New York offers some of the world’s most innovative and eclectic cuisine – as well as one of the world’s most competitive restaurant industry scenes. Achieving success in New York shows a great ability to combine a perfectionist’s work ethic with extensive knowledge of the finest commercial kitchen supplies and exceptionally artistic culinary skills. The new professionals on this list have already proven they have what it takes to make their mark on the culinary world.

Highly Competitive New York Chefs

1. Justin Bogle
Bogle, the Executive Chef of Madison Avenue’s opulent GILT, fashions equally impressive dishes. His “Modern American” style fits in perfectly with the gorgeous New York Palace Hotel, which houses the restaurant.

2. Heather Bertinetti
This new young chef, who has created pastries for Michael White, is one of the most sought-after pastry chefs in the city. Her talents are not limited to the realm of pastries. One of her more outstanding trademarks is a hot chocolate soup. ...continue reading

Choosing a commercial work table for your kitchen is one of the most important tasks you will face in setting up your restaurant workspace. Considering the type of food you serve, the manner in which you prepare your dishes, and how your customers will perceive your establishment if the table will be in plain view is paramount when making your selection. The style of kitchen work table that you use should also suit the area that you have available in your professional kitchen. Careful shopping can make the difference between convenience and wasted space.

Personalize Your Work Table to Your Professional Kitchen

Think about the elements of a work table that will provide the ideal situation for your catering business or restaurant. The materials on which you decide should depend largely on what kind of cuisine you plan on preparing on your work table. For example, stainless steel work tables, such as those manufactured by Turbo Air, prove an excellent choice for any food service establishment. These tables make a fantastic pick due to the ease of sterilization and ability to withstand aggressive chopping and strong blows that stainless steel provides. A glass or ceramic work table surface may be a more suitable choice if you serve a great deal of fish, since these materials resist odor absorption.

Convenience is one of the main factors in deciding which work table is best for you as well. ...continue reading

Purchasing the highest quality equipment is the first step to making your business a success. Which equipment and what brands and models you buy are among the most critical decisions you will need to make as a professional in this industry. Durability, convenience, and cost-effectiveness will determine which products are the best for your kitchen. While some appliances are specific to certain types of establishments, others need to be in every restaurant. It is crucial to decide what will save you time and money in the long run. Read on to learn about some of our suggestions for tools which make immense returns on investment.

Major Commercial Appliances

1. Range

Induction is at the pinnacle of modern culinary technology, and for good reason. With an induction range such as the Vollrath 912HIMC Cayenne HD, chefs can cook with unprecedented temperature consistency and control. Better yet, this type of range allows for lower temperatures than gas, making it possible to prepare a broader spectrum of dishes to absolute perfection.

2. Convection Oven

Another time-saving necessity ensuring uniform temperature is a convection oven. We like the Duke E101-E 240V Single Deck Convection Oven because 5 pans per deck means easy, evenly cooked large batches, and stainless steel means a longer-lasting appliance. ...continue reading

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While many think of a pressure cooker as an anachronistic tool grandmothers used—and sometimes misused—the new reality is that pressure cookers are in vogue again. Some of the newfound popularity has surely been stirred by seeing television chefs using pressure cookers to speed up their cooking. They have found their way into the professional kitchen as an adjunct to standard pots and pans. These pots deserve another look, as they have arisen as a dynamic product offering.

One Iron Chef cook, Ming Tsai, said in a recent interview, “My newest favorite toy for braising is a pressure cooker….If my eyes were closed and someone gave me pressure-cooked duck legs and then something that had been braised for three hours, it would be really hard to tell the difference.” High praise for this steamy pot!

The Joys of Pressure Cooker Cooking

While there are many reasons to consider adding a pressure cooker to the professional kitchen arsenal, speed is at the top of the list. Food cooks in about a third of the usual time. Meat cooks in 20 minutes or less, and vegetables take ...continue reading

As we gear up for holiday parties and catered events, keeping food warm and fresh is a big consideration. Chafers are not only traditional…they serve a purpose no other piece of kitchen equipment does. In fact, chafers are the most-purchased item for the professional kitchen at this time of the year.

It’s no wonder they are so popular, since chafers really shine during holiday social events. These events tend to go on for several hours, and chafers are the best way to keep food at the optimal temperature. Certainly, chafers are indispensable in volume situations, and they are especially useful for outdoor events and cocktail receptions.

