OMI Hooper, whose still making it through season 2 of Gordon Ramsay’s Next Level Chef, gave her best tips and tricks for getting on the cooking show.
Speaking exclusively with The U.S. Sun, Omi said anyone who hopes to be on Gordon’s fast-paced cooking show needs to remember it’s a game and it’s all about how you play it.
4
Omi Hopper is having a successful run on Next Level Chef and gave her tips & tricks for her time on the showCredit: The US Sun
4
Gordon Ramsay’s show takes chefs and has them compete for a cash prize and a chance at a top-notch mentorshipCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
“I think that you have to look at the competition as a game. We are playing a game and it’s about who’s going to play it best,” she said of her time on Next Level Chef.
“You have to be aware of the time, you need to make sure that you are listening actively to the mentors.
“It’s $250,000, but it’s also a one-year mentorship by Gordon Ramsay, Nyesha Arrington and Richard Blais.
“They want to know how coachable you are, they want to know how well are you listening on that floor as you’re cooking, and that will be very telling for them.
“They really want to know ‘Does this person have the potential or does this person already know it all and feel like they don’t need anything from us?’
“And I feel like that was probably the best advice that I even took for myself… remain a student at all times.”
Omi also opened up about the secret, surprising rules the contestants were given.
“The rules are to be yourself. The rules are straight out be yourself.
Most read in Entertainment
“Please don’t try to make a scene for the cameras please don’t act out of character what got you here is you being yourself and please remain that way.
“So they were constantly preaching that to us, like just forget that the cameras are here and just be yourself, and I felt like that liberated a lot of people from just being able to just be.”
THE MENTORS
Next Level Chef sees three mentors take talented chefs under their wings to compete in unique cooking challenges in hopes of finding the “food world’s newest superstar.”
Those mentors include Gordon Ramsey, Nayisha Arrington and Richard Blais.
Legendary British chef Gordon Ramsay is no stranger to the culinary world or television.
Since 1997, he has been awarded 17 Michelin stars overall across various restaurants and has been seen on several cooking shows, including Hell’s Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, and MasterChef.
When Ramsay is not working, he can often be found at home with his wife, Tana Ramsay, and their five kids.
Nyesha Arrington is a popular chef from California who began cooking at the age of five.
After graduating from the Art Institute of California in Los Angeles, she went on to open two restaurants- which have both been placed on Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Jonathan Gold’s iconic list of 101 Best Restaurants- and star on several cooking shows, including Top Chef and Guy’s Grocery Games.
Richard Blais is known as a chef, television personality, restaurateur, and author.
Over the years, he has been seen competing on several shows, including Top Chef and Top Chef: All-Stars, which he previously won.
When Blais is not in the kitchen, he can often be found at home, spending time with his wife, Jazmin Blais, and two kids.
How can I watch Next Level Chef?
Season 2 of Next Level Chef first premiered on February 12, 2023, and is already a hit among fans.
New episodes can be watched weekly on Fox, Thursdays at 8pm EST.
The show can also be streamed on Hulu with an active subscription.
This year, the contestants will be competing for the $250,000 grand prize and a one-year mentorship from the three chefs, according to Variety.
4
Omi was given an important rule for being on the show- contestants were told to just be themselvesCredit: Getty
4
The show is in its second season and airs Thursdays at 8/7 centralCredit: Getty
If you’re a passionate lover of cooking, or you’ve recently kickstarted your cooking journey, and want to accelerate it even further then you’ve reached the right place. Having an efficient and streamlined cooking process is the key to preparing dishes that simply taste excellent! And the number one aid you need in having an effortless process is an arsenal of great kitchen appliances. With the right kitchen tools and appliances, cooking can be an increasingly fun and simplified process. The right products can reduce your prep time in half, make the little cooking tasks much easier, and help you with tedious and complicated techniques. From a minimal Japanese folding knife to a compact induction cooker that fits every conceivable cooking method in its modular stackable design – these innovative and exceptional appliances are all you need in your kitchen.
1. The Pronto
Rather aptly named the Pronto, this relatively compact gadget handles every part of the cooking process, from weighing to sautéing, slow-cooking, simmering, reheating, and even air-frying thanks to its modular companion, the Alto.
Why is it noteworthy?
With its small footprint and multipurpose design, the dynamic duo of Pronto and Alto occupy a fraction of the countertop space and let you prep elaborate meals without all the messy dishes and dread-inducing clean-up. Pronto and Alto were designed to take the effort out of cooking, so you can focus on the most important part… eating!
What we like
Multipurpose design
Make meal prep easier, faster, and smarter
What we dislike
There is a learning curve involved in getting used to the design
2. The Slide Toaster
The toasting process begins in the Slide toaster with an LED ring indicating the toasting level and completion. The slide-up tray has a translucent design element to it so that you can keep an eye on the toast turning perfectly brown to your delight Level of the toast crispness can be set with an adjustment dial like all other toasters we’ve seen countless times. This is ably aided by audio indications to keep the user well-informed.
Why is it noteworthy?
Harry Rigler wants to reinvent the trusted image of the toaster with a detour to the soft form design of this household kitchen appliance. That too keeps in mind the requirements of modern users, and the present as well as future design progression of kitchen interiors. Rather than being a pop-up toaster like most out there, this is the Slide toaster which rolls the toasting grill to the side like a rollable smartphone. The tray slides out – you put in the bread and slide it back in.
What we like
Audio indications to update the user on their toast
Unique slide-up tray
What we dislike
The radically changed design may not be easily accepted in households
3. The Monolith
Designed by Italian kitchen brand Falmec and designers Studio Ferriani, the Monolith is an extractor hood that can be integrated into the benchtop, and also used as a nifty storage space for utensils.
Why is it noteworthy?
