Kitchen Essentials: Every Chef's Starter Pack

Embarking on your culinary journey requires more than just a few pots and pans. In this guide to kitchen essentials, we'll talk about the indispensable tools every aspiring chef should consider. From cookware to kitchen appliances and tools, we've curated a comprehensive list to help you equip your culinary arsenal. We'll also explore some non-essential yet incredibly useful accessories that can elevate your cooking experience and discuss where you can get everything you need. So, whether you're a novice cook or a seasoned pro, let's ensure your kitchen is stocked with everything you need to whip up culinary delights.

Kitchen Essentials That Are Not Included

Before we begin, just a quick note - this article will not include kitchen essentials that you likely already have or know you’ll need to get. We think that there is no need to mention things like tableware, a fridge and a stove, kitchen linens, etc. What we will focus on are kitchen essentials that you may not have thought of. And we’ve divided them into three categories:

1. Cookware
2. Kitchen appliances
3. Kitchen tools

Plus, at the end, you’ll also find some items that aren’t essential as such but are affordable, easy to get, and can make the cooking process much easier and more fun. So let’s start with kitchen essentials 101 - cookware.

Cookware

When it comes to kitchen essentials, there’s nothing as fundamental as good cookware. And when it comes to cookware, there are many different types that serve different purposes, but you don’t have to get everything straight away. If you are just starting out, a good skillet, roast pan, saucepan, and stockpot should be all you need to make most dishes you can think of. As you get more experienced, you can start thinking about specialised cookware like casserole pots and woks. 

What you should be thinking about from the start are the cookware materials. Cast iron vs. stainless steel is a common dilemma many new cooks have. In general, stainless steel cookware is an excellent all-arounder, while cast iron cookware can enhance the flavour of your food, but cooking in it and maintaining it takes a bit more experience. Aluminium cookware is another fine choice as a substitute for stainless steel, but remember that it can’t be used on an induction stove. 

Naturally, you don’t have to get cookware made out of the same material. A good combination could be to get a cast iron skillet so that you can let it start soaking in seasoning and flavours and so that you can practice making more advanced dishes, while you get pans and pots made from good stainless steel for everyday cooking. At the end of the day, the specifics are up to you, but good cookware is a kitchen essential in all cases. 

Kitchen Appliances

While many advanced chefs would balk at the notion, a microwave is a must-have kitchen appliance. Yes, microwave-cooked dishes aren’t very good. Yes, microwaves can dry out your food when reheating. And yes, microwaves don’t even reheat meals properly all the time, leaving some spots cold while others can burn your mouth. However, a microwave is a kitchen essential because it’s practical. This is particularly true when you are new to cooking. It takes some practice to be able to estimate the quantity of food you are making, so expect to have a lot of leftovers at the beginning and that’s where a microwave comes in handy.

The second essential appliance is a toaster; there’s no explanation needed, you’ll want to eat toast or toast-based dishes, so you’ll need a toaster, right? If you want to take it up a notch, you can get a sandwich press instead of a toaster. Besides being excellent at toasting bread, you can make a variety of food with it, from grilled sandwiches to cooked bacon (although cleaning afterwards is a real pain). Another kitchen essential if you wish to make rice-based dishes is a rice cooker. They are made so that you don’t over or undercook the rice, both of which are common mistakes, and the rice won’t cling to the bottom or sides. Plus, it’s very easy to clean.

Another kitchen essential that you may not think of immediately is a hot water urn. Besides heating water for coffee or tea, it also speeds up the preparation of some dishes. If a recipe includes peeled veggies or fruit, the skin is much easier to peel if you pour boiling water over it. Sure, you can use a peeler for hard fruits, but when you need to peel tomatoes or something else soft, you’ll need to do it by hand and a hot water urn can help you along.

Finally, more advanced but still essential kitchen equipment if you want to become a proper chef are fryers and gas char grills. These appliances give you a lot of options for making quick and high-quality meals. The reason why most people don’t have them in their kitchens is because they take up a lot of space, but you don’t need large ones if you’re not running a commercial kitchen. A bench-mounted grill and a smaller fryer will fit on any countertop and do as good a job as the larger versions.

Kitchen Tools

When it comes to kitchen tools, there’s nothing more important than a good knife. While there are many types of knives, that’s not something you have to worry about until you become a real pro. A good, sharp, classical chef’s knife will do the job you need it to. Next, if you don’t have a cutting board, get one. There’s no reason to cut your food on plates, trays, or anything else. Besides making the job more difficult, you can easily and unnecessarily damage the surfaces.

Some other kitchen essentials are tongs and spatulas. Sure, you can use other tools to do a comparable job, but these are much more effective and cheap. The same goes for peelers - you can use a knife, but why complicate things (and risk cutting yourself) to save just a few dollars? Further, get a strainer - from rinsing vegetables to draining pasta, a strainer will make your life easier. And always have a can opener in your kitchen; you’ll need it at some point.

Finally, unless you are vegan or vegetarian and only plan to make those kinds of dishes, a meat mallet and a thermometer are kitchen essentials. You will be surprised how often the mallet will come in handy to thin thicker pieces of meat to cook them better and a thermometer will make sure that your meat is perfectly cooked every single time.

Some Non-Essential but Useful Kitchen Accessories

If you get all of the kitchen essentials we listed above, you’ll have a well-equipped kitchen and should be able to make almost any dish you can think of. However, there are some other accessories that aren’t necessarily essential but do come in handy. Namely, in case you like making things out of dough, a rolling pin, pastry brush, and cookie scoop are indispensable. You should also think of getting a grater and a garlic press. You can use a sharp knife or a peeler as a makeshift greater, but you’d be causing yourself unnecessary labour. 

A garlic press is similar - you can mash and mush your veggies for similar results, but a garlic press is easier to use and gives better results. Naturally, you don’t have to use it just for garlic, despite the name. It’s the perfect tool when you want to make a pate that’s not fully blended. The final non-essential but extremely useful accessories are zip bags - trust us, you’ll use them all the time. You can store leftovers or freshly chopped ingredients and if you get reusable ones, it’s a one-time purchase that’s also eco-conscious. 

Where Can You Get All of These Kitchen Essentials?

So, where can you get all the kitchen essentials you need? That’s the easy part - at AGC Equipment. We have been providing everything aspiring chefs need for over thirty years. From benchtop equipment to cutlery to food displays, you will find whatever you can think of at our store. Simply order online and we will ship your items right to your doorstep. If you have any questions about our products or policies, feel free to contact us and we will gladly tell you what you wish to know.