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Home » Blog » Articles » Secrets of a Restaurant Chef – A Perfect Pantry
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Secrets of a Restaurant Chef – A Perfect Pantry

Avatar photoChef Laura Frankel • Jun 21, 2012 (Updated: Aug 20, 2019)
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stocked pantry

Last week I shared the importance of having good quality knives.  Today we talk pantry.  A well-stocked pantry is essential.  I can pull off a healthy home cooked meal out of my pantry in usually less than 20

Minutes and you can too.  It all comes down to some staple items. Here are some basics I always have on hand:

  • Good quality extra virgin olive oil (the better the oil, the better the flavor)
  • Rice (I have many types: Arborio for risotto, brown, basmati, Chinese black rice and more)
  • Lentils
  • Variety of grains (barley, farro, freekah and more)
  • Coconut milk (adds creaminess, flavor and is pareve),
  • Canned wild salmon
  • Wild smoked salmon (I always have some in the freezer)
  • Spices
  • Tomato paste
  • Canned whole plum tomatoes (the good tomatoes are kept whole, the lesser quality tomatoes are chopped, I never buy canned chopped tomatoes)
  • Dijon mustard
  • Whole Wheat pasta
  • Kalamata olives
  • Capers
  • Canned Beans

If you have picky eaters at home or are trying to put together multiple meals at once — like getting Thursday dinner on the table, prepping for Shabbat meals and trying to figure out school lunches all at the same time — a well-stocked pantry will allow you to play short-order cook without the stress.

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About Chef Laura Frankel

LAURA FRANKEL is a noted Kosher Chef and the author of Jewish Cooking for All Seasons and Jewish Slow Cooker Recipes (Agate Publishing). Her third book, Clean Slate Jewish Cooking is to be published in 2017. She is the founder of Shallots Restaurants in Chicago, Skokie and New York and she worked for Wolfgang Puck for 10 years.Chef Laura claims that she was born knowing how to cook and understanding ingredients. Whether or not that is true, she has made many people across the country and around the world happy with her food, including her 3 sons who love to eat great food. Chef Laura spends her days in pursuit of the perfect bite and will be working with the team to create innovative recipes and tips for busy home-cooks everywhere.

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  1. Chef Laura Frankel

    Jun 22, 2012 at 5:19 pm

    always remember that less processed food is going to be better quality food. happy cooking-shabbat shalom

    Reply
  2. jbbm

    Jun 22, 2012 at 12:27 am

    a well-stocked pantry is a must, thanks for the list. also, i didn’t know that about canned tomatoes.

    Reply

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