The extractor hood is a part of the Elements Collection and features a 90-centimeter-long suction element. It has also been equipped with differently sized storage units that can be placed and arranged in different custom configurations.
What we like
Integrates storage units
Sleek clean aesthetics
What we dislike
Bulky + space-consuming design
4. The Oku Knife
Scottish artist and metal worker Kathleen Reilly designed the ‘Oku Knife’. Inspired by Japanese table settings, the Oku knife features a rather intriguing handle that is folded 90 degrees from its blade. The design was informed by chopstick resets.
Why is it noteworthy?
Oku features a unique folded shape that lets the handle be placed on a surface, with the blade sitting perpendicularly away from that particular surface. You can even rest the knife’s blade along the edge of a cutting board or plate.
What we like
The knife can be hooked onto the rim of a plate, creating intimacy between the two objects whilst improving cleanliness and maintaining stability
What we dislike
The design may seem pointless or unnecessary to some people
5. The Cookmate
The Cookmate is a rather innovative and nifty kitchen appliance that is all-in-one. It can be used for prep, cooking, and serving. It features a modular design with stackable pieces that allow the cooktop to function as a pan, crock pot, or even a steamer – providing you with a variety of healthy cooking techniques.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Cookmate looks at the cooking process as something that goes from idea to ingredient to table. Rather than focusing on just the cooking, this induction cooktop (although it seems highly reductive to call it just that) considers every aspect of the cooking process. This isn’t just clever, holistic design thinking, it also helps the Cookmate be more universally applicable so you save effort, energy, and space with other utensils.
What we like
Features an integrated weighing scale
Can be split into 6 parts
What we dislike
6. Small Living Kitchens
Falper has dipped its toes into kitchen design with the Small Living Kitchens concept. With the Small Living Kitchens, Falper wanted to transform the experience of kitchens in small homes. It includes islands that are designed to make tiny kitchens feel spacious and luxurious. It brings the sophisticated layouts of larger kitchens to small homes in a more compact and streamlined form.
Why is it noteworthy?
Falper worked alongside designer Andrea Federici to create the Small Living Kitchens. The units can be placed into compact spaces starting from 2.5 square meters. It has been equipped with three elements – islands, storage units, and tall units. These elements can be configured in multiple different ways, according to your need and requirement.
What we like
Comes in three models
Designed to merge harmoniously with all kinds of homes and apartments
What we dislike
The aesthetics of the kitchen are a bit simple
7. LoopKitchen
How about transforming our kitchens into sustainable spaces as well? Seems like Danish startup Stykka comes from the same school of thought since they designed their innovative ‘LoopKitchen’.
Why is it noteworthy?
Crafted from birch plywood, LoopKitchen is a minimal and contemporary kitchen designed with recyclable parts, in an attempt to increase its lifespan. Although LoopKitchen is built primarily from birch plywood, the kitchen fronts can be finished in birch as well, or a Forbo linoleum which is available in 20 colors.
What we like
Designed with recyclable parts
Each physical manifestation of LoopKitchen has a digital twin
What we dislike
Not well suited for small compact kitchens
Space-consuming design
8. Mill
Mill is a trash can that not only keeps your leftovers from becoming too spoiled and stinky and turns them into actual chicken feed. And you don’t have to even leave your house for all of this to happen. The concept for this circular food waste device is from a former Apple engineer and the co-founder of Google Nest, Matt Rogers.
Why is it noteworthy?
This way the fish, produce, eggs, rinds, seeds, bones and other food waste that you throw away can become food for chickens. Even things like napkins, filters, and paper towels can get in on the fun.
What we like
It also shrinks the waste so you won’t have an overflowing trash can
There’s also a coconut-based charcoal odor filter that will prevent your kitchen from stinking up
What we dislike
It is a bit expensive
Only available on a subscription basis
9. The Maruzara
Shaped like a small round plate instead of the typical rectangular sheet of metal, this grater is meant to sit on the table rather than be held up in the air like almost all other graters. Its small design makes it perfect to be placed right on the table, and the unique pattern of the blades gives it a distinctive look even when it’s just sitting unused.
Why is it noteworthy?
That blade arrangement isn’t just for show, though. Unlike a regular grater with rows of blades, you make circular movements to grate ingredients. Rather than falling through holes, the grated pieces accumulate at the sides in full, fluffy lumps. The repetitive action, rather than being tiring and burdensome, becomes almost a mindful practice that puts you in the moment.
What we like
Comes with a silicon rubber base that stops it from slipping on the table while you make your circling motions
What we dislike
It’s designed primarily for wasabi and daikon radish, making it a bit limited
Some people may prefer the form and structure of a traditional grater
10. The Electrolux Adapted
The Electrolux Adapted is the kitchen essential of the future – compact, sleek, and ideal for tiny homes, this masterful concept is for the ‘singletons’ who want to make the most of a small kitchen. If you want to use the countertop for some real cooking, and don’t feel like cramping it with a gazillion appliances, then Adapted is the product for you!
Why is it noteworthy?
Electrolux Adapted is a premium hub that utilizes the vertical space in a kitchen to organize and hold all the important appliances you need on a daily basis. The system is made up of standardized modules that are mounted effortlessly on a backplate, completely eliminating the need for tools usually required for installation. The backplate supplies all the modules with water and electricity, in an attempt to support highly customizable arrangments.
What we like
Can either be mounted on a wall or placed as a free-standing product with an add-on furniture frame
All the modules are connected via an Electrolux app, allowing them to be used simultaneously or in sync, and enabling users to create their own personal routines
We have classic French dessert recipes for everyone—regardless of whether you’re just starting out or are already a pastry pro.
