The 3 kitchen tools Top Chef judges swear by for home cooks

• Tom Colicchio stresses the importance of a manual pepper grinder for fresh seasoning control.
• Gail Simmons values her collection of mini spatulas for their versatility and functionality.
• Kristen Kish prefers flat wooden cutting boards to ensure precision and clean cutting edges.

Most home cooks assume celebrity chefs rely on expensive, high-tech tools, but the reality is the opposite. In reality, the most essential kitchen tools are often simple, tactile, and deeply personal. I visited the Charlotte set of the current season of Top Chef to talk to judges Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons, and Kristen Kish about cooking and, more importantly, how they cook at home. Their must-haves reveal a common theme: control, precision, and small upgrades make a big difference.

Tom Colicchio

Tom Colicchio loves a lot of things in his kitchens. Yes, as in plural, because he has many homes, as one should with his pedigree and level of success. Although his New York kitchen has his beloved French-made La Cornue stove, he says a good manual pepper grinder is a must because freshly ground pepper is a non-negotiable. "So many people use pre-ground pepper, and it's terrible," he said. "Fresh ground pepper is so important, and so many people don't use it." If you watch the show, you have seen that Colicchio is a stickler for proper seasoning. Colicchio does not own an electric peppermill. He prefers manual styles since you can exert more control over the end product.

Gail Simmons

Gail Simmons relies on small tools that make a big difference and naturally has many collections. "I like mini things like mini whisks. I have lots of whisks," she said. "I have a very large collection of vintage soft-boiled egg cups. I love collecting." Two items she can't live without are her fish spatulas and mini silicone spatulas. "I have a very large collection, much to my husband's dismay, of miniature silicone spatulas and flexible, small spatulas," she said.

Kristen Kish

"I had one sent to me that I don't even remember the name of. It's so beautiful and a perfect size," Kristen Kish said. "I have cupboards of cutting boards, and it's always the one that I'm gravitating towards. It's wood and about an inch and a half." When it comes to features, Kish prefers flat cutting boards without a juice groove, which was surprising. She had a good reason, however. "They mess up my knife, and you can't get clean cuts," she says. "If I need to slice meat or anything with a lot of juice, you put it on a sheet tray that catches any liquid that runs off."

The bottom line

These tools aren't flashy — but they're exactly what chefs rely on under pressure. Top chefs know winning dishes come from execution, not trendy gadgets. Chefs value control over convenience and lean toward tools that improve technique. Top Chef also has its own recommended top tools of items featured on the show if you want to shop more.

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