James Harris/CNNUnderscored
Celebrity chef Missy Robbins never expected to become so involved with one cuisine. “I didn't grow up in the restaurant business,” she says. But after spending time in Italy and immersing herself in the cuisines of its various regions, more. “I got so caught up in it that I couldn't get out,” she says. “Now it's the focus of my career and I'm happy doing it.”
The Top Chef Masters Season 4 alumna and two Michelin-star-winning restaurants currently run three popular Italian restaurants in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City: Lilia, Misi, and Misi Pasta (Misi Pasta is both a pasta shop and online retailer).
And yet it's only in the past few years that Robbins has kicked into chef mode in her own kitchen. “During the pandemic, all the restaurants were closed, so I started cooking at home,” she says. “I've continued to do it because I want to stay healthy and balance my meals here with the other restaurant checks.” And, she adds, yes, she's happy to boil boxed dried pasta just like the rest of us. “I don't have time to make fresh pasta in the middle of the week!”
Below, Robbins shares her eight kitchen essentials with CNN Underscored.
If you're making a pasta dish for several people, try a triple-walled stainless steel pot. “It's an all-in-one pot,” says Robbins, and its riveted, ergonomic handle “makes it super easy to toss the pasta in the air.” She keeps the smallest size in her kitchen.
She praised chef Gray Kunz, who developed this special tool, a man known for his exacting standards and attention to detail. “I think it's the perfect kitchen spoon,” she said, noting that its easy-to-grip, ladle-like handle allows cooks of all levels to mix, serve, sauce, serve and taste.
After trying out a variety of peelers, Robbins chose this sleek peeler from Material Kitchen, which is stamped with Misipasta. Unlike plastic ones, “this one cuts well, feels good in your hand, and looks sexy,” she says. It even comes with replaceable blades.
Making fresh pasta at home doesn't have to be a chore. This steel pasta maker makes it easy to roll out thin spaghetti or wide fettuccine dough at home. “It's very compact,” says Robbins. Got a standard KitchenAid mixer? Robbins recommends purchasing the electric pasta attachment set so you can whip up noodles in a hurry.
Though it's a luxury, “this is a blender you'll find in every kitchen,” she says. With sharp blades and a range of speed controls, the kitchen appliance is up to the task of chopping and blending any soup, salad, puree, or vinegar. “It's super smooth, but also super powerful,” she adds.
Designed by Danish architect Christopher Harlan and imported by Scandinavian firms Skaerak and Fritz Hansen, the Misipasta-stamped grinder is carved from a single block of oak and filled with peppercorns. “I love the simplicity of the design,” says Robbins. “It's very efficient and beautiful, and will look great on any kitchen counter.”
Robbins says she's had her black, lidded Dutch oven sitting on top of various stovetops for almost 15 years. “I can't remember where or how I got it, but I remember it was sturdy and looked good,” she says. Plus, its wide surface gives you room to brown ingredients before simmering, and it's made of enameled cast iron, which distributes and retains heat evenly when cooking soups or beans.
