Yassi's kitchen essentials
The arsenal of tools that has lasted me for years 🔪
If you haven’t figured it out already, I really, really love to cook. Which means that having a repertoire of trustworthy tools and utensils is extremely important to me. I like to invest in things that are dependable, affordable, and objectively make cooking a better experience - versus things that are top-of-the-line, outrageously pricey, and probably make more sense for a professional.
So I’ve put together a list of my kitchen essentials that I believe are worth purchasing because they’ve never done me dirty (or at least just yet):
1) All Clad Non-Stick Pans
These are objectively one of the best gifts Andrew has ever given to me. I’ll never forget when I first used them, I cooked a sunny side up egg without any oil or butter, and it just slid right off onto my plate. I’ve had these for seven years, and I continue to cook daily with them, no problem. They are super long-lasting, haven’t chipped once, and are oven-safe and dishwasher-safe (which seems hard to believe). The 8 and 10-inch are perfect for a household of 1-2 people.
2) Rachael Ray Cucina Cutlery 2-Piece Japanese Santoku Knife Set
I am a massive fan of these knives, and have recommended them to anyone and everyone who’s been trying to get into cooking. I feel like they were my gateway drug. Reasons being:
They are actually very sharp and stayed that way for 2ish years until I finally had to sharpen them.
They are the perfect everyday knives for beginners, and the acacia wood handle makes them comfortable to use regularly.
They come with plastic sheaths to protect the blade between uses, but more importantly, so you can travel with them. Every time I go away on a weekend upstate, I pack these with me.
They are incredibly affordable! 2 Santoku knives for $50 🤗
For the last five years, I’ve used them alongside my very reliable Wüsthof Classic 8” Chef’s Knife (also gifted by Andrew) - which if you’re willing to spend $170, I’d recommend going for this one instead or in addition to the Rachel Rays. However, I do regret to inform you that it doesn’t come with a plastic sheath.
3) Material Kitchen’s reBoard Cutting Board
Made out of 75% recycled plastic and 25% renewable sugarcane, these dishwasher-safe cutting boards are a favorite of mine. I initially bought these because they’re so pretty and I love the colors they come in, and I was also pleasantly surprised by how much use I’ve gotten out of them. I really like how easy they are to clean and scrape off food, and I do throw them in the dishwasher often. I’ve owned three boards for 2+ years, and I will say that I’ve noticed the plastic starting to come off one of them as I chop - which is why you have back ups and/or just use the other side of the board :)
4) OXO Plastic Good Grips 3-Piece Mixing Bowl Set
These were my first mixing bowls ever and they are literally a part of me. I have gotten infinite uses out of them and they’ve held up for years. I also love that they’re dishwasher-safe, easy to clean / throw around, and have a grip on both the lip and bottom. OXO has never failed me!
5) Essential Waffle Dish Towel by Hawkins New York
A quality, absorbent kitchen towel is e s s e n t i a l. I’ve went through my fair share of towels, and finally landed on these. This comes in a set of two as well as a beautiful palette of colors, and I have two hanging in the kitchen at all times, and one in my bathroom. I also throw them in the washer and dryer once a week, and they’ve held up extremely well. They honestly make for a wonderful gift for a housewarming and/or just because.
6) Snapware Pyrex 18-piece Glass Food Storage Set
This HAD to make the list. If you are still using plastic containers to store your leftovers, keep them (for freezing broths and stews) and 👏please👏buy👏these👏!!! They are much safer for reheating, completely airtight and leakproof (helps food last longer), microwave/freezer/dishwasher/oven-safe (up to 450 degrees), super easy to clean, and stain-resistant, which means your food doesn’t stick to the container and affect future leftovers.
7) Le Creuset Signature Dutch Oven
Last but not least, the queen of dutch ovens. I can’t speak for other brands as this is the only one I’ve owned, but Le Creuset has never given me a reason to look elsewhere. Whether it’s worth the hefty price tag - probably not! Depends on how much you use them. To be fair, I got this half off at the outlet (which is where you should also get yours from), and I use it maybe 2-3X a week. It is also annoying to clean because of how heavy it is. BUT, it cooks meats and stews perfectly, is dishwasher-safe (also hard to believe), enhances my stovetop aesthetic, and most importantly, is super high quality and will likely last a lifetime. In case you’re wondering, I got the 5 1/2 quart in “Lapis” and have cooked meals for 8-10 people with it.
And of course, the treat yourself section ✨
If you’re in the mood to break the bank, here’s a (very short) list of things that are expensive, of premium quality, and that I use all the time.
1) Stagg EKG Electric Kettle
This was a gift that we use multiple times a day - though tbh I probably wouldn’t have bought it myself. I’ve used kettles off Amazon that work completely fine, and I don’t really care to control the temperature, so knowing me I would have opted for the $30 one. But we have it (in Matte Black), it’s sleek, it’s beautiful, and it has worked great for almost four years.
2) Togiharu 440 Wa-Gyuto Chef’s Knife
Ok this was also a gift, lmao. I surprisingly don’t spend a lot on most kitchen items for how much I use them. Anyway, my close friends Kurt and Victoria got this for me for my 30th birthday (and even got it engraved!), and it’s an absolutely fantastic knife. It is sharp as hell and I am SO scared of it - so much so that it took me two months to muster up the courage to start using it. But now I use it for special occasions, like when I’m hosting a dinner or making a stew that requires a bunch of chopping. As a cherry on top, it comes with a gorgeous wooden sheath, and it’s become my biggest flex when I whip it out in someone else’s kitchen.
3) Gorilla Grip Anti-Fatigue Mat
For the longest time, I was looking for the perfect Persian wool rug for our kitchen. Why people decide to place madly expensive rugs in their kitchen - I have no idea. But it’s trendy and certainly speaks to a level of opulence lol. At the same time, I was always wearing my slippers specifically in the kitchen for comfort, and realized that I would still need to do so even with the perfect Persian wool rug. So I finally bit on a Gorilla Grip mat in Black, and it makes me hang out in the kitchen even more. Not cheap, but 100% worth it if you care about your lower back.