If I could be anybody at 70 years old, I would want to
be Ina Garten. Actually, scratch that — I'd want to be her at any age (and
anyone who knows me, can attest to that). Just a little side note sharing here –
bet you can hear me screaming now as you read this – I have tickets for my
daughter and me to go see Ina (as us close friends call her) in Atlanta, November
13th – an evening with Ina… I mean…. seriously…. I just can’t………………
Sorry, I fainted (again)
Ok, back to this post, I want her Hamptons house and her $15,000 French stove, and I want to smile all the time and look 25 years
younger than I am — just like she does. The last part I'm still optimistic for,
but the Hamptons house (not to mention her garden, her barn – and oh yes, she actually calls this The Barn - and then there’s that breathtaking Paris apartment, I mean…. seriously…. I just can’t……………… AGAIN) and her oven are
things I might just have to be content with by watching Ina on TV. She has beautiful
things, beautiful taste and OK, I’ll say it, she has beautiful friends. But you know what... I do, too!
It's obvious
from watching Ina's shows and Instagram that she has beautiful taste, but in
the end, what she really cares about is quality. "You
don't need a lot of equipment, but you do need good equipment," she is quoted as saying in a recent interview with Food
& Wine.
Ina's list of
must-have cooking equipment includes sheet pans — a lot of sheet pans — and a
good set of knives. A person doesn't need to have a dozen specialty knives, she
says, but a few good, sharp, useful knives are great. She also says a person
should have a good set of sturdy, hard-working pots that will last a lifetime
(but they don't need to be expensive).
"If you
can't afford a good set of pots, you can go to a restaurant supply store," Garten said. "Simple, really good equipment that you
can have forever is really the best."
Going to a restaurant supply store for cooking
equipment is great. The cooks at your favorite high-end anniversary restaurant
may turn out exquisite steaks and souffles, but they're not using thousand dollar casserole dishes. Restaurants put their cookware through the wringer, and they
operate on tight margins and don't want to spend money where they don't have
to.
Some
might find restaurant supply stores unattractive and utilitarian, but I can't
pass by one without going in. If I happen to pass one on the road, I scream, "Turn around. I want to go in!" Sure, there aren't any items with pretty
packaging or cutesy gadgets vying for my attention, but I just love wandering up and down the aisles and seeing what restaurants use to efficiently get food out to
their guests. Of course, I love to eat, I love to cook, I love a beautiful kitchen… I love it
all. So, yes, I love a whole store filled with affordable, reliable cooking equipment.
There are so many things to choose from in restaurant supply stores, and usually at such great prices. So, what's worth getting there for the home kitchen, especially if you're on a budget?
Just a suggestion to you when planning your first trip: Go with a Shopping List.
Here are my five top picks of the best values from restaurant supply stores:
1. Baking Sheets
Also known in the restaurant industry as sheet pans,
these are the pans that can do it all: bake cookies, roast vegetables, or even
act as jelly roll pans. You want heavy-duty baking sheets that won't buckle or
warp, and restaurant supply stores have never failed to offer good quality at
great values. Make sure you stock up on half-sheet pans, which fit in standard
ovens, as well as quarter-sheet pans, which are great for toasting nuts or
other little baking or prep projects.
2. Chef's Knives
If you can't afford a more expensive designer knife,
restaurant supply stores have lightweight but sharp chef's knives with plastic
handles, usually around $10 to $15.
3. Frying Pans
Not everyone can buy a set of All-Clad pans, and
neither do most restaurants. Instead, they rely on strong aluminum pans that
can take the high heat and high-stress cooking that goes on in restaurant
kitchens. These pans get a lot of use yet still do a great job of searing and
sautéing, and they can do the same thing in a home kitchen for a fraction of
the cost of name-brand pans.
4. Plastic Cutting Boards
A good set of plain, plastic cutting boards is always
needed in the kitchen. Even if you have a great butcher block, plastic boards
are good for cutting meat and are also easier to maneuver in the kitchen. Plus,
they are a breeze on clean-up. Restaurant supply stores have a wide range of
boards in multiple sizes that will hold up for years.
5. Mixing Bowls
Restaurant supply stores are great for getting a
sturdy set of metal or glass mixing bowls. I find that I always need two big
bowls for mixing salad or for the wet and dry ingredients in baking, and a few
smaller ones don't hurt for whisking up salad dressings or beating eggs. The
ones from the restaurant supply stores are inexpensive, can be used as
makeshift double boilers, and are virtually indestructible.
That's also
true of glassware. I was discussing stemware with my favorite local bartender
recently, and he suggested I buy them from a restaurant supply store.
Ok, I can't help myself and just because I can...
one more Ina kitchen photo for good measure
(get it? Measure, kitchen supplies.)
