Kitchen Essentials For Home Chefs
Gone are the days when you need to head out on the town to enjoy a decent meal. Today we have access to online recipes, blogs, and video channels that teach us how to transform everyday ingredients into delicious masterpieces – all from the comfort of your own kitchen.
Embracing the role as home chef can often be a cheaper, healthier, and more satisfying way of life – but before you get your hands dirty, you must have the right tools. Here, we talk you through all the things you need in order to get your culinary transformation off the ground, touching on everything from dinner-time essentials like knives and an indoor grill, to specialty accessories like a coffee machine and juicer.
Read on to learn which essentials to bring into your kitchen arsenal, so you can truly enjoy every bite of breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
It’s Time To Invest In Some Decent Knives
For many households, the knife block or drawer is full of a random collection of knives that have been collected over time. But if you really want to embrace the role of home chef, you need to invest in a set of decent knives and their corresponding accessories.
When it comes to buying new knives, you don’t need to break the bank. Look for a set made of stainless steel that have a quality feel to the handle. Make sure it includes the three most-used types of knives: a chef’s knife, a long serrated knife, and a paring knife.
Great knives are only as good as long as they’re sharp – and so it’s also essential to have a knife sharpener as part of your kitchen setup. With modern electrical devices and classic sharpening stones available, you can choose a style that suits the way you like to work in your kitchen.
Depending on your diet and the foods you like to cook, you might also consider investing in specialty knives. A meat cleaver is great for much more than just cutting up meat – it’s perfect for any sort of heavy-duty chopping, whether you need to cut a melon, squash, or other large ingredient.
If you’re looking for a little extra help in the kitchen, an electric knife will do the hard work for you, and makes it a little bit easier to do everything from carving meat to slicing bread.
Don’t Forget About The Refreshments
The meal may be the main event, but any great home chef knows how important it is to have beverage options that meet the same high standards. Depending on what you like to drink, there are many different tools and accessories you can incorporate into your kitchen setup to ensure you have consistent quality on your plate and in your cup.
A water cooler is a great addition to any kitchen, as it allows you to instantly access cold, filtered water for drinking or cooking. If you’re looking for a healthy way to enjoy fresh fruit juice, consider investing in a juicer, which allows you to extract juice from fruit or vegetables to create delicious concoctions that you can use in smoothies or simply enjoy in their raw, tasty form.
For keen coffee drinkers, the first place to start is with a coffee machine that can deliver a delicious brew every single time. The design you choose will depend on the form of coffee you indulge in – if you’re a fan of specialty drinks, such as lattes and cappuccinos, you’ll need an espresso machine. Alternatively, if you prefer filter coffee, you might pick a machine that’s designed to brew large pots of coffee.
Depending on your budget and how serious you are about your coffee, you can choose from high-spec sophisticated designs or simple machines. Make sure to select a model that includes the features that are important to you, such as a steam wand for frothing milk, or an auto-refill water tank for easy maintenance.
Just like any quality meal, your cup of coffee is only as good as the ingredients that go into it. True coffee lovers tend to prefer coffee beans over pods, as they offer a fresher and more authentic flavour. If you agree, you’ll also need a coffee grinder, which means you can buy fresh coffee beans and grind them when it’s time to indulge.
Game Changing Cooking Accessories
You’re probably comfortable with the basic oven and hob set-up – however, there are some pieces of cooking equipment that can elevate your routine to the next level.
An indoor grill is a game-changing piece of kit that opens up plenty of new cooking possibilities. Many models can function in a variety of ways, such as an indoor-barbeque, a Panini-press, or a griddle, so you can cook everything from burgers to pancakes in an authentic way.
Blenders are also an essential part of any professional-style kitchen and have a whole lot more uses than just for that post-workout smoothie. Use them to blitz spices and herbs in homemade pastes, or blend your favourite roasted vegetables with a bit of stock to create a delicious and hearty soup base.
Instant pots have recently become a trendy kitchen essential, and for good reason. A multi-purpose tool, it can be used as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, steamer, and more, with a huge range of different modes and settings to help you out with whatever is on the menu.
Conclusion
While you deserve the credit for whatever wonderful meals you whip up for your friends and family, there’s no doubt that having the right equipment can help you get the job done in an easier and more efficient way.
Start by getting the basics right, with a great set of knives and a knife sharpener that can keep them in check. Tailor your kitchen to suit your lifestyle with appliances that deliver the drinks you enjoy the most, whether it’s a coffee machine or a juicer (or both!). Make meal-prep into an almost effortless routine with specialty features such as an indoor grill or instant pot.
Soon, you’ll have built a kitchen full of appliances that allow you to become the ultimate home chef!
Source:
- Chefs’ 50 Favorite Kitchen Tools – Food Network
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