Building out a Kitchen

Or what this food nerd has purchased, prioritised, and recommended for someone starting from scratch.

When choosing my dorm at the University of Toronto, I knew one thing: I wanted to have kitchen access. I ended up prioritising a college and dorm that was “suite” or “flat” style, something that is the default in the UK but significantly less common in North America. I was able to save money by opting out of any meal plan(minimum for most worked out to nearly a grand a month), and honestly, I made much better food than any of the dining halls on campus. First year was also when my grandmother moved into assisted care; as a result, I received some of the tools she had long used to feed my family.

Come the end of the year, however, I had a bit of a dilemma; a full kitchen’s worth of equipment and no kitchen. Over the next several years, I moved more frequently than a person should, lived in a traditional dorm abroad, and cooked every chance I got. Basically, I’ve had the opportunity to reassess what I have, how I use it, and its long-term value over and over again. And basically, I just want to share what I’ve learned.

The photos in this post are mostly pulled from my library of photos through the years to illustrate that I have been actively using these tools or are from listings for the items I’m recommending.

My tiny Toronto kitchen was very limited in space, but the dinner parties I held, and the food I produced, were excellent. Having a simple, organised kitchen, even in the smallest of footprints, can create a sense of warmth and home.

Read more: Building out a Kitchen

If you’re not in the mood to read through my explanations, here’s the list; print it and head to a restaurant supply store:

• Deli Containers
• Cast Iron Pan
• Dutch Oven
• Rubber Spatulas
• spring loaded tongs
• offset spatula
• scale
• cutting board
• chef’s knife
• sheet trays
• blender
• multifunction cooking pot

Basics

Basics are, well, basic. Not super fun, not incredibly exciting. All I can say is, buy these in quality over quantity, take care of them, and you will find yourself returning to them repeatedly.

Before anything else, I plead: ditch the Tupperware.

I know I’m not the only one to say this, but what does everyone hate about Tupperware? Fumbling for a mismatched lid, the odd shapes and sizes, having to throw out the sef after too many times in the dishwasher. You don’t have to do that to yourself. Instead, opt for deli containers.

With three sizes: cup, pint, and quart, you’ll use them to store your leftovers, meal prep, freeze stock/soup, and even store your ingredients. I’ve used them for rice, beans, and other pantry staples that come in unsealable bags and ingredients I want in constant access but with a better lid system, like salt and peeled garlic. I’ve never had any issues with liquid leaking. They all have the same size lid, they stack, freeze and microwave, and you can give them away without begging for them back. You don’t feel bad about throwing them out if they get stained or icky. Oh, and they’re dishwasher safe and cost pennies. Truly, the fact that these aren’t in every home kitchen astounds me.

1- Cast Iron pan

The magic of a cast iron pan isn’t something new; it’s a pan that’s literally been adored for centuries. While more expensive than your classic nonstick pan, the weight and durability make it all worth it, and it’s one of the few things that improves with age instead of degrading. I would recommend looking for one preowned, as long as you’re willing to put a little elbow grease into it, or Lodge makes some fantastic options. Learn how to take care of it and get into the habit, and this pan will move from your first kitchen all the way to your last.

Use for: cooking anything you want to be a little bit crunchy/browned, roasting vegetables or meat in the oven, anything that needs a nonstick pan, baking homestyle pies, cakes, and cookies

2- Dutch Oven

Another commonly popular item. Some likely would disagree with me on this being a basic, but it’s likely my most used cookware. Soups, stews, and bread are only the beginning; I also use mine for large batch sauces, stock, cooking rice/pasta, and anything that requires volume. Get one in a colour you like- it’ll end up living on your stovetop anyway.

Use for: soups, stews, stock, risotto, anything that involves boiling water(pasta, rice, quinoa), roast meats, frying, bread

3-Rubber spatulas

What can I say? I use them constantly and adore them. They can be used in a cast iron pan, a Dutch oven, and non-stick pans without scratching the pan, melting, or collecting bacteria(ahem, wooden spoons). My personal favourite was a Christmas gift: A Hudson’s Bay stripe spatula I received several years ago that still does the heavy lifting. A solidly built one with a removable head for cleaning will be your primary stirring, flipping, scraping out bowls, etc.

4-Spring Loaded tongs

They are phenomenal for picking stuff up, and I prefer the spring-load ones as the resistance makes them easier to use. Store them on your oven door.

5-Offset Spatula

if you’re going to buy a spatula, this should be the one; just as functional for flipping pancakes and burgers as it is for icing cakes, this is one of those tools you don’t realise you rely on until you don’t have one.

