Chefs Tell Us The One Item In Their Kitchens They Can't Live Without

Otto Borsich of Otto's Kitchen in Texas told me, "The microplane is a joy use. I would be lost without it. It's a time saver and a fun tool. I only have one wish concerning the microplane. I wish I invented it."

He shared all the different ways he uses his microplane on a daily basis: "It's crucial for citrus zest. I also use it to grate fresh nutmeg into baked goods. As a finishing tool for Parmesan, it creates a light airy mound worthy of that esteemed cheese topping off a pasta dish with flair."

Are you a garlic lover? He uses it for that, too. "It's a time saver with garlic, instead of smashing garlic and pulverizing it into a paste with the aid of kosher salt, fresh garlic cloves can be simply grated and added to the dish during the cooking process or on top raw for an extra bite, on a beef carpaccio for example, or fresh steamed string beans."

Matt Greco, executive chef and owner of Salt Craft in Pleasanton, California relies on his cast iron pan as a trusted friend. He told me, "The one thing I can't live without is my cast iron pan. It gives the ideal slow heat to whatever you are cooking. Plus, nothing sticks and the pan is easy to clean."

He's had his cast iron pan forever. He said, "For me, it is mostly an emotional reason, as I have been cooking with the same pan for the past 20 years. It has made the journey with me from Texas, to New York City, to California. Now, I use it to cook my three sons their two favorite things: pancakes and lamb chops."

Executive Chef, Rahaf Amer, of the Nashville-based wine bar and restaurant Salt & Vine told me he can't live without his chef's knife. "The one thing in my kitchen that I can't live without is a good, sharp, chef knife. You can do anything with a good knife."

He added, "It is so essential to have a good chef knife when cooking because half of the battle of making a dish is presentation and if you have a sharp knife then your knife cuts will be beautiful and perfect and that is key."

San Francisco's plant-based chef, Sascha Weiss of Project Juice uses his cast iron saute pan for so many things. He shared, "If you don't have one of these yet, invest in a good one — it's worth it and will pay for itself. From making latkes, to searing vegetables (treat them like meat for a nice sear), you can also cook deep dish pizza, make pancakes, and roast vegetables."

He suggested, "Get it screaming hot on the stove top, then finish it in the oven with ease. I love its ability to hold heat and it's naturally nonstick, without all the chemicals."

Executive Chef Mike Ward of The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards in Livermore, California uses his cake tester for a lot more than just cake. He told me in our interview, "One might think to themselves, a cake tester? You mean a toothpick or wooden skewer. No. It is a thin elongated piece of stainless steel connected to a small piece of plastic or rubber. In our kitchen we use it to check all of our protein to determine when it is done — fish, steak, chicken — as well as the internal temperature of our vegetables to make sure they are hot before being served."

He went on, "We also use it for fried items, baked items, or pretty much anything we are cooking. The reason we use the cake tester is because it makes a very small incision on the item you want to test without damaging the product. Otherwise, you would have to use a knife and cut it open to check. Because of its small diameter, the metal conducts heat a very fast pace. Within seconds you will be able to know with a very high rate of accuracy if the food is at your desired doneness."   

You probably already have a silicone spatula in your kitchen. Chef J. Jackson of Washington, D.C. told me they're his most used tool. "Next to a knife, a silicone spatula is the single thing I can't live without in my kitchen. The spatula's versatility makes it an invaluable tool. While most people use it to get every drop out of the bowl, I find it's also useful to stir and flip food while I'm cooking. It is a gentle alternative to plastic cooking utensils on my best pots and pans, while giving me added control inside the dish."

Gluten-free chef Janet K agreed. She shared, "I cannot live without my silicone spatula. I always like a kitchen tool that is a multi-tasker. This little tool can stir a cake batter and scrape the bowl clean, make an omelet in a non-stick pan; it can scoop stir, scrape and even mash."

Sharon Graves, chef and owner of BLVD Kitchen and Mom in the Mail in Sherman Oaks, California told me, "For my baking business, Mom in the Mail, I have about ten of the full-sized sheet pans either in the oven or in the freezer at all times. They are loaded down with homemade cookies."

Graves uses them at her other restaurant, too. She went on, "At BLVD Kitchen, they are used for roasting vegetables and organizing and holding ingredients. With a wire cooling rack, you have the perfect platform for broiling fish and chicken. You can make an entire meal on a sheet pan, letting the oven do all of the work with almost zero clean up."

They're also cheap: "Best of all, a good one will cost you less than $10!"

Are you garlic fan? Artisan Foodworks executive chef Alexa Lemley is. She told me, "My Kuhn Rikon garlic press is indispensable in the kitchen. My wife and I love garlic. The flavor and health benefits of fresh garlic are why it is a must-have ingredient in my favorite dishes. And only freshly pressed garlic will do. Over the years, I've killed many garlic presses. Then I found the Kuhn Rikon garlic press. It is indestructible and easy to clean."

Chef Mike Dalton, executive chef for the D'Amico & Partners Italian restaurants in Naples, Florida and the Twin Cities area shared a simple kitchen must-have: kosher salt.

He told me, "Some foods come with natural salt, for example, items from the sea and things that are aged or cured. For everything else, we need to give it some flavor and that comes through seasoning. Salt is the one constant in the seasoning category."

But, while salt is abundant, it's not always easy to use it right. Dalton continued, "Salt is a difficult ingredient to master not just for a beginning chef, but also for chefs that have experience. You have to be careful not to over-salt because it enhances most dishes, but can also ruin your pallet if it is misused."