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Chef Andrew Zimmern shares his 7 kitchen must-haves
The award-winning pro reveals the $17 tool he loves more than his chef's knife — and the ingredient he can't stop buying.
For nearly two decades, Andrew Zimmern has had the coolest job on TV. Do you know anyone else who has traveled the globe tasting everything from smørrebrød in Denmark to deep-fried tarantulas in Cambodia to coal-roasted desert porcupine in Botswana all in the name of work? His show Bizarre Foods and its spinoffs, which aired from 2006 to 2021, not only made him a household name but one of the most adventurous eaters in the world.
These days, the Minneapolis chef and author sticks a little closer to home. His three most recent series, Family Dinner, Wild Game Kitchen and Field to Fire all take place in the United States — though he still likes to eat and cook the unexpected (just check out his recipe for wild hog vindaloo).
Unsurprisingly, Andrew stocks his kitchen with more than just the basics. Many of his must-haves were inspired by his travels, and he even created a line of handmade wooden cooking utensils based on tools he collected on the road.
How else does the star outfit his own kitchen? Read on for Andrew's most-prized finds — and discover what he's shopping for now.
"It's powerful, never breaks and has multifunctional uses like steaming and hot-holding sauces, soups, etc.," says Andrew. He has been using Zojirushi's rice makers for 30 years, "and they just keep getting better and better," he adds. "I even make my one-pot Hainan Chicken and Rice with Ginger using only my rice cooker. I love it."
Though he certainly has a ton of favorites (like many chefs, Andrew loves his Shun chef's knife and a fish spatula), his top pick is this handy zester. "Has any tool been as transformative for the home cook as the Microplane?" he asks. "Grating cheese, zesting citrus, curling or grating chocolate, liquidizing garlic, grating nutmeg ... a set of these graters is used every day in my house. They define the phrase 'go-to.'"
"Potato sack towels. Endlessly absorbent, cheap, they can be washed and cleaned to look like new, small ones make elegant napkins. I could go on and on," says Andrew of these versatile dish cloths. "They strain liquids, clean counters and protect hands. And after 5,000 lifetime’s worth of service, when they are ready to be thrown out, I tie them in a big knot for a dog toy."
Though he didn't specify a brand, it's easy to find packages of these cloths for less than $10 online, and this set of three is backed by 2,600+ five-star ratings. "Name another item as cheap and useful in your whole house??? You can't. They are one of one," says Andrew.
Andrew calls this unpolished granite set (it comes with a 5-cup and 2-cup mortar and three pestles) "simply the best."
"I use the larger one the most, even for making mayonnaise! The heavy pestles make fast work of sambals and dry spices, and the oversized capacity means all the food stays in the mortar. I find these indispensable in my daily cooking at home," he adds.
The chef admits he had a hard time choosing just one staple from his "ridiculous collection" of vinegars, oils, sauces and spices, but at the end of the day, he says salt is his go-to. Maldon sea salt, Senegalese rose salt, sel de Guerande, Sicilian salt from Trapani, Jacobsen sea salt, Japanese salts and salt from the Grenadines are just some of his favorites.
"They all tell a story and they all feel different, taste different and have a myriad of different uses," he says. "Some go into a stew, others finish a slice of tomato on toast with some Duke's mayo."
Okay, technically this behemoth of a grill lives outside his house, not in the kitchen, but it's one of Andrew's most-prized possessions. Made in Argentina from iron and wood, it's designed for open-fire cooking.
"It’s my baby!!" he says. "A very loving friend gifted it to me for my 30th sobriety anniversary and 60th birthday since they were in the same year. And it changed my outdoor cooking life for the better."
Seattle Coffee Gear
What's Andrew currently shopping for? An espresso machine. "I have one at work that I love and the old one I had at home just died," he says. "I love the selection at Seattle Coffee Gear and am looking at a DeLonghi, but I really love the Lelit Mara X model."
