The Back Burner #2: The Kitchen Tools You Actually Need, According to a Chef

No flimsy black plastic utensils here!

This is the first in a multi-part Kitchen Essentials series. I’ll be covering Cookware, Bakeware, Electrics and Pantry deep-dives in future newsletters.

As a Resident Chef for the kitchenware retailer Sur La Table, I lead a team of cooking class instructors, teaching upwards of 28 classes every week. Halfway through the cooking class, the instructor told the students to drop everything and tour the store. That Microplane grater we used to zest the lemons for the tart? We offer it in 3 colors! The knife that easily cut through bell pepper skin? It’s on sale today, and we offer free sharpening!

Our program saw hundreds of students pass through the kitchen per week. More educated customers = more sales. The “market basket” (retail speak for the customer’s total spend) for a cooking class attendee was higher, compared to the average customer. They try it, they buy it. Brilliant marketing strategy, really.