Cooking at Someone Else's Home

I ask what they have, if they dont have what I need to prepare the best of what I can, than I bring what ive got to bring.

Most of the time, Im bringing everything but the kitchen sink........:lol:

only place I cook at other than mine is usually dad and moms...and I'm a product of my father, thus, he has to have every piece of cooking equipment that I have. (so much that when I buy something, I generally buy 2.....because I'll know he'll have to have it as well)

I always bring my knives, and depending on what I am cooking other specialized equipment like my biggest roasting pan or the BBQ pit.

I frequently cook at Mom's or MIL's, and always go prepared...Mom is pretty well equipped, but I always bring my own knives. And when we bake for the holidays, always bring the mixer & food processor, cuz the hand-held mixer just can't keep up with all the doughs we make.

MIL, on the other hand is another story...there's a spanish saying "Tiene de todo, pero no tiene ni mierda" which loosely translated means she's got everything, but she ain't got sh**. So lots of clutter and junk, but nothing really good. Lousy knives, weird pots/pans/casserole dishes, and the counters are all cluttered with STUFF, so no good space to spread out and work. If possible, I do all my prep at home, and then just do the final cooking/heating at her place, in my own pots/pans.

Great topic, Shel!!

Cheers,

Micki

Perhaps we're related? I think we have the same mother in law ;)


dan

For several years I personal cheffed in clients homes, each would have vary amounts of equipment.

Most that hired me had a fairly decent basic setup.
pots/pans, glassware, colanders, measuring cups/spoons, whisks, spoons, spatulas, some had ok knives, cutting boards.

Normally I'd restock the kitchens with new Penzey's spices/herbs.
Take an emersion blender and a couple of knives, the rest was enough to function.

I've gone down to one PC client, on going for 5+ years in a standard house rectory. Through the years I've gotten a couple of good pots, some cast iron skillets, an emersion blender, whisk, tongs, good baking sheets, pot holders....
Last year we went through the kitchen and winnowed down the unnessary clutter.....restocked needed equipment. The only thing left that I can't justify replacing are the stupid, yucky Cutco knife set. I'd love to see them bite the dust so I don't have to bring in the couple of knives I use.


My SIL has such a basic setup and really doesn't value equipment dispite cooking generally from scratch....she's got 5 kids, 3 at home, 2 teenage boys that are voracious eaters.....3 + meals a day and she's got an old wood cutting board, some ok not great knives, not great bowls, not ever enough serving platters, bowls or service ware......Anytime I offer any overage equipment I've picked up she declines, guess she doesn't want clutter?!!? I'd love to go through, pitch and restock.....especially the crappy whisks that fall apart....who makes this junk?

I go early and check what they have first then bring what I need which they do not have.

Knives and tongs most often. Sometimes a pan or pot or other specialty thing. If I'm doing pizza there, it's more of a production.

A friend gave me one of those giant curved pizza blades you whack down and rock back and forth. I'd never have bought one for myself, but it's awesome cutting pizza. Handy for a few other dough cutting tasks you might use a wheel cutter for too. Bugger to store though.

Phil

No matter where you're going, if you assume that they'll have lousy knives you'll never be disappointed. At a minimum I bring whatever knives I think I'll need.

Unless I've been there before, and seen the kitchen, I also assume it will be like any vacation rental. Sure, they'll have some pots and pans---usually dented non-stick. And some utensils. But I don't even count on there being a can opener or vegetable peeler, let alone tongs.

So, I bring everything I think I'll need. That means my travel kit---which is always ready to go---plus any specialty equipment. It can always stay out in the truck if it turns out I don't need it. But having it available sure beats moaning about it not being there.

Something else to consider: You do your best work with tools that you're used to.

Sure, in theory any good cook can pick up any cooking equipment and produce great meals. But the reality is, it doesn't always work that way. And if you're cooking at a "strangers" house, that means you are showing off your skills.

Why handicap yourself? To do the best job use the tools that help you do that everyday.

Even if they have a well-equipped kitchen, their choice of tools might not be the ones you are comfortable with.

i always carry my tool box with me and dont hesitate to bring in my own stuff/tools, sometimes i have lots of cooking stuff in my car so if i need something i can often go and get it but most places are well stocked, the first time i cooked at Bruces sisters house her knives were the most blunt things i had touched, i used my knives and Bruce and i went and bought her a great chefs knife for christmas last year, she still regularly thanks me for that and tells me how she didnt realise how important a good knife was

I usually bring some of my special seasoning they may not have.