You can outfit a kitchen for as little as $79.57! Does this sound too incredible to be true? it’s not. The secret is to shop for the most critical tools for food preparation and to learn the versatile uses of each tool. Just 15 tools are key to cooking, and you can cook just about anything if you have them.
Are you about to stock your first kitchen or one for your child? Feeling a bit overwhelmed after pricing cookware sets? do not be. I will show you how to properly furnish a beginner’s kitchen with good quality tools for a song.
I have been cooking for 40 years and have all kinds of clever kitchen gadgets and beautiful equipment. But I did prepare some of the most delicious and interesting meals of my life in a 10′ X 7′ galley kitchen with a small white 1950’s refrigerator and matching oven and gas range. The white tub sink hung over its exposed drain and gray linoleum covered the floor. Cabinet and counter space was limited, but I happily discovered that a 2 foot deep, 3 foot wide built-in maple cutting board came out of a 1/2″ slot between the counter and drawers. How useful !
The walls of my third-floor walk-up efficiency apartment had been painted an institutional green some 20 years before I moved in. But the hardwood floors were hardly worn and the small living room was well lit by a cozy bay window. For the first time in my life I had a space to myself. I loved!
My entry-level professional position paid accordingly, so furniture and cookware tended to be of the legacy variety. A secondhand sofa had a blanket to cover the cushion that had been torn to shreds by pet claws. A small black and white television, complete with broken antenna, sits on top of a wobbly coffee table. I lived shabby chic 2 decades before its heyday.
I didn’t need much space in the kitchen cabinets as I only had a few chipped stoneware flatware (courtesy of my late grandmother’s kitchen), some old stainless steel flatware, and an impressive assortment of beer mugs hauled out of the pubs. college. And of course my kitchen utensils: a covered pot, a wire mesh strainer with one of its 3 legs missing, an old black skillet, a decent chef’s knife, and a few assorted tools like spatulas, a peeler, potatoes and potholders. I splurged on one thing: a new, hardcover, glossy-paged, fully illustrated copy of a gourmet cookbook simply called “The Cookbook” by Terence and Caroline Conran. Long before Julie cooked for Julia, I made almost all the recipes in that book in my small, poorly equipped kitchen. And the meals were delicious! We are talking about Filet de Boeuf en Croute, Veal with Apples and Cream, Gnocchi Romana, Paella and Hare in Sour Cream. I confess that I skipped the gizzards and tripe, but I made a mediocre Pâté de Campagne.
When a recipe called for a rolling pin, I would use a glass like I had seen my grandmother do to roll out cookie dough. My chef’s knife became my best friend, saving me the expense of a food processor, grater, grater, and mandolin. Forks came a close second to replacing beaters, reamers, pasta rakes and tongs. Although I coveted the beautiful equipment I saw in kitchen stores, I spent my money on cooking classes. And I realized a funny thing. Many instructors also used a fork as a whisk when cooking in a hurry. Today I love and enjoy all my kitchen things. But I know from experience that it’s “nice to have” and not necessary to make a fabulous meal.
Learning to cook is like learning to play golf. You don’t need all the fancy clubs to play a decent game, especially early on. I had the urge to learn golf after seeing a set of Lynx Tigress fairways. They were a beautiful royal blue and came with a matching bag. My heart sank a few minutes after my first lesson when the pro told me that the only club I would use for weeks would be a 5 iron. I thought I had clearly picked a poor pro. What would I do with the adorable skirt and shoes I bought to go with my outfit? But as we progressed through our lessons, I came to understand his wisdom. Mastering the most versatile club taught me the basics without overwhelming me with too many options.
What do you need for a beginner kitchen? Surprisingly little. This is what I call my
“5 Iron List”:
chef’s knife ($14.99)
cutting board ($1.49)
10″ covered skillet ($14.99)
2-quart covered saucepan ($10.99)
dutch oven ($14.99)
Mixing bowl set ($4.99)
liquid measuring cup ($4.99)
dry measuring cups ($3.99)
dry measuring spoons ($2.99)
13×9″ Baking sheet ($8.39)
Spatula to turn, kitchen spoon ($0.79)
mesh strainer ($3.99)
vegetable peeler ($4.99)
Can opener ($1.99)
I found the prices mentioned above at IKEA and Target.
The cookware is stainless steel. I think on aluminum and non-stick surfaces for two reasons. Stainless steel is known to be a stable metal, while there are some concerns about possible health damage from aluminum cookware. There are also some questions about the health risks caused by nonstick surfaces, and once they get scratched, they shouldn’t be used. Plain old stainless steel is the safest way to go.
Why IKEA and Target? Because both have physical stores and e-commerce sites, and both maintain constant stock over time. I often pick up great deals on cookware and kitchen supplies at stores like Home Goods and Tuesday Morning and recommend stopping by to see if there’s a store near you. But their models are such that the merchandise available can vary from day to day. Your local supermarket or membership depot store may also have some affordable options. And, if you’re willing to browse online, you can find plenty of great deals. However, be aware of shipping costs and try to buy from a seller to keep them down.
In the meantime, try vegetables and protein with your new affordable kitchen supplies. Keep an eye out for part 2 of this article on tool substitutions.
