The Professional Cooking Gadgets Any Chef Should Have On Hand

Since the article from Food Network was comprised by real chef’s there were a few items I had never even heard of. A mezzaluna? It made me realize just how pedestrian my short list of must haves is, but with these five on hand, you can do more than just get by, you can create some really awesome meals just like the pros!

Here are four that are on both of our lists!

With the amount of lemons I use in all my recipes this is a must in my kitchen!

Citrus Press

This next one goes hand in hand with number one. When cooking, using the zest of any citrus fruit adds the flavor without the acids from the juice. Though I usually throw in both.

Microplane Zester
I can’t live without it. Love the zest of citrus, freshly grated horseradish for a pop, or a rich salty hard cheese.

1. Easier to clean than box graters.
2. Shreds, grates and zests all of these and more, perfectly: garlic, cheese, nutmeg, lemon, lime, orange, ginger, onion.
3. Super sturdy.
4. Various sizes, shapes and gradients to choose.

There is nothing more time consuming than rinsing greens then waiting for them to dry. I use this next one every time I buy produce. When I get home from the store instead of stroring lettuce or kale in the bags from the grocery store I get this out to rinse and spin all my leafy purchases by storing them dry in a sealed bag they stay fresh much longer!

Salad Spinner
“Buy whole-leaf lettuce: It's cheaper, yields more and tends to be better and fresher. Take a little extra time to wash it, and make drying it easy on yourself.”
Michael Schwartz
Michael's Genuine Food & Drink, Miami

If you cook with dried spices this is an absolute must! I use it a lot to mix fresh garlic in with any herbs I am using for a rub, just like this pro.

Mortar and Pestle

I use it for many of my marinades, aiolis, rubs or pestos. I love it because it brings out all of the natural oils of the ingredients.

I hope I’m not alone in my love for this staple gadget. I wonder how they squeeze all that lovely garlic juice into their salad dressings. Is it on your list? If you didn’t see your favorites here you can look for them on in the full article.