KITCHEN UTENSILS AND

EQUIPMENT
Kitchen Gadgets Abound!
 Thousands of kitchen utensils fill hundreds of
general department stores and specialty shops
 Do you need all of those gadgets?
 No, generally they are all specialized versions of
the basic three: KNIFE, FORK, SPOON!
1. Wooden Spoon
 Stirring utensil that
will NOT conduct heat
as you stir!
 Probably one of the
oldest cooking
utensils, which was
easily carved from
wood with a simple
knife.
2. Slotted Spoon
 Utensil for lifting
solid foods such as
vegetables from
liquid.
3. Ladle
 Dipper for liquids that
need to be transported.
4. Rubber Scraper
 Scrapes a bowl clean
BUT could melt if
used in a saucepan.
6. Wire Whisk
 Simplest tool for
beating and stirring
light mixtures
7. Cooking Fork
 Tool for lifting meat
or large pieces of food
from pans.
8. Tongs
 Safety pinchers to
easily and safely grab
food items.
12. Straight-edge Spatula
 A flexible tool for
leveling off
ingredients or frosting
a cake or cookies.
13. Pastry Blender
 Tool for cutting
shortening or butter
into flour for flaky
products like biscuits
or pie crust.
18. Chef’s Knife or French Knife
 Large knife for
chopping and cutting
large items like meat
and vegetables.
19. Paring Knife
 Small knife for
peeling fruits &
vegetables or making
other small cuts such
as garnishes.
20. Bread Knife
 Serrated blade for
slicing through bread.
 Never needs
sharpening.
21. Sharpening Steel
 Flint type rod for
sharpening blades of
knives.
22. Can Opener
 Bottle openers, hand-
held crank openers
and electric can
openers all making
opening sealed cans
easier.
23. Kitchen Shears
 Heavy scissors for
cutting meat, dough,
pizza and fresh herbs.
 Can also loosen bottle
lids and small jars.
 Cracks nuts and some
shellfish.
24A. Pizza Cutter
 Heavy blade used for
cutting pizza and other
bar cookies.
24B. Pastry Wheel
 Special blade used to
cut dough or pie crusts
into strips
 Can have a straight or
fluted edge.
25. Melon Baller
 Round tool for cutting
melons.
 “Parisienne Knife” is
the traditional French
term for this utensil.
26. Vegetable Peeler
 Thin blade to remove
the outer surface of
fruit and vegetables.
 Prevents waste and
loss of nutrients.
Grater
 Various holes and
blades which cut
cheese and vegetables
into thin strips or
slices.
Graters
 Graters are a cutting
tool.
 They are used to:
 Grate (break food into crumb
like pieces)
 Shred (cut food into long thin
strips)
 slice
28. Cutting Boards
 Wood, Glass or Plastic
surface for protecting
counters when cutting
foods.
 Glass should never be used because
it damages knives.
 Plastic is the most sanitary because
bacteria can live in wood cutting
boards.
 Make sure to buy color
coded boards for food
safety!
 Cutting boards can be
made of wood or plastic.
 They come in many
shapes and sizes.
 They are used when
cutting foods to protect
counter surfaces and the
blades of knives.
29. Oven Mitts and Hot Pads
 Insulated fabric gloves
used to protect hands
when handling hot
items.
30. Cooling Racks
 Wire racks for cooling
hot warms.
31. Muffin Pans
 An oblong pan with
round depressions for
baking muffins and
cupcakes.
34. Loaf Pan
 A deep pan
approximately 4 by 9
inches used to bake
quick and yeast
breads, meatloaf and
other items.
35. Cake Pans
 Various sized pans
used for baking
identified as width by
length in inches
 Common ones are:
 9”x 13” Oblong
 9”x 9” Square
 9” Round
36. Tube Pan
 Pan with a hollow
tube in the center
allowing for the cake
to rise and yet the
center to bake evenly.
 Some even separate to
make removing the
cake easier!
37. Casserole or Baking Dishes
 Glass, ceramic or
metal dishes that may
also have a cover to
fit.
 Oven safe to cook
large quantities of
food for long periods
of time.
41. Colander
 A bowl with holes used
to drain pasta and other
liquids from food.
 Colanders are used to
drain foods that have
just been washed or
rinsed and to separate
foods from their
cooking water such as
spaghetti or noodles.
42. Strainer
 A fine wire mesh used
to drain liquids from
smaller amounts of
food.
43. Double Boiler
 Two pans that fit
together so that food
can be cooked over
boiling water without
burning.
 Great for chocolate or
sauces.
44. Griddle
 A skillet without sides
used for grilling
sandwiches and
making pancakes.
46. Kitchen Thermometers
 A variety of
thermometers to read
the temperature of
food or kitchen
equipment
 Very important to use
when cooking meat to
make sure meat is safe
to eat!
47. Electric Stand Mixer
 An appliance which can
mix, beat and knead
batters and dough.
 Wire whisk for beating

