• Last updated 2/16/10 by ckoetke

The most important tool on the kitchen? Even though chefs disagree about almost everything, most, if not all would agree that knives are the most important tool. Without their knives--their own personal knives--chefs would not perform as well as they do. It's like a professional musician who intimately knows how his or her own particular instrument plays. Knives are the one thing in the kitchen that are absolutely worth spending the money on. A good knife will last decades and may even be passed down to the next generation. But how do you know which knives are the best?... read more

• Last updated 5/25/10 by Nicko

  For most people, there is very little thought that goes into purchasing new kitchen knives—usually it is an impulse buy when they are browsing the kitchen section of the local department store, or they finally get tired of their dull knives and decide to grab a new one the next time they visit Wal-Mart or Target.  Retailers of quality knives are frustrated in knowing that there is a large group out there that is missing out on the experience of using quality cutlery.  Purchasing kitchen knives without any thought and research is just one mistake made when stocking... read more

• Last updated 2/16/10 by bbally

Perhaps the most miss understood preparation of eggs is the Basted Egg.  Requesting basted eggs is a little like being a tea drinker in the USA.  If you are a tea drinker and request tea either with breakfast or after dinner, you know what I mean.  The system is not designed to handle such requests.  If you go with the system you could have 6 cups off coffee by the time one cup of tea arrives!  And refills?  Forget it..... and so you are prepared to understand the problems associated with ordering a basted egg.  I am putting this blog together so others might find it... read more

• Last updated 2/16/10 by theloggg

It has been a good six months since I last wrote an entry for Cheftalk, and I have gone through more than I can write about.  If a PC could run out of ink, I could easily run it dry.  Instead, we'll revert back to 10th grade English Literature and go straight to the Cliff Notes version. Early this year my wife and I decided it was time to move again, for the last time, again.  In May I took a Sous Chef job with a large natural foods grocery chain opening a store in Sacramento.  I went into the job with nothing but excitement about having responsibility and helping the... read more

• Last updated 10/12/11 by MaggieFSW

The dancing flames of a large open gas burning commercial range seem to beg for a pot or a pan to be used, to create a scrumptious dish that will leave your family and friends ooh-ing and aah-ing. Perhaps a fabulous outdoor kitchen set up is part of your dream house, and a large piece of commercial equipment would complete the look. Or maybe, you want to upgrade your refrigerator or freezer to something with more oomph.   Think again.   Commercial kitchen equipment is not made for residential use. Let’s take a look at why:   Your home fire insurance... read more

• Last updated 2/16/10 by KYHeirloomer

If you belong to the first group, may as well stop reading right now. But if you believe in setting a fine table at hunting camp, then read on. What we'll be doing is exploring the problems and special conditions inherent in cooking "gourmet," given the restrictions imposed by time, location, and available tools and appliances.First thing to keep in mind is that you have to make some compromises. To be sure, I've been fortunate, in my work, to enjoy meals at some upscale hunting camps that would hold their own against anything served in a fine-dining restaurant. Such... read more

• Last updated 2/16/10 by mvogel

When Opposites AttractIt's a lazy, rainy, Sunday morning and you want a no fuss lunch for the family.  You've got cold cuts on hand so sandwiches become the obvious answer.  As you peruse the fridge you realize you're out of mayonnaise.  Darn!  It's pouring outside and you don't want to schlep to the store in the rain for a stupid bottle of mayo.  Then you remember the cooking show where the chef made homemade mayonnaise.  You copied down the ingredients during one of those "I'll have to try that sometime" moments.  You know.  You get the recipe, stick it somewhere and... read more

• Last updated 8/25/11 by eastshores

Post Editing   In my previous article I discussed what are the two most important concepts in food photography and also provided information on how an at home food photographer can construct a setup without breaking the bank. I will continue this article as an easy read with deep links to more information for those that are so inclined.   This installment will discuss something that is perhaps less glamorous, yet still a very necessary aspect of food photography. For the purists that think a shot should be “captured” completely on film and without aid of modern... read more

• Last updated 2/16/10 by Food writer

Thanksgiving is the perfect time for soul food to shine, and one Southern chef has refined the traditional Sweet Potato Pie with another soulful seasonal favorite. Since Chef Teresa Thomas launched her restaurant called Southern Caviar in 2008, diners around Myrtle Beach, S.C., have been thrilled with her upscale versions of down-home Southern cooking. She learned her craft classically at Johnson & Wales University when it was still in Charleston, and then her Southern senses were honed at Charleston's famed soul food Mecca called Jestine's Kitchen. Now her signature... read more

• Last updated 2/16/10 by ckoetke

Chefs get asked all kinds of questions. Recently, I received the following question: "Dear Chef Christopher-- I dream of being a great cook. What equipment should I have in my kitchen so that I can fulfill my dream? I want everything I need to be a great cook." For those who aspire to be the best cook they can be, having the proper kitchen equipment is paramount to maximizing success and limiting the frustration (you know, the kind you get when trying to whip egg whites with a fork and a small plastic bowl, or roast a turkey in a flimsy pan that's plainly too small--all... read more