have a complete set of every type of kitchen tool, but definitely, you should know which ones have more specific uses in the kitchen.

This infographic names the kitchen must-haves considered universal for all types of cooks. By providing these tools to your staff, you can better help them cook with speed and finesse inside your restaurant kitchen.

Here's a list of basic restaurant tools and equipment and how to use them like a pro.

1. Chef's knife
   

   Kitchen knives come in several types, but you'll only need three of them:

   • Chef's knife - This knife has a long, broad blade and a straight edge, which is the sharpened part of the blade. The widest part of a chef's knife is on the heel.
     
     
   • Paring knife -  Shorter and slimmer than the chef's knife, a paring knife is light and easy to handle for delicate chopping or cutting work.
     
     
   • Bread knife - This one has a long and evenly sized blade and looks like a saw with its sharp serrated edge. Besides bread, you can use it for cakes, cheese, salami, and other softer items.

   These knives are what you'll mostly be using, so it's better to invest in them than buying a whole set that you'll hardly ever use. Simply sharpening your knife before use can give you the edge (pun intended) without the need for tens of different knives, saving you money along the way.

2. Whisk
   

   Thin wire whisks are your best bet for sauces as they distribute the oil evenly throughout the water, resulting in a thick, creamy consistency.

3. Spatula
   

   A spatula can come in silicone or metal material, which forms an angled flat piece that you use to handle ingredients. Spatulas made of top-quality metal or silicone (not rubber) can withstand heat approaching the 400-degree Fahrenheit mark. Best to use a separate spatula for strong-smelling spices like garlic.

   Metal spatulas should not be used for non-stick pans. They are meant for stir-frying sauteed meats and roasted vegetables. Meanwhile, silicone spatulas work wonderfully in scraping food out of a processor machine or off the sides of a mixing bowl. The silicone spatula also has several uses in baking, including swirling cake frosting and folding egg whites into a batter.

   Tip: In folding egg whites into the cake batter, speed is not as important as finesse. Be gentle in the folding. The amount of care you put in doing so will save you time not having to repeat the process later on.

4. Tongs
   

   Aside from hauling big chunks of meat around the casserole pot, tongs allow for finer movement of food pieces in a frying pan and will help you avoid skin burns. Tongs come in various types, such as bar tongs, buffet tongs, and ice tongs.

   For ultra-hot pot handles where using a kitchen cloth may not be safe enough, you can use a pair of tongs on each of the handles to lift the pot from the stove.

5. Thermometer
   

   Digital thermometers put your roasting on autopilot. Some of them even have alarms that tell you when your chicken has reached the desired temperature since digital thermometers could also come with a probe attached to a cable and punched through the meat.

6. Cast-iron skillet
   

   The thing with a cast iron skillet is that you need to preheat it much like an oven. Do it for about 10 minutes, rotating the pan once in a while to distribute the heat evenly. It's really like an oven, but on top of a burner, since it cooks not only the part of the food it gets in contact with but the insides as well.

7. Colander
   

   Aside from draining pasta, colanders can substitute steamer trays. It can also dry excess moisture from berries and other fresh produce without shriveling them up while they're stored in the fridge.

8. Grater
   

   The four-sided pyramid grater or box grater is recommended over the microplane grater as it allows more stability in what you are doing and a faster prep time. 

   Safety tip: Treat the grater similarly to a knife—that is, it is sharp and can cut easily.

9. Timer
   

   Just like your restaurant kitchen layout, you can be flexible with the timer you use. It can be anything from something you can place on top of the microwave, on your mobile phone, or around your neck. The only thing that matters is to have an alarm so that even if you have a slow cook session for your brisket and you are tackling tons of orders, you will remember to take the food out of the oven.

10. Cutting board
    

    Cutting or chopping boards come in a wide variety, from glass and wood to stone and plastic. However, it's best to go for the thick ones and those that fit snugly onto the sink.

    A word of caution, though: Once deep grooves form on your board, replace it as soon as possible since these can be thriving spaces for germs.

What’s Cooking?

Are you ready to get in the kitchen with these must-have tools? If you are still looking for a reliable source of right equipment for your kitchen and catering needs, Charlie’s Fixtures has a wide array of kitchen tools for all types of cooks. Connect today with one of Charlie’s food service professionals to get started.