Ask any chef: A good kitchen is a lean kitchen, bereft of superfluous tools and gadgets. Knife, board, skillet. Done. But if it’s cleanliness and precision you value, it might be worth your while to venture into the utility drawer. Here are five miscellaneous accessories that deserve a place there. (Veggie spiralizer not included.)
Sauce Spoon
Pictured: Gray Kunz Sauce Spoon by J.B. Prince
A sauce spoon handles a range of different tasks, from mixing to tasting to plating. But it shines brightest when basting meat, poultry and fish in a skillet. Unless of course you prefer to use your fancy silverware for that. (Yeah, didn’t think so.)
Meat Thermometer
Pictured: Thermapen Mk4 by ThermoWorks
While seasoned chefs depend wholly their senses to cook meat, the rest of us play the guessing game. Just get a thermometer already and stop wondering when it’s ready.
Rasp Grater
Pictured: Premium Classic Zester/Grater by Microplane
Rasp graters are indispensable in most commercial kitchen, but they’re great for home use, too. Use one to zest citrus, grate Parmesan or break down down ginger and garlic.
Mandoline
Pictured: Japanese Mandoline Vegetable Slicer by Benriner
The most tedious task is any kitchen: veggie prep. Mandolines speed up the process and every slice comes out uniform, translating to an even rate of cooking.
Prep Bowls
Pictured: Glass Mixing Bowls by Duralex
Mise en place — or the act of preparing and organizing ingredients prior to cooking — is a habit rarely practiced in the home. But do it once, and you’ll never look back.