 Flat beater for blending

 Dough hook for mixing

bread and heavy dough.
Mixing Bowls
 Mixing bowls are made of
glass, stainless steel or
plastic.
 They are sold in sets of 3
or 4.
 Some have straight sides
which work well when
using an electric mixer
with beaters.
 Some have sloped sides
which work well when
tossing and folding
ingredients.
Pastry Brush
 Pastry brushes are used
to brush the tops of
baked goods with butter,
glazes and egg mixtures.
 Pastry brushes can also
be used to apply sauces
and marinades when
grilling.
Rolling Pins
 Rolling pins are used to flatten dough.
 They can also be used to crush foods such as nuts,
crackers and cookies into crumbs.
Muffin Tin
 Muffin tins are used to
bake muffins, cupcakes
and small baked goods.
Cookie Sheets

 Cookie sheets are large flat sheet pans used to bake

cookies and other pastries.
 Cookies bake best on a sheet with NO SIDES.
Electric Mixers
 Electric mixers can be
hand held or free
standing models.
 They are used to beat,
whip, knead and blend
ingredients.
Sifter
 Sifters are used to
incorporate air into flour
by separating the flour
particles.
 The four is pushed
through a screen to
break the particles apart
or separate the particles.
Liquid Measuring Cups
 Liquid measuring cups are
used to measure liquid
ingredients such as milk, oil,
juice, and water.

 They are clear glass or

plastic for reading level
measures and have a spout
for pouring.

 They are found in area B

Measuring spoons

 Measuring spoons are used to measure

small amounts of all types of
ingredients.

 They come in sets of four ( 1T, 1t.

½ t and ¼ t.)

 Do not take spoons off their ring.

 They are found in storage area B

Dry Measuring Cups
 Dry measuring cups come in
sets of four (1 c., ½ c., 1/3
c., ¼ c.)

 They are used to measure

dry, solid and moist
ingredients.

 They should be nested

together in the cabinet.

 The are found in area B

Spatulas
 There are many types
of spatulas.
 In your kitchen unit
you have the following
spatulas
 Cooking spatula
 Straight edge spatula
 Rubber spatula
 Cookie spatula
 Spatula for nonstick cookware
and bake ware
Mixing Bowls
 Mixing bowls are made of
glass, stainless steel or
plastic.
 They are sold in sets of 3
or 4.
 Some have straight sides
which work well when
using an electric mixer
with beaters.
 Some have sloped sides
which work well when
tossing and folding
ingredients.
Sifter
 Sifters are used to
incorporate air into flour
by separating the flour
particles.
 The four is pushed
through a screen to
break the particles apart
or separate the particles.
3 Rolling Pin
 Is used to stretch and roll dough, such as pie crusts,
cookies, and biscuits. Most are made of hardwood,
but marble and others may be used. Rolling pins
with grooves that add patterns or fancy designs to
dough are also available. French rolling pins do
not have handles.
4 Sifter
4 Sifter
 Used to sift foods to incorporate air and eliminate
lumps in foods such as flour, powdered sugar, and
cocoa.
5 RUBBER,PLASTIC, OR SILICONE
SPATULA
5 RUBBER,PLASTIC, OR SILICONE
SPATULA

 A rubber, plastic or silicone spatula have a broad,

flexible tip on a long handle. It is used to scrape
food from the inside of bowls and pans. It is also
used to fold in whipped cream or egg whites. Avoid
using it to scrape foods with high amounts of food
coloring, such as: tomato paste, catsup, etc.; they
stain easily.
             6 Straight Spatula                                
6 Straight Spatula
 A straight spatula or palette knife, has a long,
flexible blade with a rounded end. It is useful for
scraping bowls and spreading icing on cakes.
7 Offset Spatula
7 Offset Spatulas

 An offset spatula, or turner, has a broad stainless

steel blade that is bent to keep the users hands off
the hot surfaces. It is used to lift and turn foods,
such as pancakes and cookies, so they can cook on
both sides.
8 Eggbeater / Rotary Beater
8 Eggbeater / Rotary Beater
 Used to beat foods to incorporate air in such foods
as eggs, egg whites, whip cream etc.
10 Ladles
10 Ladles
 These can be made of wood, plastic or metal and
come in many sizes ranging from 1 – 16 ounces.