The world of French desserts is vast. Look into the window of a pâtisserie, and chances are you’ll see an assortment of éclairs, madeleines, financiers, cream puffs, macarons, tarts, and cakes like the Opera or Fraisier. Your favorite bistro likely has a crème brûlée or chocolate mousse on their dessert menu, if not both. And if you enjoy eating ice cream, then you’ve likely had crème anglaise, the custardy sauce that’s also used as a base used to make French-style ice creams. Add to that towering soufflés, meringues that are light as air, and the chocolate ganache essential for making your favorite truffles, and it can be hard to know where to start.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
Over centuries, the French have mastered the art of pâtisserie and created some of the world’s most popular desserts. Some of their contributions to the world of pastry, like the croquembouche, are a little more extravagant and time-consuming to make. Others, like clafoutis, are simple enough to whip up on a busy weeknight. You don’t have to be a trained pastry chef to tackle either of these—all you need are a few essential techniques and recipes to use as building blocks. Master meringue, and you’ll be able to make macarons, chocolate mousse, and sweet soufflés. Learn how to make choux pastry, and you’ll have opened the door to cream puffs, éclairs, croquembouche, and more. Overcome your fear of making crème anglaise, like I did, and the world of custard-based ice creams is yours—not to mention easy desserts like fresh berries with chilled crème anglaise as the sauce.
The beauty of French pastry is that once you feel comfortable with the basic techniques and understand the science behind them, you’ll be able to mix and match recipes to create a laundry list of classic confections—or even a dessert of your own. No matter the skill level, there’s something sweet and celebratory for everyone. Here, we’ve highlighted our favorite French desserts, organized by the skill level required to make them. To be clear, all the recipes are thoroughly tested, clearly written, and doable by anyone—if you’re feeling ambitious, go ahead and jump into the deep end, we’re right there with you. Or follow the progression we’ve outlined here, starting with recipes for beginners (or whatever you think your current skill level is), then work your way up. By the time you’ve finished with the advanced recipes, you’ll have gained much of the fundamental skills required in even the most elite French pastry kitchens.
With whisper thin, crisp exteriors, light-yet-buttery centers, and those signature humps, these are madeleines that Proust would be proud of. Not only are these cakes easy to whip up, but they’re also extremely versatile: The batter can be flavored with nuts, cocoa powder, warm spices, citrus zest, herbs, and extracts.
Once baked, they can be glazed, filled, or served plain. Start simple, then play around with different flavors.
Deeply satisfying to eat, these tender-crisp financiers benefit from nutty brown butter and ground toasted almonds.
Resting the batter in the refrigerator allows the ingredients to hydrate, yielding moist, tender cakes. And while they’re delicious on their own, you can dress them up with a glaze or dip them into melted chocolate.
Cherry clafoutis is a dessert that’s guaranteed to impress and please. Its simplicity can’t be overstated: Pour a simple batter made from egg, milk, sugar, and flour over cherries, bake, and serve. Butter in the batter adds extra flavor and helps crisp the edges more, while balanced amounts of egg and sugar produce a light-textured clafoutis that’s just sweet enough and not too eggy.
Sweetened dairy stars in this dessert that’s shaped into a heart and served with strawberry sauce. All you have to do is beat cream cheese and cream with powdered sugar, the seeds of a vanilla bean, and lemon zest before allowing the mixture to set overnight. To successfully unmold your dessert, line your dish with a damp paper towel or cheesecloth and invert.
Crème anglaise is many things: It’s a sauce. It’s a custard. It’s a sauce and a custard you can churn into ice cream. At its most basic, crème anglaise is a mixture of milk and/or cream, egg yolks, sugar, and a vanilla bean that has been cooked until just thick enough to coat a spoon. Though cooking an egg-based custard can be anxiety-inducing, a bit of care and good technique is all you need to prevent scrambled sauce is an unlikely outcome.
The grown-up version of a Pop-Tart, gâteau Basque combines elements of a cookie, a tart, and a pie, with a filling of pastry cream or cherry jam. The tender, slightly crumbly crust—which is easily rolled out once chilled—comes together easily in a stand mixer.
Here, the addition of almond flour and extract in both the dough and pastry cream adds a rich, nutty flavor.
Vanilla bean-flecked pastry cream meets flaky pie crust in this cake on an essential French pastry.
Here, pie dough makes for a tender, flaky crust that’s sturdy enough to support the pastry-cream filling, and brushing the surface of the flan with egg yolk produces a glossy, deeply bronzed finish.
Chouquettes are small choux pastry puffs topped with snowy white grains of pearl sugar. They bake up quickly and make a delicious snack or after-dinner treat. The secret to choux pastry that develops good color without over-baking?
Use milk—which has additional proteins and sugars that promote browning—in the choux paste.
Rich with bittersweet flavor and light as a cloud, chocolate mousse is a simple, elegant dessert that’s deeply satisfying to eat. For an easy mousse that won’t seize or deflate, melt your chocolate together with the cream. This stabilizes the chocolate and prevents it from seizing and also lightens up the chocolate mixture, making it easier to fold together with the egg whites without deflating the mixture.
Made well, crème brûlée is a magnificent dessert of silky, vanilla-scented custard beneath a shatteringly crisp topping of caramelized sugar. For a velvety custard that doesn’t curdle, be sure to bake your crème brûlée in a water bath.
Got a blowtorch? This is the time to pull it out. Using it to caramelize the raw sugar topping results in an evenly caramelized crust that shatters easily.
This simple, elegant dessert of “floating islands” suspended in a pool of crème anglaise is a French classic. For a more stable meringue that’s less likely to deflate, whisk your egg whites at a lower speed for longer, and slowly add the sugar to ensure it’ll dissolve properly. Don’t feel like making crème anglaise from scratch? You can melt a pint or two of good quality, egg-free vanilla ice cream in a saucepan or microwave instead.
