The Best Kitchen Equipment for a New Graduate
July 8, 2018If you’re like many people, you know a young adult who will be setting up their own place for the first time this summer.
It’s an exciting time, but very nerve-wracking. It’s amazing how quickly the costs add up as you outfit an apartment – especially in the kitchen!
If you want to help out someone setting up a new home for the first time, get them some gifts of kitchen equipment. With a few high-quality pieces, your friend or loved one will be a pro in the kitchen – and they’ll appreciate the cost savings!
The #1 Kitchen Tool: A Good Chef’s Knife
Skip the knife block from Walmart and get your graduate a nice chef’s knife. A proper knife makes so many things much easier. It can give a young adult much-needed confidence as they approach cooking for themselves for the first time.
A great chef’s knife will be made of high-quality steel, and will stay sharp for a long time. The harder the steel, the longer it will stay sharp, but the harder it will be to sharpen when it does eventually dull. Since knife-sharpening is a skill that takes time to acquire, you may want to start your graduate off with a harder metal.
A sharp, high-quality knife is perfect kitchen equipment for a new home. It will make short work of most chopping and cutting tasks. It also helps young adults stay safe in the kitchen. Because you don’t have to apply a lot of pressure, it can help avoid slippage and dangerous injuries.
If you want to supplement the chef’s knife, consider a high-quality paring knife as well. The pair will be well-loved for years!
A Cast Iron Skillet
It’s really a shame that so many young people rely only on packaged non-stick cookware sets. Many times the affordable sets are quite low quality, and the non-stick coating can compromise food quality.
Instead, gift a new graduate with a cast iron skillet. It’s an amazing tool and a piece of kitchen equipment that can last for generations. They are heavy, yes, but they are durable. When properly seasoned, they are just as non-stick as any other choice.
You can cook on a wider variety of heats with cast iron, and it transitions easily from stove to oven. To make this gift even more valuable, you can include a cookbook on cast iron cooking!
A Great Wood Block Cutting Board
There’s nothing like a good cutting board when it comes to protecting counters and knives from damage. Not all cutting boards are alike! An excellent, wood block cutting board is both beautiful and functional.
Some folks think that plastic cutting boards are safer and more sanitary than wood, but that isn’t the case. Plastic cutting boards get scars that hold bacteria and are very hard to clean. Properly sanitized, a wooden cutting board is safer.
Any cutting board should be replaced when it becomes worn or develops deep grooves. A high-quality wood block cutting board will last quite a long time before that happens – unlike many lesser options!
Get Your Graduate the Kitchen Equipment They Need
Kitchen equipment is the most expensive and most confusing aspect of setting up a home. You can help your new graduate by gifting them with one of these three key pieces of kitchen equipment. They will thank you for years to come!
If you’d like help finding high-quality kitchen supplies, we’re here to help. Contact us for a quote on the items you need today!
Roast: What’s Wrong With The Honeymooner’s Kitchen? Kitchen Supplies
Welcome to our new series, “Roast and Toast”! Each month we’ll feature one kitchen that we love and one that… well, could use improvements. The kitchens we feature can come from anywhere – TV, films, popular culture, you name it. We’ll talk about what we love and what...
Restaurant Supplies: The Growing Menu Role of Specialty Cheeses
As a commercial restaurant owner or manager, you might wonder what you can do to revive your menu a bit. There are a lot of fun ways to diversify your menu, but one trend you might have noticed is the growing role of specialty cheeses. We’ve all used common cheeses,...
It’s a Toast: Why We Love the “Friends” Kitchen
Welcome to our new series, “Roast and Toast!” Each month we’re going to feature one kitchen we love and one kitchen we hate. It can be from anywhere – a sitcom, a cooking show, a cartoon, a movie, or any other screen you’d see one on! We’re starting off with a toast...
Ready to Open a Second Restaurant Location?
If your current restaurant is booming, it might be time to consider a second location. Congratulations on your current success – you’ve already beaten the odds! Opening a second location can be easier than your first one – you’ve already worked out a lot of the kinks....
The One Product to Boost Convenience Store Sales
Is there one product that can single-handedly make or break the success of your convenience store? A lot of store owners would say no. When they look at their store, they see products coming from hot dish foodservice equipment, shelves, and a variety of categories...
Restaurant Equipment Spotlight: Gas vs. Electric
Does your Little Rock restaurant use gas or electric restaurant equipment? In all likelihood you made this decision a long time ago, but it’s one that can always be reconsidered. There are benefits to both. If you’re opening a new restaurant location, it’s vital to...
Restaurant Equipment: Self-Ordering Technology
One of the biggest challenges of running a restaurant is keeping up with all the technology and restaurant equipment that is available. You might have thought when you opened your location that you could run things basically the same way for decades. While they may...
Four Tips to Opening a Successful Restaurant
Have you been dreaming about bringing your food expertise to the forefront of you life? Many people have thought about opening their own restaurant. Folks don’t follow through for a variety of reasons – money, fear, or simple inertia. You can be different, though. You...
The Case for Timeless Restaurant Décor
What’s the newest trend in restaurant décor? Evidently, people are loving “Millennial pink,” and they’re using it for everything. If you’re trying to keep up with what’s hot, you better get some new restaurant supplies right away! And remember, this isn’t just any...
Deep Fry Safely & Efficiently
When it comes to kitchen equipment, knowing how to use it correctly is vital. Not only does it keep your employees safe, it ensures that the food comes out well and that your equipment last a long time in good condition. Using a deep fryer may seem pretty simple, and...
Should You Buy Closeout Restaurant Supplies?
As a restaurant owner, you, of course, want to save money in any way possible. Restaurant margins are known for being razor-thin, so every dollar counts. Because of this, you might be tempted when you see a closeout deal for restaurant supplies. After all, you can get...
Choosing Environmentally Friendly Restaurant Supplies
There’s been a lot of controversy recently about restaurant supplies and how they affect the environment. The current focus is on plastic straws, but the same conversation has been had about Styrofoam and a variety of other materials. Can you choose environmentally...
Restaurant Supplies to Prepare Your Location for Spring
In March you can begin to feel warmer weather around the corner here in Little Rock. After all, the groundhog didn’t see its shadow this year, so we’re in for an early spring, right? As you think about how to prepare your restaurant for spring, think about getting the...
Proper Use of Cutting Boards
Food safety is vital to every restaurant – consistent inspections make sure of it! Unfortunately, the day-to-day operations can sometimes mean that safety falls through the cracks. One thing that can get overlooked in a busy kitchen is the safe use of cutting boards....
Four Myths About Food Trucks
You probably know that the food truck industry is booming – it’s grown by 7.3% in the last five years and shows no signs of slowing down. That makes it an attractive industry for anyone interested in serving food – from established restaurants to new entrepreneurs....