Most of the time I refer to my gear in the kitchen within my recipes, and if you are like me, you want to see what is being described. Rather than have a photo of my pot or spoon in every recipe post, I made a handy list, and I’ll add to it as I use different cookware, utensils, gadgets, etc. If you want to shop for these items to use in your own kitchen, I would appreciate if you start your shopping here. I will get a small commission on the sale of items you buy originating here from my links below. (It doesn’t matter what you buy… it could be a pot or cat food… as long as you click one of my links to take you to Amazon.) Thanks for helping me keep the spice rack full!

Calphalon 5 qt Nonstick Hard-Anodized Aluminum Saute Pan
(click to shop)

This is my favorite pan! I use it for almost every one pan meal I cook. It’s heavy-duty, nonstick, and big enough to make a whole meal in. It is also oven safe up to 450 F, which makes it ideal for baked pasta dishes and searing meat in before transferring it to the oven to finish. Mine is older and has a stainless steel lid, but the rest of my Calphalon has a glass lid like this one.

Calphalon 6 qt Nonstick Hard-Anodized Aluminum Stock Pot
(click to shop)

This is the “Pasta Pot” I use most often. It’s also useful for soups, but it isn’t huge like my other stock pot. This one I like because it’s a smaller footprint on the stove top which comes in handy if you are making several dishes at once. As far as I know this one only comes in a set, but I would encourage you to buy the whole set anyway, because it comes with everything you might need for everyday cooking. If you don’t want the whole set, they offer a 7 qt Dutch Oven that is similar in size, but a slightly wider footprint.

Chicago Cutlery High-Carbon Stainless Steel Knife Block Set
(click to shop)

I’ve owned a lot of different knives, and these are the best daily use knives I’ve ever owned. They have very comfortable rounded stainless steel handles that are a continuous part of the knife, so there is no worry about loose or worn handles. They are also very sanitary for that reason as well. I’ve had mine since 2011, and they look as good as the day I got them! With a lifetime warranty, these are a no-brainer if you are looking for knives that will last a lifetime.

Dexter Russell 7″ Santoku Duo-Edge Knife (click to shop)

This was everybody’s favorite knife in the kitchen at my restaurant. It was a gift from a sales rep that proved to be a great one! If you don’t have a Santoku knife for slicing and dicing, this is a worthy investment. It’s very sharp, lightweight, and comfortable to hold. It’s a rather versatile knife.

Handmade Wooden Spoon/Spatula

If love came in spoon form, this is the one for me! Perfectly angled for a right-handed cook like me, it’s my most treasured utensil. It’s very ergonomic, won’t scratch my nonstick cookware, and it’s got both a bowl and a flat scraping surface on the leading edge. I’ve never seen one like it, and I may have to try and carve my own if I ever need another one. I put an APB out on hunting down the carving artist that made it, so we’ll see what the Internet has to offer me in tracking skills. It was purchased at the Yellow Daisy Festival in Stone Mountain, GA in 2010. If you find one like this, I’d love for you to let me know!

Yamazaki Belgrove Dinner Flatware Set
(click to shop)

I know what you are thinking… “Why the heck is he showing us his silverware?” I am, because I get asked all the time where they came from when people eat at my house. They have a good weight (18/8), and they are simple looking, but they have a very comfortable handle design that sits just right between your fingers and thumb for American style grip, and they are slightly curved for a nice grip if you eat more European style. I often fork left-handed when I’m wielding a sharp knife, so they are great for that too! It’s the little things, folks, haha!

Fiesta (Fiestaware) Dinner Sets
(click to shop)

The long-standing presence and popularity of Fiesta dishes pretty much speaks for itself. I was aware of the style, but I had never owned any until my wife and I got married. We registered for red, and got a full set of dishes and a few extra pieces. My kids like it so much they asked for a rainbow of Fiestaware for Christmas one year, so now we have a rainbow to go with our red set. We’ve never broken or chipped a piece since we got them in 2011, and they are our everyday dishes!

• Made in the USA
• Dishwasher, Microwave and Oven safe
• 5-year chip resistance warranty