Light and crisp cream puffs, filled with your choice of rich pastry cream, whipped cream, or crème légère, will satisfy dessert lovers everywhere.
Our easy recipe for choux pastry takes almost all the guesswork out of the traditional technique, producing puffs that are golden and crispy on the outside and hollow within.
Served à la minute, chocolate soufflé is the go-to classic dessert for chocolate lovers everywhere. For a soufflé that rises successfully, you’ll want to liberally butter and sugar your ramekins, which will ensure that the soufflé rises up without any cracks. For maximum loft, you’ll want to whip egg whites and sugar until they reach stiff, glossy peaks before folding it into chocolate ganache. Just make sure your egg whites and your mixing bowl are clean!
Canelés require plenty of patience, but it’s well worth it for the glassy, caramelized exterior and custardy center you get.
To make this southwestern French specialty, you’ll want to coat your molds in a mixture of beeswax and butter, and start baking at a very high temperature to encourage a crisp skin to form.
Time and temperature are both key to mastering this dessert, and as long as you keep an eye on both, you’ll be able to make a canelé worthy of a French bakery.
Crisp choux pastry, a rich vanilla bean-infused pastry cream, and an intense chocolate glaze? It’s easy to see why éclairs remain one of France’s most beloved treats. With éclairs, how they’re piped is how they bake, so it’s crucial to take your time and do it well. After they’re baked, you’ll use a sharp paring knife to poke holes in the bottom of each éclair while they’re still hot. This will dry out the insides of the pastries and keep them crisp.
A towering masterpiece of caramel-covered cream puffs surrounded by golden threads of spun sugar, the croquembouche is the celebration cake of France. Making it is a labor of love and requires a bit of advance planning and plenty of organization.
You’ll want to make a template for your puffs to ensure they’re all uniform in size, then prepare all the mise en place for the choux pastry, the pastry cream, and the caramel before assembling.
Tarte Tatin can be a tricky dessert to make and involves a nuanced culinary dance that requires a fine-tuned sense of just about… everything.
The key to success is breaking the recipe down into more discrete parts, and understanding the science of how apples cook and soften. With the right technique, you can make a stellar tarte Tatin that rivals even those served in a French bistro.
Almond-studded choux pastry and rich, nutty praline crème mousseline join forces in this impressive French dessert. Piping and building the Paris-Brest may seem like the most intimidating part, but there’s no wrong way to do it as long as the filling sits tall inside the bottom half. We promise it’ll be delicious, no matter how professional the filling looks.
This French dessert gets its name from the way its layers of thinly sliced apple seem to disappear into the light batter that binds them. In a nod to the popularity of gateau invisible in Japan, this version is subtly flavored with salty-sweet white miso, and served with a miso caramel sauce. Despite its impressive layers, all you really have to do is whisk eggs and sugar until glossy, add in the flour, then gently fold in apples until they’re evenly coated. The hardest part may very well be slicing the apples thinly and layering the cake. The thinner the apples, the more layers you’ll get, and the more cohesive the baked cake will be.
Header Image Photography by Amanda Suarez Art Direction and Graphics by Sarah Maiden
If you’re a passionate lover of cooking, or you’ve recently kickstarted your cooking journey, and want to accelerate it even further in 2023, then you’ve reached the right place. Having an efficient and streamlined cooking process is the key to preparing dishes that simply taste excellent! And the number one aid you need in having an effortless process is an arsenal of great kitchen appliances. With the right kitchen tools and appliances, cooking can be an increasingly fun and simplified process. The right products can reduce your prep time in half, make the little cooking tasks much easier, and help you with tedious and complicated techniques. From a tiny circular grater that turns cooking into a meditative activity to a compact induction cooker that fits every conceivable cooking method in its modular stackable design – these innovative and exceptional appliances are all you need in your kitchen.
1. The Slide Toaster
The toasting process begins in the Slide toaster with an LED ring indicating the toasting level and completion. The slide-up tray has a translucent design element to it so that you can keep an eye on the toast turning perfectly brown to your delight Level of the toast crispness can be set with an adjustment dial like all other toasters we’ve seen countless times. This is ably aided by audio indications to keep the user well-informed.
Why is it noteworthy?
Harry Rigler wants to reinvent the trusted image of the toaster with a detour to the soft form design of this household kitchen appliance. That too keeps in mind the requirements of modern users, and the present as well as future design progression of kitchen interiors. Rather than being a pop-up toaster like most out there, this is the Slide toaster which rolls the toasting grill to the side like a rollable smartphone. The tray slides out – you put in the bread and slide it back in.
What we like
Audio indications to update the user on their toast
Unique slide-up tray
What we dislike
The radically changed design may not be easily accepted in households
2. Small Living Kitchens
Falper has dipped its toes into kitchen design with the Small Living Kitchens concept. With the Small Living Kitchens, Falper wanted to transform the experience of kitchens in small homes. It includes islands that are designed to make tiny kitchens feel spacious and luxurious. It brings the sophisticated layouts of larger kitchens to small homes in a more compact and streamlined form.
Why is it noteworthy?
Falper worked alongside designer Andrea Federici to create the Small Living Kitchens. The units can be placed into compact spaces starting from 2.5 square meters. It has been equipped with three elements – islands, storage units, and tall units. These elements can be configured in multiple different ways, according to your need and requirement.
