Tongs are the favorite gadgets of Matt Cavanaugh

Tongs are the favorite gadgets of Matt Cavanaugh, executive chef and owner of Matteo's in Lawrenceville. Cavanaugh, 33, of Crescent, uses tongs to stir, flip steaks and chicken, and plate entrees."When stuff's flying, they're pretty much an extension of you," Cavanaugh says. "On a Friday or Saturday, we'll have six pairs of tongs on the line; by the end of the night, I end up with all of them."Another "pretty basic" chef is Kevin Hunninen, executive chef at Park Bruges in Highland Park. His current favorite gadget is the immersion blender, which he and the rest of the kitchen staff have discovered can make larger batches of hummus than a food processor.Chefs kitchen knives wholesalers The immersion blender is also useful in preparing vegetable purees, such as the parsnip puree served with Park Bruges' short rib entree, says Hunninen, 37, of Highland Park.

Scott Moonan, executive chef at Up Modern Italian in Shadyside, says his favorite gadget is low-tech and low in cost: the so-called "slingshot" Kuhn Ikon peeler, shaped just like David's in his Biblical battle against Goliath. The peelers cost $10 for a three-pack."It's easier to use; it's the Cadillac of peelers," says Moonan, 28, of Troy Hill.Sandra Fischione Donovan is a contributing writer for Trib Total Media.
When director Nora Ephron tried to illustrate the intensity of chef Julia Child's French culinary training for the movie "Julie and Julia," she had Academy Award winner Meryl Streep slash an enormous pile of onions to shreds with a chef's knife. When Disney studio artists showed French chef Louis coveting the tender flesh of Sebastian the red Jamaican crab in "The Little Mermaid," they drew the somewhat mad Louis wielding a cleaver.

Knives are the chief tools of a chef, allowing cooks to debone chicken, slice sushi and make a rose from a radish. Local chefs have their favorites, from German to Swiss to Japanese varieties.Kevin Watson of Savoy in the Strip District favors a German J.A.professional Chopping knivesboning suppliers Henckels brand chef's and boning knives. Selecting a knife, Watson says, is all "about the steel. It's about knowing there's a weight, there's a feeling" to the heft of the knife in one's hand.A chef's knife, the most popular and oft-used knife, is anywhere from 6 inches to 12 inches long and is curved to allow the chef to rock the knife on the cutting board for a precise cut.

Trips usually last 48 hours and the four-member crew works around the clock

 Trips usually last 48 hours and the four-member crew works around the clock, with three men on duty while one sleeps."I make a list of what people want to eat," Garcia says, adding that he creates meals based on his shipmates' preferences and dietary requirements. When a new crewmember es aboard, Garcia asks about food preferences, medical issues and allergies that he takes into account when planning menus.The cost of the food is divided equally among the crew and subtracted from each fisherman's pay."He does a good job," says Capt. Alexander Lagace, crew leader and son of the ship's owner, Lou Lagace."I really like hot, spicy Asian food," the captain continues, adding that he particularly favors Garcia's delicious curries.The shipboard chef says he is happy to have a refrigerator and a food processor two conveniences that weren't found on many fishing boat galleys just a few decades ago when frozen foods and perishables were stored on ice below deck.

"I don't like waste," he says. "I try to be a frugal cook. My cooking style is to feed four hungry dudes who eat a lot of carbs and calories."For Wicherski, working in the Alaska's galley is a far cry from the days when the cook had to rise at 4 a.m. to light the kerosene stove to prepare breakfast, had to keep meat on ice, or had to work on some boats that didn't have a shower.Like the Mariette, the Alaska is also based in New Bedford."Times have really changed," begins Wicherski, a Fall River resident who like Garcia is also the son of a fisherman. He is part of a crew that fishes for scallops in an area located 20 to 80 miles offshore from the beginning of March until Christmas, and cooks for the men assigned to his 10-hour shift.Before heading out to sea, the longtime cook, who has been fishing mercially for 30 years, consults with the ship's captain, who determines the length of each trip.

