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Courtesy of Schmidt Brothers Cutlery
Sharp Knives
Chef Cassy Vires of Home Wine Kitchen recommends “a good, sharp knife that feels right in your hand.” Chef Cary McDowell of Winslow’s Home relies heavily on an 8- to 9-inch offset serrated knife. “I use it for everything except cutting meat and fish,” he says.
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Courtesy of MARCATO S.P.A
Pasta Roller
Scape chef Eric Kelly relies on his pasta roller. “You can do all your various pastas—tagliatelle, pappardelle—but you can also do certain breads, like flatbreads.”
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Courtesy of Happy Bungalow
Wood Cutting Board
“A quality wood cutting board” is a must for McDowell: “Wood is more comfortable to work on.”
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Courtesy of HSN
Pressure Cooker
Oceano Bistro executive chef Jon Lowe counts a pressure cooker as an essential. “It cooks beans in half the time,” he says. “I’ve infused a smoky flavor into broths using it; it steams vegetables, braises proteins, and even cooks pasta.”
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Courtesy of Conair
Standing Blender
Lowe prefers a professional-grade Vitamix model.
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Courtesy of Chef’n
Bowls
“Bowls. Lots of bowls. The key to a successful meal is preparation and mise-en-place—you have to have something to put all that prep into!” says Vires.
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Courtesy of All-Clad Copper Core Cookware, Baltz & Company
All-Clad Cookware
Chef Lou Rook III of Annie Gunn’s recommends a great set of cookware, like All-Clad: “It’s expensive, but it’ll last forever.”
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Courtesy of Denby USA Limited
12-Inch Frying Pan
Kelly uses a heavy-bottomed 12-inch frying pan. Why a 12-inch one? “If you need that extra space, you’ve got it,” he says.
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Courtesy of M Booth & Associates
Japanese Mandoline
McDowell also considers a Japanese mandoline to be a kitchen must-have.
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Courtesy of Norpro
Food Mill
When asked for a gadget that he considers to be an essential, Kelly mentions a food mill. “It gives you all the control, as opposed to a food processor—and the fluffiest mashed potatoes.”
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Courtesy of Le Creuset
Le Creuset Saucier
Mosaic executive chef Ben Lester loves the Le Creuset Saucier, as it’s “super–heavy duty, great for braising, and the perfect size.”
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Kevin A. Roberts
Fridge Fundamentals
Here’s what our star chefs always keep stocked in their fridges and pantries.
DAIRY
• Milk• Heavy cream• Quality butter
LIQUIDS
• Vegetable stock• Extra-virgin olive oil• Vinegars (sherry, balsamic, and red-wine)• Six-pack of beer
SPICES & FRESH HERBS
• Vanilla bean• Italian flat-leaf parsley• Cilantro• Rosemary
CONDIMENTS
• Mayonnaise• Whole-grain and Dijon mustards• Hot sauce• Sriracha sauce• Soy sauce• Olives• Assorted pickles
PERISHABLES
• Eggs• Lemons• Apples• Onions• Garlic• Potatoes
Products Courtesy of Straub’s
We asked seven top St. Louis chefs what they can’t live without in their kitchens.