What we like
Comes in three models
Designed to merge harmoniously with all kinds of homes and apartments
What we dislike
The aesthetics of the kitchen are a bit simple
3. The Cookmate
Designed for this new, ‘smaller than life’ home, the Cookmate is an all-in-one kitchen appliance that goes from prep to cooking to serving, in one device. Its modular design has stackable pieces that turn the cooktop into a pan, crock pot, and even a steamer. The induction coil on the inside works on electricity, saving the need to place a gas cylinder under the hob.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Cookmate looks at the cooking process as something that goes from idea to ingredient to table. Rather than focusing on just the cooking, this induction cooktop (although it seems highly reductive to call it just that) considers every aspect of the cooking process. This isn’t just clever, holistic design thinking, it also helps the Cookmate be more universally applicable so you save effort, energy, and space with other utensils.
What we like
Features an integrated weighing scale
Can be split into 6 parts
What we dislike
As we can either use one at a time or them all together, the cooking time has to be finely balanced for each layer.
4. LoopKitchen
How about transforming our kitchens into sustainable spaces as well? Seems like Danish startup Stykka comes from the same school of thought since they designed their innovative ‘LoopKitchen’.
Why is it noteworthy?
Crafted from birch plywood, LoopKitchen is a minimal and contemporary kitchen designed with recyclable parts, in an attempt to increase its lifespan. Although LoopKitchen is built primarily from birch plywood, the kitchen fronts can be finished in birch as well, or a Forbo linoleum which is available in 20 colors.
What we like
Designed with recyclable parts
Each physical manifestation of LoopKitchen has a digital twin
What we dislike
Not well suited for small compact kitchens
Space-consuming design
5. The Electrolux Adapted
The Electrolux Adapted is the kitchen essential of the future – compact, sleek, and ideal for tiny homes, this masterful concept is for the ‘singletons’ who want to make the most of a small kitchen. If you want to use the countertop for some real cooking, and don’t feel like cramping it with a gazillion appliances, then Adapted is the product for you!
Why is it noteworthy?
Electrolux Adapted is a premium hub that utilizes the vertical space in a kitchen to organize and hold all the important appliances you need on a daily basis. The system is made up of standardized modules that are mounted effortlessly on a backplate, completely eliminating the need for tools usually required for installation. The backplate supplies all the modules with water and electricity, in an attempt to support highly customizable arrangments.
What we like
Can either be mounted on a wall or placed as a free-standing product with an add-on furniture frame
All the modules are connected via an Electrolux app, allowing them to be used simultaneously or in sync, and enabling users to create their own personal routines
What we dislike
6. Byrne’s AI-generated Appliances
Catalan Architect Antoni Gaudi has been one of the most popular and decorated names when it comes to modernist works. What if he also designed much more mundane but still useful things? That is the idea behind this series of designs of regular household appliances based on Gaudi aesthetics using artificial intelligence image generator software.
Why is it noteworthy?
The different appliance designs have various flowing shapes and textured surfaces that bring to mind natural things like trees, caves, and other organic formations. But they have splashes of various colors to add to the opposite of minimalist aesthetics. The designs are combinations of various art styles like neo-gothic, art nouveau, and modernist, creating some interesting looking appliances like a toaster, a mixer, a vacuum cleaner, a microwave, a coffee machine, a kettle, an iron, a hair dryer, etc.
What we like
Make interesting conversation pieces
The designs are a twist on the otherwise typical and traditional kitchen appliances
What we dislike
They’re AI-generated, and not actual products yet
7. Mill
Mill is a trash can that not only keeps your leftovers from becoming too spoiled and stinky and turns them into actual chicken feed. And you don’t have to even leave your house for all of this to happen. The concept for this circular food waste device is from a former Apple engineer and the co-founder of Google Nest, Matt Rogers.
Why is it noteworthy?
This way the fish, produce, eggs, rinds, seeds, bones, and other food waste that you throw away can become food for chickens. Even things like napkins, filters, and paper towels can get in on the fun.
What we like
It also shrinks the waste so you won’t have an overflowing trash can
There’s also a coconut-based charcoal odor filter that will prevent your kitchen from stinking up
What we dislike
It is a bit expensive
Only available on a subscription basis
8. The Irogami Grater
They say that every little thing matters, and that’s especially true for garnishes and grated ingredients. Quite appropriately, this grater is also little, small enough to securely fit in the palm of your hand, almost like a toy. And just like a toy, it is designed to add a bit of fun to your kitchen and dining life while you add a bit of cheese or lemon zest to your dish.
Why is it noteworthy?
The irogami grater is simple in all aspects that you wonder why home kitchen graters aren’t made this way, too. Instead of multiple pieces of metal bent and curved at different places, the grater is a single sheet of aluminum alloy that curls backward in one corner. The design makes it look almost like a sheet of paper, particularly a colorful sticky note or memo pad, that speaks to both its playful and serious demeanor.
What we like
Compared to those cumbersome graters that you have to hold tight at their handles, this form gives you a firmer grip
Using this playful grater is like a game itself. Simply move the piece of cheese or stick of cinnamon from left to right and watch the tiny pieces fall down on your food
What we dislike
The grater doesn’t apply to all objects being grated
9. The 4T7 Smart Chopping Board
The 4T7 Smart Chopping Board is meant to help simplify every stage of meal prep and go beyond it as well. Made up of different parts, all the components of the chopping board come together to create a rather innovative, united, and creative product.
Why is it noteworthy?
The 4T7 breaks meal prep into its different components, adding good design and tech wherever necessary. The board comes with 4 distinct parts, a main bamboo chopping board, a secondary silver-ion anti-bacterial board for veggies to prevent cross-contamination, a third heat-conducting defrosting tray that helps rapidly thaw frozen foods, and lastly, the 4T7’s base, which has its own built-in weighing scale. The only part of the 4T7 experience to exist outside the actual board is its smartphone app, which counts calories as you weigh your ingredients. Once your prep work is done, the digital display on the 4T7 can also function as a kitchen timer, while the board itself becomes a magnetic knife holder.
