FEATURE
What the Best Chefs Are Using
(that even non-chefs would love)
By J. Gamboa
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 07:10:00 09/28/2008
MANILA, Philippines- Chefs love gadgets. Tools, knives, pots, pans… you name it, they’ve got it! Anything for the kitchen or dining table is fair game. Though there are a lot of gadgets out there that are more suitable for the laboratory than the kitchen, like immersion circulators, liquid nitrogen and calcic acid, chefs Fernando Aracama, Cyrille Soenen and Ariel Manuel reveal what tools they tinker with in their kitchens that are easily available in Manila. You might not have the same flair they have, but looking the part—with these gadgets—helps.
Fernando Aracama, executive chef, Embassy Cuisine, The Fort, Taguig City, (tel. 816-4195); Holy Cow Chophouse, Trinoma Mall, EDSA corner North Avenue QC, (tel. 916-6299); The Tides Hotel, Boracay, (tel. 725-3411)
1. Lodge Cast Iron Skillet: Great for pan-grilling steaks, frying eggs, making pancakes, frittatas and pan-fried chicken. Comes in various sizes. 10.25-inch pictured, P1,220 at Gourdo’s.
2. Food Mill: Used for mashing and pureeing vegetables like potatoes, cauliflower, carrots and tomatoes. Want to remove seeds from tomatoes? Use this! Available in most kitchen specialty stores. Prices start at P550.
3. Kyocera Ceramic Mandoline: This mandoline is extra sharp and makes cutting vegetables julienne-style, easy as pie. P 1,570. Available through Sweetlink, Santis and Rustans.
4. Basic kitchen tongs: My most indispensable kitchen tool. It’s like an extension of my hand and is used for picking up deep-fried food and blanched asparagus, as well as flipping steaks. Simple and effective. Available in most kitchen stores.
Cyrille Soenen, executive chef, Restaurant CiÇou, Hotel Celeste, 2 San Lorenzo Drive corner A. Arnaiz Avenue, Makati City
1. Silicone Pasta Colander: Very useful for passing sauces, draining marinades or pasta. Easy to wash and doesn’t take up as much space as a traditional colander. Fun colors available, too! Available through Sweetlink.
2. Pastry brush: Very useful for basting chicken inasal on the barbeque, glossing apple pies, buttering ceramic molds for soufflés. Available through Sweetlink.
3. Peppermill: This is a kitchen implement! With this, you will never pepper too much nor will you need to use your fingertips. The taste of freshly milled pepper is better than ground pepper. You can find it everywhere but I like the brand Peugeot. It comes in all sizes. Available at Santis and department stores. Price range: P1,500-P2,000.
4. Stick blender: Not difficult to use. All you have to do is plug it in. Good for emulsifying sauces, and pureeing soups. Can be found in most department stores. Lots of choices available, however I prefer the models with the stainless steel stick like this Bamix Gastro. Special order at Santis around P6,685 each.
Ariel Manuel, executive chef, Lolo Dad’s Café; Team Captain, Les Toques Blanches Philippines Culinary Team, 899 Pres. Quirino Ave. corner Leon Guinto Street, Malate (tel. 522-2941)
1. Calphalon Cookware: The superior construction of these pots and pans ensures a lifetime of worry-free cooking. 10-inch Fry Pan P5,850 ; 2.5 quart Saucepan P4,580 ; 8 quart stock pot P3,200. Available at Gourdo’s.
2. Wustof Classic Ikon Chef’s Knife: A beautifully crafted knife, well balanced and ultra sharp. The official knife of the LTB Culinary Team when they won the Best of the Best Trophy at the Hong Kong International Culinary Classic 2007. P5,555 each at Gourdo’s.
J. Gamboa, executive chef, Cirkulo and Milky Way Restaurants, Milkyway Building, 900 Arnaiz Ave. corner Paseo de Roxas, Makati City (tel. 810-8735, 810-2763; www.elcirkulo.com)
1. f & d lead-free crystal glasses: Have the sparkle and sheen of crystal wine glasses without the risk of lead in your drink. On a microscopic level, crystal is coarser than glass, thus having these "pockets" allows more surface area for the wine to breathe and release their aromas. Cheers! A set of six retails for P3,240. Available at Adora in Greenbelt 5, Rustans, Metro Gaisano, White Gold, Bloomingdales and Southwoods.
2. Kyocera Ceramic Santoku Knife: You will never have to sharpen your knife, at least not for a long time. Kyocera ceramic knives are made from space age ceramics that are second to diamond in hardness. The knives cut through meats, fish and vegetables with ease. Just don’t drop them or try to cut through bone as they may chip or shatter like the best carbon steel knives. Comes in two colors. White blade: P2,920; black blade: P3,860.Available through Sweetlink: 807-8272; wizgic@i-manila.com.ph, www.kyocera.com.sg.
3. Bertone Pressure Cooker: Need to prepare kare-kare, beef stew or chili in a jiffy? Use a pressure cooker and save time and gas! Cook food in half the time with half the energy! Just make sure to read the instructions before use. 7-litre, P4,995.00 / 8-litre, P6,100. Available at Gourdo’s and Living Well Homestores.
4. Terra cotta cazuelas: For cooking anything Spanish: gambas, paella, fabada, cocido, or for roasting chicken. Inexpensive, cook and serve in the same dish. And with that rustic look too. Just make sure you soak it overnight in water before first use. Available in various shapes and sizes: 14cm-round, P95, 32cm-oval, P395, 33cm-round, P735. Available at Terry’s Selection, Pasong Tamo (tel. 729-7906) and Podium (tel. 638-5725).
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