Learning to be the home cook requires learning from the best. Yotam Ottolenghi is undeniably the best. The British chef, restauranteur and food writer is one of the most well-known cooks in the world for his delicious range of fresh and delicious food.
Luckily, Homes & Gardens got to speak with him and learn all of his essential home cooking tools, as part of his collaboration with Serax. Aside from the dishes from his beautiful Feast Collection, Ottolenghi stocks his kitchen with surprisingly simple kitchen appliances and tools.
When asked the best kitchen appliances he swears by, the chef told H&G exclusively: 'First, a really good knife—sharp and versatile, it’s essential. Then, a microplane; it’s perfect for grating zest, cheese, garlic, or spices to add a finishing touch to dishes. Lastly, a quality food processor—it makes preparing spreads, sauces, and doughs so much easier and faster.' Of his favorite tools, here are H&G Editors' tried and tested favorite versions of each.
1. A Good Knife
A good knife can make or break your cooking experience. From chopping to grinding, it's an essential tool that makes cheffing up something delicious much more seamless or fun and will be used in even the simplest recipes. These three are our editors' picks for the best kitchen knives.
This 8 inch chef's knife is long lasting and easy to use for any task in the kitchen
This lightweight knife is great for repetitive tasks, making it extremely simple to use. Hollow recesses prevent food from sticking
This gorgeous knife is as functional as its design is striking
2. A Microplane
Similar to a grater, a microplane will grind cheese, herbs, and zests with a finer grain. It's one of the most affordable ways to upgrade your home cooking, plus easy to use if you're new to complex food prep.
This top rated microplane is one of the best sellers on Amazon for easy grating and zesting
3. A Quality Food Processor
A food processor is essential when it comes to grinding food with precision. Though a blender will suffice for some tasks, it has nowhere near the versatility of our favorite processors on the market. The following are some of the best food processors of 2024, as tried and tested by our experts.
Effective, easy to use, and effortless to store, we love this lightweight food processor. It's versatile and you can use the base with other attachments too
If you want your food processor to do it all, this is the one. It also comes with a 72 oz pitcher and single-serve cups to blend liquids, too.
This is surprisingly great for a processor that costs under $100. It's far from perfect, but if you need something that does the job, this is the one.
When it comes to upgrading your kitchen tools, it's okay to start small. Rather than buying everything all at once, begin with something accessibly priced and easy to use, like a microplane. Once you've started, it's easier to build from there.
With advice from Yotam Ottolenghi and the experts at Homes & Gardens, you can't go wrong.