What we like
All of 4T7’s components are designed to be wonderfully functional as independent items
The board works equally well for fruits/veggies as well as for meats
What we dislike
It precisely counts calories for you, which isn’t always the best route to healthy eating, since many users can get unhealthily hooked on counting calories
10. The Maruzara
Shaped like a small round plate instead of the typical rectangular sheet of metal, this grater is meant to sit on the table rather than be held up in the air like almost all other graters. Its small design makes it perfect to be placed right on the table, and the unique pattern of the blades gives it a distinctive look even when it’s just sitting unused.
Why is it noteworthy?
That blade arrangement isn’t just for show, though. Unlike a regular grater with rows of blades, you make circular movements to grate ingredients. Rather than falling through holes, the grated pieces accumulate at the sides in full, fluffy lumps. The repetitive action, rather than being tiring and burdensome, becomes almost a mindful practice that puts you in the moment.
What we like
Comes with a silicon rubber base that stops it from slipping on the table while you make your circling motions
What we dislike
It’s designed primarily for wasabi and daikon radish, making it a bit limited
Some people may prefer the form and structure of a traditional grater
Is there anything more festive than Champagne? This bubbly drink has the power to transform any humdrum gathering into a sparkling good time more than any other beverage, we’d argue. The beautiful glassware, the way the bubbles tickle your nose, the fact that we raise it in the air when voicing our hopes and well wishes — all of these things combine to give us the world’s happiest drink. Alone, Champagne is all of these things and more. But when you add to it a few more delicious ingredients, something magical happens.
While the fizzy sweetness of Champagne remains the star of the show, mixing it into cocktails allows other flavors to shine along with it and create a Champagne drink that matches the mood of your party perfectly. Feeling natural and sophisticated? Add a little elderflower and pear to your Champagne for a party on the veranda, overlooking the garden. In the mood for a little holly and jolly? Toss a candy cane in your flute for an extra Christmasy cocktail. (Who cares that the holiday is over? You still have all those candy canes to go through.)
While a glass of Champagne is fabulous on its own, these Champagne cocktail recipes will really liven up your party this New Year’s Eve.
Champagne cocktail tips and tricks
Each of the below recipes are for two cocktails, but they can easily be scaled up for a larger crowd.
If you’re hosting a larger crowd and don’t want to spend all evening playing bartender, you can mix large batches in pitchers or punch bowls. Just don’t add ice or the Champagne until serving because…
Champagne is best just after opening. To avoid losing any of those delicious bubbles, add the Champagne to the rest of the ingredients just before drinking.
If it’s a more casual get-together, a DIY Champagne cocktail bar is always a fun idea. Simply set up a bar station complete with clearly labeled ingredients, cocktail shaker, and a little sign with instructions. Guests will have a great time mixing their own drinks!
The bright and fruity freshness of elderflower is the perfect accent for crisp pear and sweet, bubbly Champagne. Together, they’re a burst of refreshment and flavor that make for the perfect party cocktail.
Ingredients:
2 ounces pear nectar
2 ounces St. Germaine elderflower liqueur
8 ounces chilled dry champagne or sparkling wine
Fresh pear, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)
Method:
Pour 1 ounce each of pear nectar and elderflower liqueur into two glasses and top with the champagne. Garnish each glass with a slice of pear and serve.
Elegant, simple, and timeless, this cocktail combines the earthy sweetness of fig with the sparkly pop of champagne. The result is exquisite and perfect for any holiday get-together.
Ingredients:
4fresh figs
4teaspoons sugar
3ounces vodka
8ounces champagne or sparkling wine
Method:
Into a cocktail shaker, put figs, sugar, and vodka and muddle until figs have released all of their juice.
Strain mixture into two coupe glasses and top with chilled champagne.
This gorgeously fruity Champagne cocktail is not only beautiful, but full of festive flavor. We love the combinations of fizz and fruit, accented by Champagne’s signature bubble.
Ingredients:
16 fresh mint leaves
4 tablespoonspomegranate juice
Juice from 1 orange, either regular or blood orange
2 ouncesCointreau
4 ounces ginger beer
Champagne or Prosecco, chilled, for topping
Pomegranate arils and orange slices, for serving
Method:
In a cocktail shaker, combine mint, juices, and Cointreau. Fill with ice and shake 1 minute.
Strain into two champagne or wine glasses filled with ice. Add the ginger beer and top with the champagne. Serve with pomegranate arils, orange slices, and mint.
Serve this beautiful beverage as either a cocktail or a dessert and we’re guessing your guests will be absolutely delighted. Feel free to mix up your fruit and sherbet varieties for lots of flavorfully festive combinations.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries,plus more for garnishing
1ouncelime juice
2 ounces vodka
2–6scoopsraspberry sherbet
Champagne
Fresh mint for garnishing(optional)
Method:
In two glasses, muddle together the raspberries, lime juice, and vodka.
This holiday cocktail is a little bit “on the nose” when it comes to festive drinks, but we don’t care. The refreshing peppermint and bubbly Champagne make for the most celebratory of combinations and we can’t get enough. (Bonus? The candy canes are on sale this week.)
Ingredients:
2 ounces White Creme de Cacao
10 ounces Champagne
2 candy canes, crushed (for the rim)
2 whole candy canes, for garnish
Method:
In a zip-top bag, crush 2 whole candy cane into a fine powder.
Dip the rims of your champagne flutes into a small dish of White Creme de Cocoa, then roll in the crushed candy canes.
Add White Creme de Cocoa to champagne flutes and top with chilled Champagne.
Every cook loves great gear and these next-level kitchen tools will upgrade your culinary … [+] experience.
Apres Supply Co
Once you have the essentials in your kitchen, then the fun really begins. That’s when you can start adding special equipment that makes cooking and baking easier and more stylish.
