Re:Article on Interviews for Culinary and Food... Re:What do these chefs do?
#5- Wine Club Membership- So we bought the cool table top wine cooler, now it’s now time to give the gift that keeps on givingl, a Wine Club Membership.
Wine Clubs are a great way to give the gift of new wines, at great prices throughout the year, a gift that truly keeps giving. Below are offers from several merchants so you can pick the best deal for your favorite Chef or Cook!
#4-Wine Cooler- Ok now something just for fun. Most Chefs and home cooks enjoy pairing their food with wine. Why not present that wine like they do in fine restaurants? Being able to display you wine on the dining table while keeping it at the perfect temperature for hours can enhance any dinner party or meal.
We have also included links to tale top units that will not just hold the wine at the perfect temperature, but will actually chill it for you. Now that’s a gift that keeps on giving!
#3- Knife Sets- What Chefs don't love their knives? If you’re a pro by now you know not to bring your “good” home knives into the work kitchen (unless you are in a tiny shop or have a pit bull guarding your station). In a pro kitchen good knives “walk” when your back is turned for a second, let alone when you go to the walk-in or storeroom for something. I’ll never forget going to a storeroom and coming back and finding my new 10” Henckles missing 1/1/2” and its point. Never again!
The thing with knives is they are very personal. There are so many types of blades and handle styles and materials that it’s difficult to buy a set for someone else. My suggestion is to look at what the potential “giftee” is currently using and buy the next level up of the same brand and handle style. Below is a sample of the wide variety of the different products that are available.
All Chefs and Cooks have one thing in common, whether we work in a 5 star resort or a studio apartment in suburbia, we all love our toys. With the Holiday Season coming I have put together a collection of my top 10 favorite kitchen toys/tools, with links to find them on line. (What working Chef or Cook has time to shop in malls this time of year?) I will post them one each day over the next ten days. I will be following these articles with a “Top 10 Stocking Stuffers for Cooks and Chefs” with my favorite small items under (most way under) $50.
They are in no particular order; I love and have ‘em all, well not quite, I’d love to have a Panini Press.
#1- Food Processor- I love my Cuisinart! Mine is an antique, over 20 years and still works like a charm, even with the cracks in the body. These things are real work horses and are totally indispensable. I’d carry on with their uses but I don’t want to insult your intelligence, if you on this site you are probably well aware how they chop, puree, slice, kneed etc, etc.
#2- Mixer- I’ve had a KitchenAide stand mixer (the ones with the lift for the bowl) for ever. I don’t use it all that often because I don’t bake much, but when ever I do pizza dough, mashed potatoes, or that occasional cake I break it out. I also have the grinder attachment and when there is a sale on chuck roasts I grind my own my own burger.
Interestingly I’ve rarely seen small stand mixers in commercial kitchen, the tilt head versions are much more popular, most likely because they are lighter to move around and generally are less expensive.
Get all the power you can afford, and I would not buy a glass bowl, go for the SS. Bowl size normally isn’t an issue unless you always cooking for lots of folks.