Groceries for the F/V Alaska are purchased at a warehouse club and a supply store.The captain "asks me what I feel like making," says Wicherski, who receives input from the crew about what they'd like to see on the table during a voyage.Like Garcia, he adds that one of the biggest problems he encounters at sea is cooking in tempestuous weather."Food flies out of the refrigerator," Wicherski says, adding that when the weather is rough, he cooks easily prepared meals such as small roasts, chicken pies and fish.

A statement released on Twitter on Saturday

The shops stretch for almost 1 km along the shopping arcade linking Kototoidori Street in the north with Asakusadori Street in the south, showcasing not only kitchenware but also lifelike plastic models of food.Although the arcade is dedicated to the food industry, Kappabashi has in recent years b e popular with amateur cooks and tourists, who throw in a visit because of its close proximity to Asakusa.One of the main draws is the skillfully crafted plastic samples of ramen, sushi, tempura, cakes and other food displayed at restaurant entrances throughout Japan.But many also e to purchase top-notch "hocho" kitchen knives. Some are chefs at Japanese restaurants overseas,beauty scissors but others are merely housewives and husbands with a strong preference for quality cooking utensils and an interest in maintaining them, shop owners said.

The origins of Kappabashi date back to the Taisho Era about 100 years ago, when a small group of shops began selling kitchenware. As other shops followed suit, the merchant munity gradually grew.Despite the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake and the devastating Tokyo air raids of World War II, Kappabashi never died out.As Japan rebuilt from the war, its food culture diversified, increasing the need for different kinds of kitchenware and handing the industry a big chance. Kappabashi's merchants thrived.Unlike decades ago, many shops here now cater to general consumers. Each autumn, Kappabashi organizes a bargain event that draws as many as 300,000 people from across the nation.As long as Japan's food culture grows, Kappabashi will continue to thrive.Peter Maturi, the kitchenwares retailer, was established in 1880 and had a store at Vicar Lane, Leeds, as well as in Harrogate and Manchester.

A statement released on Twitter on Saturday, March 22, said: "Peter Maturi &professional Knife Sets suppliers Sons has ceased trading. Due to pressures of internet shopping and excessive business rates and rent, the shops are unsustainable."It added: "We would like to thank all our customers for their loyal support throughout the years and apologise for any inconvenience this may cause."Peter Maturi senior was born in Pinzolo, Italy, in 1880.He was one of 25 children and, came to England with four of his other brothers, and set up the Leeds store in 1899, on George Street.

Attendees at last week's International Home

Attendees at last week's International Home + Housewares Show may have noticed a couple new brands in the sprawling Lifetime Brands' booth: La Cafetière and Built NY.Earlier this month, Lifetime Brands Inc. purchased coffee and teaware pany La Cafetière from The Greenfield Group Limited. La Cafetière's coffee accessories and teaware are marketed worldwide under the La Cafetière and Randwyck brands.The deal "strengthens our presence in the United Kingdom and Continental Europe and, together with the recent acquisition of Kitchen Craft, confirms Lifetime's position as a global leader in the kitchenware and tableware categories," said Jeffrey Siegel, Lifetime's chairman and CEO.

In other news, the pany recently acquired Built NY, which is known for its colorful neoprene storage bags and laptop sleeves. The popular brand is distributed in more than 30,000 retail stores in 60 countries."Lifetime's mitment to design, quality and innovation makes it the perfect partner for Built," said John Roscoe Swartz, a founder of Built, who joined Lifetime as president of Lifetime's newly-created Built division. "We look forward to continuing to deliver to our customers Built's unique bination of design, quality and innovation for the gourmet life."Sunbury residents need to be vigilant and keep property and belongings secure.

The warning by Hume crime prevention officer Jacqui Newman es after a spike in "opportunistic" crime.She said theft from cars had risen in the past fortnight and was "extremely disappointing" as many victims admitted to leaving their cars unlocked."Local residents need to realise that leaving cars and homes unlocked in Sunbury is no longer acceptable," she said."It is frustrating for police when the crime rate increases in the area and our messages to help deter crime are ignored."Police are also reporting an increase in burglaries at display homes and premises under construction. The targets are kitchenware and building supplies. Police are investigating leads including a suspicious vehicle and male suspects. Senior Constable Newman said that with the cost of petrol increasing, theft of number plates was also on the rise in Hume."We need residents to help us reduce the crime rate.