The following is my eclectic list of next-level kitchen tools. Some of the items on this list are things that I never thought that I would buy, and now that I have them, I cannot live without them.
The gorgeous handmade wooden biscuit cutters from Tennessee native Riley/Land come in a size for … [+] every biscuit maker and feel great in the hand.
Joseph Riley Land
Beautiful Handmade Wood
The Riley Land Collection is curated by Joseph Riley Land and each piece is sourced by him directly from the maker. The beautiful wooden biscuit cutter is a must have for any baker. If you make biscuits, or if you’ve always aspired to make biscuits, this is your new family heirloom.
The biscuit cutter is “ hands-down, my best selling item. It is my star…” said owner and founder Joseph Riley Land. Fittingly, the wood that the biscuit cutters are made from comes from his family farmland, and his neighbor Mr. A. makes them. The cutters come in black walnut, cherry and ambrosia-maple wood, as well as four sizes, the Riley/Land Biscuit Cutter, the Fat Cat, The Kittenhead, and the Cathead biscuit cutter. The biscuit cutters start at $18.
Super-premium Stella Falone kitchen products are made from the pieces of Ebony and American-walnut … [+] wood that are leftover after making Taylor Guitars.
Stella Falone
I think a few premium wood cutting boards are the most important upgrade in your kitchen after three really good knives. There are lots of cutting boards on the market—some are disposable and some are family heirlooms. If you invest in a really good cutting board, and take care of it, it will last you a lifetime. Two companies that make handcrafted cutting boards that are as beautiful as they are functional are The Boardsmith, and Stella Falone.
The Boardsmith is proud to be a “Mom and Pop” family business and they make each board by hand, paying careful attention to details like woodgrain direction and seamless joinery. This craftsmanship is recognized by many chefs and they have a loyal following. They use hardwoods including maple, cherry, and black walnut sourced from sawmills who use sustainable forestry practices (FSC). They will also engrave a name, initials or logo on the boards which is a very nice touch for yourself or your favorite cook. The boards start at $125 and can be purchased at theboardsmith.com
Do you love music and food? If so, there is a Stella Falone cutting board or paddle for you. Stella Falone was established by Bob Taylor, co-founder of Taylor Guitars. [ICYDK, Taylor Guitars is the leading acoustic guitar brand and they are played by many of the superstars in the music world, including Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney and Shawn Mendez.]
In an effort to minimize waste, Stella Falone uses the leftover pieces of Ebony and American-walnut wood from making the guitars, to make kitchen products. The cutting boards and wooden paddles are super-premium and absolutely gorgeous. The paddles and boards start at $59 and can be purchased at stellafalone.com
The Premium Grill Master apron is made of waxed recycled cotton with leather and brass accents and … [+] gets better the more you wear it.
Apres Supply Company
Clothes for the Cook
Every cook needs a bad-a** apron. And Apres Supply Co., is just that company. These are not your average, everyday aprons. The owner and creator of Apres aprons, Michael Wendland, was looking for a special apron as a gift for his wife, and when he couldn’t find what he was looking for he decided to create his own.
The aprons are made from premium materials including leather, waxed canvas, premium denim, recycled cotton, and premium cotton blends as well as brass grommets and heavy duty trims. And this could be the last apron that you ever buy, because they have a lifetime guarantee—something I have never heard of in the apron business. Apres offers free exchanges for the lifetime of the product, but the real reason to love it is that it’s both fashionable and functional.
If you’re looking for a seriously heavy-duty apron, the Premium Grill Master is like a Barbour coat for the outdoor cook. It is made of 16oz waxed recycled cotton with leather trims and interchangeable straps. You have an option to personalize the apron and it include a bottle opener.
The Premium Pizza Master apron is made of lighter-weight 10oz recycled cotton canvas and features two faux-fur lined pockets. If you live in the Northeast, Midwest, Canada or another cold and blustery area, you can put your hands in your pockets while you are waiting for your pizza or steak to cook, and keep them warm. Even if you don’t need the fur-lined pockets for warmth, they feel good and are a nice touch.
The premium aprons are competitively priced at $115.00 but there are other choices that start at $89.00. The aprons ship for free to anywhere in North America and come in a premium black gift box. They can be purchased at apressupply.com.
Frieling is well known in coffee circles for their heavy-duty insulated Double-Walled French Press … [+] and this fall, they added six decorator colors to the line.
Elizabeth Karmel
Coffee and Tea
Coffee and tea are two of the biggest rituals that come out of the kitchen. And, coffee snobs have long loved the French Press. Top on their list is the Frieling Double-Walled Stainless Steel French Press. The 100{d2b09b03d44633acb673e8080360919f91e60962656af8ade0305d5d8b7e4889} stainless steel French Press is double walled to keep the coffee hot longer. In fact, it keeps coffee hot four-times longer than glass French presses.
This fall, Frieling launched a double-walled French press in six colors so that you can add a pop of color to your morning ritual. The lacquered French presses hold 34 fluid ounces, have a double screen to filter out maximum sediment, and a no drip spout. The French Press can also be used for looseleaf tea and is a “top tip” for tea aficionados. The presses have a suggested retail price of $99.95.
Once you use an electric tea kettle to heat water for tea or your French press, you will never go back to a stovetop kettle. It is so much faster than waiting for the water to boil (on the stove).
If you’re looking for an electric tea kettle that looks as good as it performs, SMEG fits the bill. This is one of those appliances that I swore that I didn’t need. And then I fell in love with my red SMEG mini Tea kettle. The mini version offers the same 50s design in a compact size that is especially welcome when space is limited. The kettle sits on an anti-slip 360° chrome base and has a double-wall structure with a stainless-steel lining and water level markings inside.
