Setting Up Your Kitchen

Mis en place – everything in it’s place… as how it should be in the kitchen. I can’t say I am the most organized in the kitchen but just as you have all your ingredients together to prepare a recipe, your kitchen tools are an extension of your hands, so it’s important to have the right tool for the right job.

In NYC, space is a luxury. Many kitchens are small – barely enough counter space for a dish rack and cutting board. For many years, my counter was a large cutting board placed over the sink. I became adept at maximizing all space available – there was no room for storing appliances and gadgets.

In a small kitchen, one must consider using tools that have the most functionality. The most important “tool” in the kitchen? The chef’s knife. For years I used an ex’s 14″ chef’s knife, which would have been fine had there been a large area for cutting. Frequently I found myself stabbing everything in the vicinity of the cutting board (plastic containers, veggies waiting to be sliced and the bottle of dishwashing soap…).

Three years ago, I finally took the plunge and bought my own personal knife – for my use only. I researched the internet looking for the best quality in my price range (about $100). A 10″ chef’s knife was what I was aiming for. Then the idea of using a santoku knife began to invade my thoughts. I’d never used one before but many cooking forums were touting it’s ease of use. At the time, I didn’t really consider how “easy” a knife was to use, I just wanted something that had enough length to slice though most foods and would hold it’s edge… nothing is more dangerous in the kitchen than a dull knife.

I made my way to Broadway Panhandler and was introduced to the Shun DM702 – a 7″ santoku. It was very easy to hold, had enough cutting surface for my needs, a curved tip that would prevent me from stabbing everything in the kitchen and it was on sale to fit my price range. This knife is one of the best kitchen purchases I’ve made over the last few years – an all around utility kitchen knife. I haven’t missed that big chef’s knife at all. Important point: a high quality knife is an investment, so unless it plans to live in a knife block, plan to purchase a knife guard to protect the edge (and your hand when reaching in the drawer).

To keep your knife’s edge in the best possible shape, have it professionally sharpened once a year… I repeat – professional. Your knife is the most important tool in the kitchen and the last thing you want is to damage your investment doing something you have no clue how to do. The cost is typically between $5 – $7 and sometimes must be left overnight. In between uses, it’s important to use a steele to help maintain the blade’s edge.

The second most important “tool” in the kitchen is your cutting board. For sanitary reasons, the recommendations are to use the plastic cutting boards to prevent cross contamination and are easily cleaned, however they tend to dull knives very quickly. I currently use a one made of bamboo. I chose bamboo for it’s price, function as well as it’s a renewable resource… and after four years, it shows no sign of falling apart. I’ve had several wooden cutting boards over the years and have always been meticulous about cleaning them. I’ve found the regular wooden cutting boards not very durable. No matter the price or brand – they’ve all started to come apart after a couple years of daily use.

The above are just a couple of suggestions. I use the knife and cutting board everyday so both are very important to me. As with any kitchen tool, you must find what works best for you in the space you have available.

Du-it right!