Category Archives: Gear

Like a lot of cooks I tend to travel with my knives in tow.  It is really convenient to have your tools with you but can be a drag to have to tote around a bulky knife case. I went in search of a leather knife roll that would carry up to five knives and a steel.  I wanted something soft and easy to throw into my luggage.  I went to most of the higher end kitchen stores as well as the chef supply stores on Bowery with no luck. I Googled and Yahoo’d and Twittered to no avail.

After days of frustration I came across a leather tool belt company in Australia named Maka Tool Belts and Leather Accessories.  They had exactly what I needed and I immediately ordered it.  At first I was excited and then immediately had buyer’s regret because I have been victimized on the internet before.  An overseas company, simple no bells and whistles website, my PayPal account would not work…all of a sudden I was filled with dread that I had just been had.  I really wanted my knife roll so I took a deep breath and decided to go against my instincts and have some trust and patience for once.

Three weeks went by and no word from Maka about my knife roll and my radar went back up…Where is it? Why did I give my credit card#? Why am I so impulsive?

I sent out an email to the company and began an email dialog with the company’s owner, Mick Kerkam.  I was really surprised by his quick responses and committment to customer care.  He kept me informed of the progress, explained the delays and even wrote me to see if the package had arrived on my end.

The parcel eventually arrived, it had been sent through the regular mail, and was covered in foreign postage.  The leather knife roll, made from very high quality suede and fastened with thin strips of kangaroo leather was perfect for my needs.  The craftsmanship was evident; it was obvious that Mick had put the same pride in his work that he did in his customer service.

So, if you are looking for a traveling knife roll or any other kind of leather tool products take a look at http://www.maka.com.au/products.php?cat=1 and drop Mick Kerkam an email…He’ll take good care of you.

I had a very charming encounter the other day at Broadway Panhandler, a gourmet kitchen store on 8th St. near Broadway. I was in the market for a large round casserole that I will be using in an upcoming shoot. I have several pieces by Le Creuset and was seeking another. As I was pondering my choices, many that were on considerable markdown, an older woman who looked really confused stepped over to me and opened with, “you look like you know what you are doing here, can you help me”? I, of course, obliged and asked her how I could help.

Judy, as I have come to know her, has recently begun to explore cooking again after a long absence from serious culinary pursuits. She recently donated her exquisite classic french copper cookware and several Le Creuset casseroles to a local thrift store charity. She explained that they had all become too heavy for her to manage and she needed some advice as to what she should replace them with. As I began explaining to her the virtues of All-Clad cookware the sales staff was initially pleased with my pitch. The daggers started to shoot from the eyes of one particular salesperson as I explained to Judy that there was little need to pay full price for All-Clad as there are always excellent pieces available at stores like Home Goods, Marshall’s and TJ Maxx at considerable discounts. She was obviously a life-long city dweller and had no idea what those stores were or where to find them. I explained that they were located in the outer boroughs and I got a chuckle from her expression that said to me that I was suggesting that she travel to Mars for cookware bargains.

The reason the closeout stores have these discounts is that the items may have some very minor cosmetic defects (like a scratch on the bottom of a pot) that prevents them from being sold at full price. I have obtained the equivalent of 3 full sets of All-Clad cookware and several cast iron enamelled casseroles by companies like Le Creuset and Staub at these stores. I also purchased 2 full sets of J.A Henkels Professional “S” knives, as well as other kitchen goodies there.

Let’s be honest, if you are a serious cook and really use your cookware, the first time you are frying the onions and garlic the pan is no longer out of the box new. Cookware is not for show, so take the pan with the scratch at a 20%-30% discount and feel really good about it. I know I do.

While we strolled and discussed cookware and TV cook shows and celebrity chefs from bygone years, Judy told me where she donated the cookware. I will unfortunately have to keep this place a secret as I tend to procure many of my props there and don’t want any foodie competition. I helped Judy with her purchase, paid for my own, and hustled over to the thrift store to see of I could secure some of Judy’s cookware. I was too late. It was all gone and sold at ridiculously low prices. I was disappointed to say the least.

My advice to Judy was to keep it simple. Get a good non-stick skillet, maybe in a few sizes. Get one four-quart and one eight-quart pot and a few smaller sauce pans. These basic items are the staples in my kitchen and as you try new dishes and experiment with various cooking styles then add pieces as you go.

Some other basic items you should have are a good roasting pan with handles, maybe 24×12, a few flat cookie sheets in various sizes and some cooling racks. These items will certainly be enough to cook most of your basic dishes. You can also venture over to Bowery and visit the plethora of chef supplies stores for some of these items.

With our economy on life support and most of us spending much more time at home and in our kitchen, finding some affordable, quality supplies is something we can all benefit from. Judy was happy to purchase at the discounts that Broadway Panhandler was offering that day. They were indeed great but if you have the patience (and the spaceship to travel to Mars) check out those other stores too and find yourself a gem.