 A tool with a bowl with a long handle for reaching

to the bottom of deep pots and transferring liquids.
12 Large Spoons
12 Large Spoons
 These can be made of wood, plastic or metal.

 Large spoon: used for stirring or turning foods

 Slotted spoon: flat with holes pressed through it;
used for straining or skimming food particles or
items from liquids
13 Pastry Brush
13 Pastry Brush
 Made of wood or plastic, with real or artificial hair.

 Used to brush sauce onto food, glazes on desserts,

greasing cake pans, etc.
 Select brushes made with natural hairs rather than
synthetic fibers, since the synthetic ones don't absorb
liquid as well as natural ones
14 Pastry Bag & Accessories

14 Pastry Bag & Accessories
 A coned shaped bag (vinyl, nylon or plastic coated
cotton), about 2 feet long with a large and small
opening

 Accessories: star, cone, flat, curved, three hole and

slanted tips, which range in size and diameter
 Used to: pipe cream or mixtures, fill pasta or baked
goods (eclairs), etc
15 Tongs
15 Tongs
 Metal, wooden, or plastic pinching tools used to
grab foods without using your hands or fingers.
17 Chef’s Fork / Kitchen Fork
17 Chef’s Fork / Kitchen Fork
 Is used to lift and turn meat and other foods . It is
also used to hold larger pieces of food when cutting
them.
18 Scooper
18 Scooper
 Scoops are used to measure equal amounts of food.
They have a lever to mechanically release food
and are numbered according to size. The number
indicates how many level scoops it takes to fill a
quart. The higher the number, the smaller the
amount of food the scoop holds.
20 Juicer
20 Juicer
 A beveled cone made of plastic, glass or wood.

 Used to break up food's fibres (citrus fruits: lemon,

orange, lime, etc.), thus releasing their juices
24 Meat Thermometer
24 Meat Thermometer
 A short metal probe with a gauge, which is inserted
into food and instantly indicates the food's internal
temperature.
 This tool is used to determine a food's (roast, bread,
etc.) doneness by registering its internal temperature
 The most accurate way to determine if a food is
cooked. Cooking foods to their proper temperature is
essential to help prevent food borne illnesses.
25 Portion Scale
25 Portion Scale
 Is a type of spring scale used to determine the
weight of an ingredient or portion of food. It can
be reset to zero so you can measure individual
ingredients.
27 Electronic Scale
27 Electronic Scale
 An electronic, or digital, scale weighs an item
when it is placed on its tray. The weight is
displayed in numbers on a digital readout rather
than by a needle. The readout is more accurate
than a portion scale.
28 Blender
28 Blender
 A tall and narrow container with small detachable
blades.
 Used to liquify foods quickly: e.g., sauces, soups,
etc.
 Not recommended for mashing starch items: e.g.,
cooked potatoes, carrots, etc.
29 Microwave Oven
29 Microwave Oven
 It uses invisible waves of energy called
microwaves to heat, reheat, defrost, and cook
foods.
30 Electric Mixer
30 Electric Mixer
 A small appliance that ranges in size, speed settings
and comes freestanding or mounted on a base.

 Used to mix foods that require time and endurance:

