Professional kitchens rely on specialized equipment, but chefs frequently adapt everyday household items and unexpected tools to solve common culinary problems, according to a Food Network Magazine survey published in September 2022.
Unconventional Tools for Meat and Produce Prep
In San Diego, Lumi by Akira Back chef James Jung uses a Theragun massage tool for tenderizing meat and pork loin, according to Food Network. For autumn baking and cooking, Hark! Cafe co-owner Katherine Pardue in Minneapolis uses an ice cream scoop to clear out pumpkins. Pardue notes that a scoop provides a sharper edge and a firmer grip than a standard spoon, speeding up the process while preserving seeds for roasting, per Food Network. Meanwhile, in St. Louis, Bulrush chef Rob Connoley relies on a coffee tamper to crush nuts, telling Food Network that the method yields a superior texture compared to food processors and works faster than a knife.
Creative Solutions for Sandwiches and Sauces
Kitchen shortcuts extend to appliance substitutions and precision cutting. In Mobile and Birmingham, Alabama, SOCU Southern Kitchen and Oyster Bar owner Erica Barrett wraps paninis or grilled cheeses in aluminum foil and presses them with a household iron to toast the bread and melt the cheese, according to Food Network. In Ann Arbor, Michigan, Miss Kim chef Ji Hye Kim relies on chopsticks for whisking tasks, telling Food Network that a solid pair handles multiple kitchen jobs. At Covewood at San Diego Mission Bay Resort, Roy Hendrickson pushes avocado halves through the wire perforations of a metal cooling rack to create uniformly sized pieces for guacamole, per Food Network.
Baking Hacks and Specialty Appliances
Professional bakers and chefs also repurpose hardware and cleaning agents in unexpected ways. Mosquito Supper Club chef Melissa M. Martin in New Orleans uses Mason jar lids as baking rings for individual tarts to achieve a rustic presentation, according to Food Network. Henrietta Red chef Julia Sullivan in Nashville uses a smoothie blender for small batches of pesto, dressings, and purees; because the cups invert, Sullivan can pour out sauces directly without scraping the blades with a spatula, per Food Network. For laundry mishaps in Chicago, Virtue Restaurant and Bar chef Erick Williams uses aerosol hairspray to prevent blueberry and cherry stains from setting into garments, according to Food Network.
Flat Tops and Spiral Slicers
Large-scale cooking setups benefit from flexible equipment choices. Sauce Boss Southern Kitchen chef Julius Thompson in Draper, Utah, lays a standard sheet pan directly across range burners to simultaneously cook buttered toast and corn cakes, which serve as the restaurant’s version of pancakes, according to Food Network. In Park Rapids, Minnesota, author Amy Thielen uses a countertop apple peeler to process round produce like potatoes, turnips, and small rutabagas into spiralized stacks that roast into golden, buttery shapes, per Food Network.
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