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This week’s post was written by Shannon McKinney (Dad), professional chef and baker and owner of McKinney and Doyle Fine Foods Café and Corner Bakery.

Every professional chef and/or accomplished home cook has a full complement of tools and equipment that make their labor of love a little easier. It may be a certain bowl, cook pot or spatula that just becomes their “go to” item every time they work in the kitchen. My wife has an aluminum pot that her grandmother gave her to cook rice in and as a professional, I can’t tell you why the rice always comes out perfect from that pot but it really does.

Most chefs swear by the all-purpose chef knife that is comfortable in their hands, balanced, made of very high quality materials and is always kept razor sharp. I have one of those that I use every day at work. But I also have another knife that I must admit, I’m a little embarrassed to own, but absolutely love none the less.

It’s the famous (or infamous depending how you look at it) GINSU KNIFE.

Yes I’m talking about the one you have seen on TV over the years being sold by some fast talking shyster who promises that this is the last knife you will ever need. He saws right through a soda can and then proceeds to slice tomatoes paper thin with the same knife.

“If you order now you get a free set of steak knives, just pay shipping and handling.”

Well I did order now (25 years ago) and do you know what? I still use that damn knife all the time!

I’ve sliced with it, stirred soup with it, used its pointy little tip to flip steak and it is the only knife I use to carve the Thanksgiving turkey.

Outside the kitchen, I have trimmed branches with it, cut sod, sharpened pencils, tightened screws and most often, used it to threaten my maniacal little pain in the ass beagle (don’t worry, I’m all talk). Through all of this I have to admit – that knife is almost as sharp as the day I got it and even its cheap, hollow plastic handle is still intact.

I don’t have stock in the GINSU company, and truthfully don’t even know if they still make it but for $9.99 plus shipping and handling it has proven to be worth its weight in gold.

So yes, I’m a professional chef and I use professional tools in my restaurants’ kitchen. But at home, I use my home tools and the GINSU knife has proven itself worthy time and time again.

Do you have any tools in your kitchen that you are just obsessed with? I already told you about my beautiful wife’s rice pot. My daughter is currently in love with her juicer, my son’s late night work schedule has him loving his microwave, and my grandson has his favorite sippy cup. Everybody has their go-to. Share yours in the comments below!

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Rebecca McKinney

I was born a foodie. My dad is a chef, baker, and restaurant owner and my mom might as well be because she owns whatever kitchen she walks into. I grew up working in my family’s restaurant and bakery in Pawling, New York – McKinney and Doyle. I started behind the bakery counter at 12 years old after begging my parents to let me start working. At 16 I worked as a hostess. By 18 I was serving tables and training behind the bar where I then worked every other weekend throughout my college career. Even now, when I am visiting my family in New York, I help out where I’m needed. To make a long story short, the food and restaurant industry has been my life for as long as I can remember.

I wanted to create this blog for a few reasons. First and foremost, to share tips, tricks, and knowledge about the food and beverage industry in general but also to help people see a different side of the restaurant world. Every restaurant has a totally unique culture and world within it. I want to help open people’s eyes to more than how fast the service is or how easy or hard it is to secure a reservation.

So, thanks for stopping by! I welcome your ideas, input, and feedback and hope you enjoy!

Eat well & travel often,

Becky McKinney

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