Chafers work by supplying heat continuously to keep food at the proper temperature. They also ensure that food will taste as good as when you cooked it. The heat supply can be the flame from a candle, electricity, steam, or sterno canisters—anything that will keep the water hot enough to maintain the food’s temperature. To keep food safe and delicious, food should be kept at 141°F or more. ...continue reading

I always find it a challenge to field questions from friends and family about what holiday gift to give a professional chef. Since they figure it “takes one to know one,” I find myself at this time of the year being the source for all chef-related questions! On one hand, as a professional, I know that generally if I need kitchen equipment, I make sure I have it. On the other hand, the old adage that “the shoemaker’s son always goes barefoot” sometimes applies. I often fall into the habit of working around kitchen equipment that I don’t have or making do with tools that should be replaced, so a gift of something I will use regularly is always appreciated. In the spirit of holiday giving, here are some gift ideas for a professional chef.

Consider a Gift of a Functional and Stylish Knife Set

As far as kitchen equipment goes, you can never go wrong in giving a gift of knives. Chefs use and overuse their knives, so it’s a cinch that they will need to replace knives on a regular basis. A knife set can be both functional and stylish. The Mundial Elegance Executive Chef’s Set is a particularly good choice. This 9-piece block set is fully forged and includes seven of the most important knives to get the job done. These knives are well-balanced and have a long-lasting razor-sharp edge. In addition to the fine knives, ...continue reading

I love a stainless steel kitchen. The look is clean and professional. Even if there weren’t so many practical reasons for choosing stainless steel in the kitchen, I would design a kitchen with it anyway—just for the aesthetic value. When I walk into a well-organized, gleaming stainless steel kitchen, I am energized and ready to work. From stainless steel refrigerators to stainless steel stockpots, the well-fitted commercial kitchen is sleek, stylish, and simply looks clean. There is no doubt that the preferred material for a commercial kitchen is stainless steel, and this is based on a number of factors.

Stainless Steel Kitchens Are Cleaner and More Durable

That clean look is backed up by fact: stainless steel resists bacteria. You can clean your stainless steel refrigerator with a disinfectant and be sure that it is really clean because stainless steel isn’t porous like wood and plastic, which are far more likely to breed bacteria. A study published in Poultry Science demonstrated that electro-polished stainless steel showed significantly fewer bacterial cells than other treated surfaces. Their conclusion was that “food safety could be improved if bacterial populations could be reduced…by increasing the use of materials resistant to bacterial contamination.” Another recent study conducted by the Hospitality Institute of Technology and Management (HITM) concluded that stainless steel countertops, when compared with other countertop materials, are the least likely to harbor dangerous bacteria, such as E. coli. ...continue reading

There are certain culinary tools that a true professional chef cannot live without. Although many people like to believe that once you’ve reached the professional status you can kiss your tools good-bye, that is certainly not the case. Cooking without professional chef tools will end up in a disaster, no matter which rung of the ladder you are holding at. The top 10 professional tools that no chef can be without are:

1. Measuring tools: Whether you’re the kind of person that needs to know the exact measurements for cooking or you shake a little bit of this and a little bit of that, there will always be a time when you will have no option but to turn to your measuring tools. A good recipe can turn disastrous by what seems to you to be a minor mis-measurement.
2. Wooden Spoon: A wooden spoon has no cons attached to it when it comes to cooking. It feels better in the hand, it won’t damage your food or your pots and pans, it will never react with acidic foods, it won’t melt, and it does not conduct heat.In addition, a wooden spoon can be used for stirring, dipping, serving etc.
3. Thermometers: So important yet many times, overlooked. The last thing you want is for your customers to get sick over your food. When cooking meat or poultry, you want to make sure to play it safe and use a thermometer to check that the food has reached the full temperature and that it is cooked through. There are many different types of thermometers available, all which are there to help you improve your food preparation. ...continue reading
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Looking to find that perfect gift for the kitchen addict this Christmas season? With so many gadgets available with just a click of the mouse these days, choosing the right gift can be, let’s say, overwhelming. That’s where Tiger Chef steps in. Our team at Tiger Chef did the work for you!  We searched and came up with the top 8 kitchen gadgets that are flying like pancakes this season. When I say flying, I mean flying.

1. Keurig B70 Single Cup Home Brewing Coffee Maker

With the Keurig B70, you’re bound to start your day off the right way. Brewing a single cup of your preferred coffee, tea, and yes, even hot cocoa, has never been easier. Set your ‘favorite cup size’ to get just the right amount of ground coffee for you. The Keurig B70 is known for its quiet brew technology so there is no need to worry about waking up the whole neighborhood. ...continue reading