whipping cream, whipping egg whites, mixing
batter, etc.
32 Skimmer
32 Skimmer
 Has a flat, perforated surface for removing food
from stocks and soups. It is also used to skim
impurities from the top of liquids.
33 Meat Tenderizer
33 Meat Tenderizer
 Each side of a meat tenderizer has different-sized
toothlike points that are made of aluminum, steel or
wood. These points tenderize meat by breaking up
and bruising the fibers.
34 Garlic Press
34 Garlic Press
 Used to mince garlic by pressing garlic cloves
through the fine holes on the garlic press.
37 Microplane
37 Microplane
 With razor-sharp edges and comfortable grips,
grater creates flakes of hard cheese, chocolate and
zest. Top salads and pastas with Parmesan
Reggiano or add natural flavors to lemon crème
brûlée or vinaigrette. Stainless steel plane grates
fine, lacy wisps from even the hardest cheeses.
Soft-touch handle eases fatigue. Blades made in the
USA, assembled
38 Spoon Rest
38 Spoon Rest
 Used to rest a spoon, fork, whisk, pasta server, etc.
in between use to help keep it clean. Do not use
counter, sink, or outside of food containers,
because they contain germs.
39 Strainer or Sieve
39 Strainer or Sieve
 Comes in a variety of sizes. Has a cup shaped
body made of perforated mesh. The holes range
from extra fine to coarse. Strainer can be used to
drain pastas, vegetables, and stocks, or sift foods
like powdered sugar, flour, chocolate etc.
41 STOCK POT
41 STOCK POT
 Has straight sides and is taller than it is wide. A
stockpot is used to cook large quantities of liquid
on the range, such as stocks, or soups. Some
stockpots have a spigot at the side near the bottom,
so liquid can be drained off without lifting the pot.
42 SAUCE PAN WITH LID
42 SAUCE PAN WITH LID
 Has a long handle and straight sides. Primarily
used for heating and cooking food in liquid, sauce
pans come in many sizes in order to accommodate
a variety of needs.
43 Sauté Pan
43 Sauté Pan
 There are two types of sauté pans: a pan with
straight sides and a pan with sloped sides. Both are
used to sauté and fry foods. The slope-sided pan
allows the chef to flip items without using a
spatula.
44 Wok
44 Wok
 A wok is useful for fast stove top cooking. The
wok’s height and sloped sides are well-suited for
tossing ingredients, an essential step in stir-frying.
Once food has been cooked, it can be pushed to the
side of the pan, leaving the hot center free for new
ingredients to be cooked or heated.
45 Hotel Pans
45 Hotel Pan
 The cooked foods in a steam table are held in hotel
pans. Hotel pans are often used to store
refrigerated food and hold casseroles during
baking. They come in many different sizes.
COOKING TERMS
 Mise en Place
 Everything in its place

The process:
1. Selecting tools and equipment
2. Measuring ingredients
3. Preparing ingredients
4. Flavoring foods
5. Preparing to cook
6. Cook
 1. Selecting Tools and Equipment
 All tools and surfaces cleaned and sanitized
 Equipment checked for accuracy
 Ovens preheated
 Foods gathered and stored at proper temperatures
 Expiration dates checked for validity
 Disposable gloves and trash cans conveniently
located
 All equipment and utensils gathered and stored
nearby
Preheat
To set the oven to cooking
temperature in advance so that it
has time to reach the desired
temperature by the start of cooking.
Level-off
 To move a straight edge over
measuring device to remove excess
amounts
Packed
 To push food firmly into a cup
using a spoon
3. Preparing Ingredients
Core
To remove the core of a fruit with a
corer or paring knife
Debone

To remove
the bones.
 Devein
To remove digestive tract of a
shrimp
Grate
To rub food, such as lemon or orange peel,
against a grater to obtain fine particles.
Scrub
To remove loose dirt with a
vegetable brush
 Sift
 To put dry ingredients through a sifter
or a fine sieve to incorporate air.
3. PREPARING
INGREDIENTS
Cutting Techniques
Chop
To cut into uniform pieces,
about ¾ inch
Cube
To cut into small squares, about 1inch
Cut

To divide foods
into small pieces
with a knife or
scissors.
Dice
To cut into very small cubes, about
½ inch
Julienne
To cut food into long, thin strips.
Mince
To cut into very small pieces with a
sharp knife (as small as possible)
Pare
To cut away the skin or a very thin layer of the
outside of fruits or vegetables. Use a vegetable
peeler or a knife.
Score
To make thin, straight cuts through the outer
edge of fat on meat to prevent the meat from
curling during cooking.
Shred
To tear or cut into thin pieces or strips.
Slice
To cut food into flat pieces.
Trim
To cut away most of the fat from the edges
of meat.
Dice- To cut into small pieces of
uniform size and shape. First
lengthwise , then cut crosswise to
make cubes.
4. FLAVORING
FOODS
Bread
 To cover a food with a coating of crumbs made from
bread, crackers, or cereal. The food is often dipped in
a liquid such as milk or egg before coating.
 Dredge
 To cover a food with a dry ingredient
such as flour or sugar. The food may
be rolled in, sprinkled with, or shaken
in a bag with the dry ingredient.
Brush
 To spread a liquid
coating on a food,
using a pastry
brush
Marinate
 To soak in a
seasoned liquid,
called a
marinade, to add
flavor and/or to
tenderize.
5. PREPARING TO
COOK
Beat
 To mix with an over-and-over
motion, using a spoon, whisk, rotary,
or electric beater.
Blend
To combine


thoroughly
two or more
ingredients.
Combine
 To mix together,
usually by stirring,
two or more
ingredients.
Cream
 To soften and
blend until
smooth and light
by mixing with a
spoon or an
electric mixer.
Cut in
 To mix solid shortening
with flour by cutting the
shortening into small
pieces and mixing until
it is completely covered
with the flour mixture.
Use a pastry blender or
two knives.
 Flute

