Nearly every city has a restaurant supply store, an emporium of cooking equipment where the chefs shop for the tools of their trade. These stores are among the best places to get great values in kitchen gear and cooking equipment of all types. Most restaurant supply stores are open to the public, but if your local store isn't, check on their web site or call to see if you can get a free guest pass. And when you go, here are some of the best choices to buy.
Metal Mixing Bowls
Lightweight and virtually indestructible, metal mixing bowls come in every size imaginable. Buy one in a size that can nest into your saucepot to use as a double boiler. I also use a large bowl as a "garbage bowl" as I'm chopping vegetables and trimming meats at the counter - it saves steps back and forth to the trash can.Metal Ladle
A must-have for serving soups and stews, a ladle is also great for gradually adding stock to risotto. Professional ladles usually come in standardized sizes, such as 2 or 4 ounces, making for easy measuring and portion control.Sheet Pans
Rolled-brim sheet pans come in a standard size, so you know your parchment or silicone liner will always fit perfectly. These pans are designed for the intense heat of commercial ovens, so there's no worry of them buckling. They also make a great impromptu tray for shuttling cooking supplies out to the grill.Food Canisters
In a restaurant kitchen, space is at a premium. So chefs store dry and liquid ingredients in stackable square plastic canisters with airtight lids. Buy larger containers for flour and sugar, smaller ones that can stack on your shelf for ingredients like brown sugar, rice and specialty flours. Square containers are more space-efficient on a counter or in a pantry than round ones.Stock Pot
There's no need to spend a fortune on a large pot that's going to be mainly used for boiling water or simmering liquids. Find an inexpensive, heavy-bottomed stainless steel pot; it'll be ideal for boiling pasta or potatoes, making large batches of soup or simmering stock.
