Cook like a pro this Thanksgiving with tools recommended by Dallas chefs

Whether leading a team in a commercial kitchen or whipping up a meal at home, all chefs have a list of tools they reach for over and over again. Are you ready to cook a chef-worthy meal at your table? We asked seven Dallas professionals what tools and supplies are essential to their vacation.

Immerse in a hand blender

Stephen Rogers, chef and owner of Gemma in the Knox-Henderson neighborhood and Sachet on Oak Lawn Avenue, recommends a hand blender that’s “great for gravy and butternut squash soup.”

With this device, you won’t need to transfer the hot ingredients into a blender or food processor to make them smooth – you can combine them in the original pot or pan. Fewer dishes to wash? Yes, please.

Rotary food mill

“There’s always a sweet potato on our table, and a rotary grinder is my favorite tool to get that silky texture,” says Matt Ford, executive chef at Billy Can Can in Victory Park. You can use the food mill beyond Thanksgiving, as well, like making pasta sauce from fresh summer tomatoes.

Zigzag-edge cutting

Make your dinner table more interesting with a zigzag ravioli cutter. Leigh Hutchinson, chef and owner of Via Triozzi in Lower Greenville, says: “Pasta cutters are better than pasta!”

Cast iron pan

If you’re taking on the important (and sometimes difficult) task of roasting a turkey, the right tools are essential. Christophe De Lellis, executive chef at Uptown’s upcoming Mamani, recommends a stainless steel grill pan. “I use it to get a golden, crispy skin on the turkey, and to hold all the spices,” he says, knowing that the dish is the same as the cooking tools and decorations on the table. “To me, the roast pan is the foundation of Thanksgiving. There’s something special about putting the pan in the center of the table where everyone gathers to serve themselves. It shows the spirit of sharing and coming together to eat.”

Chad Houser, executive chef at downtown Café Momentum, acknowledges the importance of a stainless steel grill pan and lists the type you prefer. “I’m a big fan of everything from Made In because of the quality,” she says. “On Thanksgiving, I love to smoke. I put my turkey on a Made In pan roaster and put the whole thing in my smoker at 225 degrees for two hours before I cover it with foil and finish it in the oven. Not only is my turkey smoky and moist, but I have all the flavors of my pan. .”

Oil separator with bottom discharge feature

Separating the fat from the gravy is a difficult but necessary Thanksgiving task. Janice Provost, chef and owner of Parigi on Oak Lawn Avenue, says it’s easy with a fat separator. “I use a roasting pan with a rack that allows you to place the bird on top of the onions, celery and carrots, which caramelize while capturing all the flavors of the turkeys,” he says. “When the pork is done, remove the vegetables, put the pan over the grill, add the white wine to the pan and remove all the caramelized goodness from the bottom, then add the stock. This is liquid gold to make your gravy, but it needs to be skimmed off to go to the next step of making the gravy. .This tool is good for that.”

Metal-metal

Joel Orsini, head chef at Parigi, recommends a cast iron plancha. “This is a great tool to have all year round, but especially for the holidays,” he says. “It can help warm things up at the table during the party.” With so many perfectly timed dishes, something that has a little wiggle room is something we can add to the cart. And when Thanksgiving leftovers are tired and easy to eat, a cast iron plancha is perfect for making a cheese sandwich.

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