Food processors have been an essential tool in the kitchen since they first hit the market in post-World War II Europe, and Medina has tried just about every brand in his 14 years working in the food industry. But when he and his co-founders were launching Click, a delivery- and takeout-only virtual food hall (Medina is no prophet: the concept opened in the summer of 2019, before anyone had heard of COVID-19 yet), investing in one of the French-made machines was obvious. While all Robot-Coupe models are highly rated, Medina chose the R2N CLR for its practicality over other Robot-Coupe processors.
“This model can do everything you need to do, from mincing garlic to shredding cheese,” Medina says, adding that it's also perfect for dicing potatoes, slicing carrots and processing chickpeas for falafel. He also mixes cake batter in the processor, all in his 800-square-foot kitchen. “It's also a real timesaver when you have to make large quantities of food,” he says.
Plus, even though this food processor is fairly compact, you can use it for hours without it overheating. It's also easy to clean, since the compartment doesn't have any small gaps where food scraps can accumulate. The size also makes it perfect for home cooks. Pro tip from Medina: “Make sure to opt for metal containers, as plastic will crack over time,” he says.
From $1,162 | robot-coupe.com
Gray Kunz's Spoon
Ryan Lacheyne – Executive Chef and Owner of Riel
TThe kitchen at Montrose's Riel restaurant is very simple. “We don't use a lot of tools here. We just have the bare necessities,” says the chef, who has a specialThe casual cuisine reflects the French-Canadian and Ukrainian roots of the restaurant. One of the essentials in my kitchen is a sauce spoon.”
These aren't just any spoons. Designed by famed four-star chef Gray Kunz himself, these spoons were once only available to those working in his kitchen. Pick up a Gray Kunz spoon and you'll notice that the spoon has a larger bowl and a shorter, thinner handle. It's a small adjustment, but Lachène swears it allows him to work faster and more precisely when buttering steaks or moving vegetables and fish around. The frying pan features a spoon, which is recognized as a key ingredient in the dishes that have delighted Houston residents since Riel opened in 2017.
Lachène says he also likes the way it feels in his hand: It's well-balanced and comfortable to hold. Over the past decade, he's purchased the standard 9-inch sauce spoon, a smaller 7.5-inch sauce spoon, and a slotted spoon, reordering them whenever he loses one.
“I've never seen a kitchen without a spoon,” he says. “We're kind of creatures of habit, we do the same thing every day, and we want to have that spoon in our hands.”
From $11.90 | jbprince.com
Cafe Countertop Convection Microwave
Christine Ha – Executive Chef/Owner, The Blind Goat
pictureMicrowaves can make a big difference in Season 3 chef Champion is legally blind due to an autoimmune disease called neuromyelitis optica, and her husband and business partner, John Suh, recently purchased the combined microwave and convection oven, with Bluetooth capability and a dedicated smartphone app, for their home.
Once Ha and Sue set it up and connected it to Wi-Fi, they discovered that they could control the 1,000-watt microwave with both their smartphones and smart home devices, meaning instead of pressing buttons, Ha could just talk to Alexa. Reheat the soup for 3 minutes or If you're making pizza or any other tasty dish that requires a relatively long cooking time, you'll get a notification on your smartphone once it's done.
The microwave even has built-in sensors that can tell if a bag of popcorn is getting too hot or if a soup needs more time to simmer. This is important to Ha, as she's always looking to reduce the number of steps she takes around the house, but she thinks any chef would be happy to minimize worries in the kitchen. “I'm all about convenience,” she says. “I don't want to make life harder.”
From $799 | cafeappliances.com
Kiwi Pro Slice Peeler
Nicole Routier – Executive Chef, Le Colonial
BIn 2005, while traveling in Cambodia and Vietnam's Mekong Delta, Routier noticed street vendors quickly chopping green mangoes with a 10-inch, blue, handheld peeler. She bought the Kiwi Pro Slice peeler for about a dollar and it changed the way she cooked.
“I know chefs are picky about their tools, But 90 percent of the time, it's like, 'What else can I use this for?'” she says. “I use it every day, and each time I find a new use for it.”
The device is manufactured by Kiwi, a Thai company known for making ultra-sharp knives.It's a versatile cutter that can do it all: julienne carrots and tough root vegetables for salads and garnishes, or turn it inside out to slice potatoes into waffles. Routier loves it so much that during a 2016 visit to Thailand (right before opening Le Colonial, a River Oaks restaurant specializing in French-influenced Vietnamese cuisine), he bought a dozen at a local market and gave them away to cooks and chef friends. Upon his return, the souvenirs were a big hit: “They make great gifts, and people love them,” Routier declares.
From $8.39 | importfood.com
Lipoa Wine Saver
Marcus Gausepohl – Wine Director at Brennan's of Houston
circleWine professionals looking to keep wine fresh after opening have limited options. “Many people are familiar with the Coravin preservation system, which injects argon into the wine as it is extracted from the bottle,” says Gausepohl, who in 2016 became wine director at Brennan's, the iconic Gulf Coast restaurant that has been celebrating special occasions with Houstonians since 1967.
Gausepohl prefers Repour. While the starter Coravin system costs about $200, not including any accessories, Repour costs less than $2 per stopper and requires no additions to the wine. “Plus, it's a much easier process and you can buy it on Amazon,” he claims. “If you're not drinking from the bottle, you don't have to think about it.”
Using Repour is simple: simply peel off the lid, place the Repour cap on an open 750ml wine bottle and press down forcefully. Repour caps are designed to remove oxygen from the bottle and absorb it into the cap, keeping your wine as fresh as when you first uncorked it. Each stopper is only for one bottle, but is made from 100% recyclable materials, Grab a bottle or can and go.
From $17.99 for 10 | repour.com
OnTheRocks Ice Cube Trays and Boxes
Kuk Lam – Executive Chef, Yelo
and othersAm, who is opening an all-day Vietnamese restaurant in Katy Asia Town this fall, admits she's not one to use cutting-edge kitchen technology when she cooks. Sharp knives and a sturdy cutting board are all you need. But mixing cocktails at home after a long day in the kitchen is a different story. She swears by this system.
“We take cocktails at home very seriously,” says Lam, who says that she and her partner, Josh Armendariz, regularly research home bar tools and own a few ice makers for their whiskey, but found that their on the rocks machine, which they started using during COVID-19 quarantine in April, would freeze leftover ice.
It's easy to use: simply fill the box with hot water, pour into the molds and freeze for 24 hours. A tray inside the box insulates the hot water and prevents air from the freezer from seeping into the ice. While typical ice comes out of the freezer with a cloudy white center, Lam assures that OnTheRocks ice is clear and melts slowly and steadily, without the unpleasant aftertaste that tap water leaves behind in ice from traditional ice makers.
“You can't really tell the difference bar-quality ice makes until you taste it,” she says.
From $65 | beontherocks.com