 To form a standing edge on a pastry, such as pie

crust, before baking. Press the dough with your
fingers to create this scalloped edge, or use a fork to
“crimp” the edge.
Fold in
To combine a delicate mixture, such as beaten egg
white or whipped cream, with a more solid material.
How to fold in:
Insert the edge of a spoon or rubber scraper vertically
down through the middle of the mixture, slide it
across the bottom of the bowl, bring it up with some
of the mixture, and fold over on top of the rest.
Continue slowly and gently, turning the bowl often,
until all is evenly mixed.
Grease
 To rub shortening, fat, or oil, on the
cooking surface of bake-ware. Use
waxed paper or paper towel to spread a
thin, even layer.
 Knead
 To work dough by folding, pressing, and turning,
until it is smooth and elastic. Place dough on a
floured board, fold it in half, and press firmly with the
heels of your hands. Turn the dough about a quarter
turn, and repeat the folding and pressing.
Mash
To crush food until it becomes smooth.
Mix
To combine two or more ingredients, usually by
stirring.
Stir
To mix with a circular motion of a spoon or other
utensil.
Whip

To beat rapidly with a rotary beater, an

electric mixer, or wire whisk; to
incorporate air and make light and fluffy,
as whipped cream or egg white
6. COOK
Bake
 To cook in an
oven or oven-
type appliance in
a covered or
uncovered pan.
 Use center of

oven
 Barbeque
 To cook meat or poultry slowly over coals on a spit or
in the oven, basting it often with a highly seasoned
sauce.
Baste
 To spread, brush, or
pour liquid (such as
sauce, drippings,
melted fat, or
marinade) over food
while it is cooking. Use
a baster, brush, or
spoon.
Blanch
 Cooking briefly in
boiling water then
placing
immediately in an
ice bath
Boil
To cook in liquid,
usually water, in
which bubbles rise
constantly and
then break on the
surface.
Braise
To cook meat slowly, covered and in a
small amount of liquid or steam.
Broil
To cook under direct heat or over coals.
Brown
To make the surface of a food
brown in color by frying, broiling,
baking in the oven, or toasting.
Dot

To place small particles of a solid, such as

butter, on the surface of a food.
Fry
To cook in hot fat.
Pan-broil
To cook uncovered in an un-greased or
lightly greased skillet, pouring off
excess fat as it accumulates.
Poach
To cook gently
in hot liquid
below the
boiling point.
Roast
To cook by dry heat, uncovered, usually in
the oven.
Sauté
To cook
uncovered in a
small amount of
fat in a pan.
Sear
To cook meat quickly
at a high temperature
until it becomes
brown. Use a skillet
with a small amount
of fat, or the oven at a
high temperature.
Simmer
To cook in liquid just below the
boiling point. The tiny bubbles that
form around edge of pan should break
before they
reach the surface.
Steam
To cook over steam rising from boiling
water.
Steep
To cover with boiling water and let
stand without additional heating
until flavor and color are extracted,
as for tea.
Stew
To cook slowly and for a long time
in liquid
Stir-fry
To fry small pieces of food very quickly in a small
amount of very hot oil while stirring constantly. Use a
wok or skillet.
Toast
To brown by direct heat in a toaster or
in the oven.
Melt- To change a soild to liquid by boiling
Beat- To make mixture smooth and light by lifting it
over and over.
Blend- To mix two or more ingredients until you
cannot tell one ingredient from the other.
Break- to divide into pieces.
Cut in strips – to cut into long, narrow pieces.
11. Flake- To separate fish into small pieces
12. Fold- To add beaten egg whites or whipped
cream to amixture without losing what has been
beaten into them.
13. Grate- To rub food against grater in a circular
motion or back and forth to cut into fine pieces
18. Pare- To cut off the skin
19. Peel-To pull of the outer skin
20. Puree- To rub food through sieve to make
smooth semi-liquid mixture.
Slice- to cut across flat pieces
Soften – To cream butter, margarine or shortening until it is
smooth and creamy or to let it stand at room temperature until
it is soft.
Sprinkle- To scatter sugar, flour and salt over food.
Stir- To move a spoon round and round in a bowl to mix the
ingredients
Toss- To ix lightly by lifting the ingredients for salad with a
spoon and fork or with two forks to avoid braising the
ingredients
Whip-To beat rapidly with a whisk beater , to incorporate air
and to increase volume in egg whites.
The End