Many people enjoy peeking inside the kitchens of famous chefs, hoping to glean secrets from these creative spaces. While the high-end appliances and pristine countertops are often out of reach, observant home cooks can discover hidden gems: the groceries, cookbooks, and tools chefs actually use.
Hunting for Chef-Approved Finds
The key to uncovering these essentials is to look beyond the polished presentation. Instead of fixating on the unattainable, focus on the details that are accessible. Chefs’ kitchens reveal their preferences through visible use, not staging. For example, spotting a bottle of Graza Drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil next to the stove in an article about Austin restaurateurs Arjav Ezekiel and Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel signaled its genuine utility.
This method works because chefs are less likely to display items they don’t rely on. A stylist or PR agent is unlikely to stage a product for mere appearance. The oil’s presence in their kitchen confirmed its usefulness, leading to a flavor-boosting addition to various dishes, from vegetables and pizza to pasta and soup.
Social Media and Cookbook Shelves as Discovery Channels
Instagram reels from food personalities like Jeanne Kelley also offer insights. These unfiltered glimpses into chefs’ cooking routines reveal the products they genuinely use, such as a preferred Spanish sherry vinegar or a punchy German mustard by Lowensenf.
Equally valuable is examining cookbook shelves. Chefs keep their most-used cookbooks readily accessible, not hidden on a decorative shelf. This is how some discovered Yotam Ottolenghi’s first cookbook in 2008, well before his U.S. fame, or the Indian cuisine staple, Dishoom. Even fictional chefs on TV shows like The Bear offer clues through their kitchen setups.
The Power of Observation
Whether through design magazines, Instagram, or cookbook displays, scrutinizing food professionals’ kitchens can yield unexpected discoveries. It’s a simple strategy that leverages the authenticity of working spaces to uncover worthwhile groceries and tools.
This approach bypasses marketing hype and delivers direct evidence of what chefs trust in their own kitchens.
This method highlights the practical preferences of culinary experts and provides a reliable way for home cooks to upgrade their own kitchens with proven products.
