Kitchen Essentials for the New Cook

When you first start cooking, gathering all the supplies can be a little too much to handle.  You are just starting out, you don’t know what you are going to need.  We have searched and asked some experienced cooks as to what they felt they needed to start cooking properly.  The answers varied, but we did find many had very similar lists.  Depending on if you are really just starting out with your first apartment or you are looking to upgrade your basics and expand into more specialty tools.  Everyone we asked, they all agreed it was worth investing in good quality tools.  Buying cheap kitchen tools and gadgets just added to the frustration of the learning curve.  You will end up throwing away the cheap stuff and replacing it with tools of better quality.  Their advice- Just buy good tools to start with!

The basics for a new cook:

2 Aprons- a functional heavy duty one and 1 pretty one for when you are cooking in front of guests
Good bamboo tools- pointed spoon, slotted spatula, solid spatula, spoon (solid and holed),
Bamboo tongs
BBQ basting brush
BBQ tongs
Bowl- batter
Set of mixing bowls
2 Cake pans
Can opener
Cheese board with wire
Cheese grater
Citrus reamer
Cleaning brushes/ scrubbies
Colandar
Cookie sheet
Cooling rack
Cork screw
Cupcake pan
Cutting boards- bamboo
Cutting boards- plastic
Dish Drying Mats
Garlic press/ slicer
Gravy boat
Ice cream scoop
Kitchen shears
Knife- Bread knife
Knife- chefs knife
Knife- meat and fork
Knife- paring knife
Ladle
Manadoline slicer set
Set of good quality measuring cups
Set of measuring spoons- oval shaped (to get into spice jars)
Metal spatula
Micro grater
Mini spatulas
Oven mits
Pan- Lasagna Pan
Peeler
Pepper mill/ grinder
Pie pan
Pie spatula
Pizza Pan
Pizza Roller
Pizza Wheel
Pots and Pan Set
Pot holders
Potato masher
Ramekins
Rolling pin
Rubber spatula
Salad spinner
Salt and pepper shakers
Scrapers
Slotted spoon
Spatula (rubber type)
Spatula/server (metal type)
Thermometer- digital
Timer
Tongs
Veggie brush
Whisk
Zester