5-Scale

Ok, I know it’s a lot, but hear me out. If you have a scale, you don’t need measuring cups or spoons; they do a better job. Most North American recipes may be written in cups/spoons, but due to the existence of Google, much of the time you can do the conversion with a quick search. Or, copy and paste it into chatgpt and ask for the weight conversions. At the end of the day, it’s less to wash up, and anything you’re making is significantly more likely to be as good as the recipe says it is. Once you have one, you can’t go back.

use for: anything related to baking, trying new recipes, fermentation projects

6-Thick Cutting Board

to cut stuff on. Buy a thick one to ensure your knife isn’t damaged. Avoid glass or the flimsy thin plastic ones; they’ll damage your knife or break before their cost per use is reasonable.

7- Chef’s knife

It doesn’t have to be incredibly high quality, but as long as you keep it sharp and clean, you can do so much with just a chef’s knife. Ikea has some good options, and I’ve found I prefer knives with a full tang and some decent heft, but it helps to know the size, shape, and style you’re looking for. If you can, go somewhere where you can pick up and handle the knife before buying- it’ll give you a better idea of how your hand and arm will move with the different styles. I don’t love the unwieldy, long chef knives, so if you’re new, maybe start with one with a shorter, taller blade and a slightly rounded cutting edge. Buy a bag of potatoes, and learn the basic cuts and movements.

8- A large, heatproof mixing bowl

basically, as long as it’s not plastic, you’re good. You can find a lot of options second-hand, but I’d recommend something with good durability. A stacking set is a nice bonus and gives you options.

use for: mixing up cookie dough, salads, seasoning vegetables, or anything that involves mixing

With these tools, some recipes you can make are: Roast chicken on veggies, soup from scratch, crispy potatoes, boeuf bourguignon, classic tomato sauce with meatballs, baked pasta, skillet cookies/brownies/pies/cakes, pancakes, fried chicken, sourdough bread

Ramping it up

These are things I consider very valuable and would miss immensely, but given a lack of space or funds, they are less essential than the basics.

9- Sheet Trays/Cookie sheets

Depending on the space you have, half- or quarter-sheet pans are phenomenal for roasting, baking, and meal prep. They would be in Basics, but a lot of roasting jobs can be done with a cast iron pan if you don’t have the room. I would highly recommend getting restaurant-grade hotel-type sheet pans, as the better built they are, the less likely you are to see them warp, and the better they will hold up to the extensive abuse these trays are prone to. Notice these also do not have a non-stick coating. Other than an egg pan, stay away from non-stick. It’s not great for you, not all-purpose(not supposed to hit high temperatures), and is typically a marketing gimmick to have you pay more for a pan made of garbage materials. This is the same for cake and cupcake tins; just get something with thick aluminium; you’re going to have to do a layer of parchment/oil + flour anyway. If you get a hotel-style sheet tray, you can bake cake layers flat, cut the sheet, layer, and don’t need additional cake pans.

10- Blender and/or stick blender

If you’re on a health grind, enjoy puree soups, make large batches of salad dressing or homemade condiments, or just want to make frozen margaritas at home, a blender is your best friend. I love the duo system produced by Ninja, a 2-in-1 blender/food processor combo that shares a motor system. If you don’t have the budget for a full blender, a stick blender can do a lot of the same jobs of pureeing soup, salad dressing, and homemade condiments.

11-Instant Pot/multicooker

So many people hate the instant pot, and honestly, I understand why. The old adage of “jack of all trades, master of none” is really embodied by the instant pot, and the learning curve can be steep. But I love my little three-quart machine for its ability to hydrate and cook beans from dry, make perfect fluffy rice or conjee, make stock in under an hour, set it and forget it meals, and even its steaming abilities. Honestly, this would be a lifesaver if you didn’t have access to an oven and stove. It does wonders for my budget and ensures no scraps leave my kitchen without being exhausted of their full potential. It also keeps me alive during high-stress times in the semester, and I love being able to toss some ingredients in, hit the button, and go back to studying during exams. It is by no means essential, but it is incredibly useful. You can also make speciality ingredients in it, like *herb-infused butter*, without stinking up your house.

This is a good beginning and in no way an exhaustive list.

There’s so much more for you to collect- roasting pans, pie dishes, a small saucepan, and a non-stick egg pan. My point with this post is that a strong basis and quality core tools can produce a fantastic meal with very little. Shopping at a kitchen supply store instead of a big box store is one of the best ways to begin, as tools built for professional use are solidly built, affordably priced, and practical. More than that, these tools make cooking less of a chore, and at the end of the day, the best way to avoid ordering takeout is not to hate the cooking process. Let me know if you have any essentials you couldn’t live without or what you would add to this list!