KITCHEN UTENSILS

AND EQUIPMENT

Prepared by:
Cyndi N. Cagalitan
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!
Specialization=Convenience
 Most utensils have been invented to make
life more convenient
 Some basic utensils make cooking fun
because less time is spent actually
preparing the food for cooking.
 Even a microwave is just piece of
kitchen equipment to make heating food
easier!
Why learn these kitchen
utensils?
 Using the right tool for the job makes a
carpenter’s work easier. They would not be
able to pound many nails per hour if they
were using a saw.
 Our food preparation labs have specialized
equipment that will make tasks easier, more
efficient and produce products that are
better quality than just using a knife, fork or
spoon!
Here’s how we will learn the
utensils:
 Look for three elements:
 A picture of the utensil in the upper right.
 The standard name for the utensil or piece
of equipment in the title.
 Lastly, some text with examples of how it is
used in the kitchen- in other words, the
function of the item.
 You should fill in these names and functions
on your worksheet as we go along!
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.
5. Metal Spatula
 Utensil for lifting
and turning items
like pancakes and
meat.
 Should NOT be
used in a nonstick
pan.
6. Wire Whisk
 Simplest tool for
beating and
stirring light
mixtures
 Metal whisk should
NOT be used in a
nonstick pan.
Instead used a
plastic or rubber
whisk.
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.
9. Dry Measuring Cups
 Graduated cups to
assure that the
right amount of dry
ingredients are
used.
 Dry ingredients
include what
food items?
 Why shouldn’t liquid
go in these?
 Remember the standard set:
10. Measuring Spoons
 Graduated
spoons to assure
the right amount
of a small
ingredient is used.
 Can be used for
wet OR dry
ingredients
 Remember the standard set:
¼ teaspoon, ½ teaspoon,
1 teaspoon, 1
tablespoon
11. Liquid Measuring Cup
 Measuring device
for LIQUIDS ONLY!
 Bend down to check
it at eye level!
 Come in various
sizes: 1 cup, 2
cups, 4 cups and
8 cups or more!
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.
14. Potato Masher
 Tool for mashing
potatoes and
other items.
15. Decorating Bags & Tips
 Bag with assorted
tips for decorating
cakes, deviled
eggs and other
desserts.
16. Rolling Pin
 Cylinder which
eases the rolling of
dough and
pastries.
 Can be made
or wood or
plastic.
17. Sifter
 Wire mesh and
rotating bars for
breaking up
lumps or
loosening flour.
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.
27. Grater
 Various holes and
blades which cut
cheese and
vegetables into
thin strips or
slices.
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!
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.
32. Cookie Sheet
 A flat baking sheet
for baking
cookies.
33. Jelly Roll Pan
 A flat baking sheet
with sides for
baking bar cookies
and other baked
items.
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.
38. Skillet Fry Pan
 Cast iron, metal or
glass pan with low
sides and a
handle used for
broiling foods or
cooking in a small
amount of fat.
39. Saucepan
 A deep cooking pan
with a handle and
lid for boiling
simmering and
steaming foods.
40. Steamer Basket
 A basket which
folds and unfolds to
conform to the size
of a saucepan and
keeps the food
above boiling water
to allow steam to
cook the food.
41. Colander
 A bowl with holes
used to drain
pasta and other
liquids from food.
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.
45. Dutch Oven
 A large, heavy pot
or kettle with a tight
fitting lid used for
slow cooking foods
on the stovetop or in
the oven for long
periods of time.
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

 Dough hook for mixing