Kitchen Gadgets, Tools and Tablescapes That Any Serious Stay-at-Home Chef Needs

Spending hours in the kitchen cooking up new recipes and attempting gastronomically advanced dishes has become a primary homebound activity. The Martha Stewart and Barefoot Contessas inside us all are coming out.

Now your social distancing self is screaming out for those gizmos, gadgets and flair-filled items that you didn’t know you needed. They may have been unnecessary pre coronavirus pandemic, but it’s now necessary to build up an arsenal of extra-chic items for the dive deep into at-home dining.

As is customary in PaperCity‘s regular Dear Boyfriend series, I am calling on the significant others of the world to gift their stuck-at-home main squeeze the tools to set up dining wonders in humble abodes.

Dear Boyfriend,

Since all future date nights out on the town have been declared “date night in” until further notice, I’m counting on these gifts to bring the allure and extravagance of restaurants home. Now that those frozen-pizza dinners and “simple five-ingredient recipes” have run their course, it’s time to raise the stakes.

From tabletop items to countertop appliances and international accouterments, these easily purchased items will take anyone’s chef skills to the next level.

Bright Tablescape

An expertly set tablescape makes any meal feel fancy and fun. I’m sure Emily Post would agree that updating our tableware with flair is an essential step to surviving self isolation.

For a brightly colored line of housewares that pack a seriously fun punch, let’s turn to the divinely hand-painted porcelain dishes from La Double J. The Italian design house does not mess around when it comes to offering your table some major color.

Make any table more charming with an India Amory tablecloth. The authentic Indian hand-block-printed linens are key to elevating any ordinary tabletop.

A sure-fire way to mix up your setting-the-table routine is to throw in some art. Thanks to the collaboration of design creative geniuses The Haas Brothers with L’Objet, candlesticks and salt-and-pepper shakers will satisfy our hunger and our creativity.

Kitchen Gadgets

In light of the unprecedented global coronavirus pandemic, let’s make the wedding registry concept an everyday thing and invest in some serious cooking tools.

The good old classic Dutch oven is a perfect place to start. I’m desperately trying to join in on the homemade bread trend happening on Instagram right now, and I need a chic enamel pot to get my golden-brown sourdough camera-ready.

Since the caffeine addicts of the country are majorly missing their morning dose of barista-brewed coffee, a cafe worthy coffee-maker is also in order. Don’t skimp on the level of luxury that your morning routine deserves.

Frozen and delivery pizza is no doubt getting old. It’s time to channel the inner Italians in us.  A gas-powered pizza oven will simplify the journey toward becoming a professional-level pizza chef.

With summertime weather threatening to creep into our quarantine (especially in Texas), we can’t expect ice cream trucks to run through the neighborhood. But don’t sweat.

Summertime’s sweet treats can be made at home with the help of a quality frozen yogurt maker or Popsicle mold set. The options are endless with these frozen-treat tools. Talk about an instant distraction from the isolation blues.

Global Cuisine

Without restaurant dining rooms and travel, social distancing has dealt us some tough cards. Luckily, some special dining accessories can transport you to gastronomic hubs around the globe.

That sushi takeout can feel like fine dining with this charming sushi and sake set.

Because wine has been flowing abundantly so far in quarantine, why not make home an oenophile’s paradise? Let’s treat every bottle opening like an event with a proper decanter and glassware.

Take us through a tour of Italy with these at-home lemon-tree and olive-tree kits, complete with decadent recipes for each fresh ingredient. Having a garden straight out of the rural countryside with on-demand fresh ingredients for all of our gourmet recipes is about as authentic as it gets.

With these gifts, our home menu will soon be lit with Michelin stars.

Sincerely Yours,

Your eccentric, slightly crazy, and talented chef girlfriend

Look for new Dear Boyfriend lists every month on PaperCity.