The internal water level indicator is very helpful. I found that just above the minimum water mark is good for one cup, and filling it at the maximum water level is good for 3 cups of hot water. The mini SMEG electric kettle is available in seven colors including white, black, cream, pastel blue, pastel green, pink and red. The Mini kettle is available at Williams-Sonoma.com for a suggested retail price is $149.95. The SMEG Basic full-size kettle has a 56-ounce capacity and starts at $189.95.
Send a message with the ice in your drink with a customizable, monogrammed silicone ice-cube tray … [+] from Siligrams
Siligrams
The Ice Cube Makes The Drink
The cocktail ice-cube tray just got personal. Ice cubes make a big difference in your drink, especially if you are drinking whiskey on [one] rock. Siligrams has upgraded the silicone ice-cube mold with personalization. The trays are custom-made with your monogram, company logo, or a unique design.
The silicone ice-cube trays are easy to fill, and it is easy to release the cubes one-by-one as you need them. Siligrams makes the customizable ice cube trays in three square cube sizes as well as a “whiskey ball” mold, ice shot-glass mold and other shapes. You can also opt to buy the trays with or without a lid. But if you are going for a monogrammed ice cube tray, I say go all the way and order a lid. I really like the matching silicone lid that fits over the ice tray as it keeps the ice pristine. The trays start at $29.00 with free shipping and take about two weeks to customize.
The 3-cup Zojirushi rice cooker makes perfect rice and so much more including steel-cut oatmeal that … [+] you can set on a timer so that it is hot and ready to dish up when you wake up.
Zojirushi
Perfect Rice and Oatmeal Too
I admit that that until a few months ago I was the person who said they would never buy a rice cooker. I didn’t want another appliance that I only used a few times, but I finally had to come to grips with the fact that I am the world’s worst rice cooker, and I needed some help. My ‘in-the-know’ friend, Anthony, recommended Zojirushi and I soon discovered that if you buy the right rice cooker, you can also use it to cook oatmeal and grits among other grains.
You can also set the cooker on a timer and have hot oatmeal waiting for you in the morning. The rice—for the first time in my life—is fluffy and dry, and waking up to hot Scottish pinhead oatmeal is a game changer.
I purchased the 3-cup, Micom Rice Cooker and Warmer with both a GABA brown and steel-cut oatmeal setting. The rice cooker also has technology that they call fuzzy logic technology, which allows the rice cooker to cook all kinds of different grains, and ensure a consistent finished product even if you put too little or too much water in the machine.
The 3-cup capacity will make approximately 6 cups of cooked rice. It is lightweight and has a retractable cord which makes it very easy to store. Suggested retail is $157.99.
Smart Appliances
The ChefiQ Smart Thermometer not only monitors the internal temperature of the food but the app … [+] walks you through the cooking process.
Elizabeth Karmel
Using an app on your phone and wireless cooking thermometers are not new, but the CHEFiQ Smart Thermometer is the thinnest one on the market, and it is very smart. The diameter of the thermometer is important because you want to make as small a hole in your food as possible. The larger the hole, the more the internal juices can escape.
Besides the size of this clever device, it tracks the internal temperature in real time while your food cooks, and alerts you when it is time to take action. It is heat-safe up to 572°F and has an internal food temperature range of 32°F to 225°F making it a great choice for smoking barbecue meats that you want to temp over 200°F. The thermometer is safe to use on the grill, in the oven, and even in air fryers and deep fryers. The packaging is very sleek and the charging case is super premium with a cool silicone tray in the lid that fits 2 thermometers like a glove.
The thermometer was developed to work with the CHEFiQ app and that’s what makes it really smart. Using the app, the thermometer has the ability to guide you through the cooking process. Follow a few prompts such as type of meat, type of cut, thickness, cooking appliance, etc. and the thermometer will map out your recipe step-by-step, like GPS for cooks. The alerts include when to flip the food, if necessary, when to pull it off the heat and how long to let it rest.
Like all smart appliances, it needs to be fully charged and it takes some time to set up before your first use, but that’s true for any smart wireless appliance. The key to success is positioning the probe which needs to be fully inserted at the thickest point of the food so that none of the stainless steel is showing. Beware that inaccurate placement can cause inaccurate readings.
The app is user friendly and you can tell it was designed with the help of really good cooks. I have used it many times because the CHEFiQ Smart Cooker is my favorite pressure cooker, and the thermometer uses the same app. The app has hundreds of recipes created in-house by their expert test kitchen staff of former chefs, food magazine editors and recipe developers. The recipes work and there is a great variety.
Even if you cook for a living and don’t think you need one more recipe I guarantee you’ll find one that you will make over and over again. For me, it is the brilliantly simple and delicious Mushroom Bisque that I have made more times than I can count. The CHEFiQ thermometer and Smart Cooker will enhance your cooking experience and make you a better cook.
Besides the recipes, the multi-pot has an integrated scale for weighing ingredients, more than 100 built-in presets and functions for virtually every cooking need including sous vide.
It’s a smart appliance, and what that means is that it just keeps getting better as the company creates updates. You don’t have to buy a new appliance, you just update your smart cooker with the over-the-air firmware updates and this is exactly the same for the thermometer.
This fun interactive kitchen appliance makes anything you can freeze into a creamy treat from a can … [+] of fruit or a carton of store-bought yogurt to from-scratch custards, gelatos and boozy cocktails.
Ninja Creami
Turn Your Kitchen into an Ice Cream Shoppe
Making ice cream at home has never been easier and the new Ninja Creami Deluxe 11-in-1 Ice-Cream Maker now makes frozen boozy drinks. The Creami is known for turning just about anything into ice cream, including cans of fruit. It is fun to use and makes a pint at a time so you can experiment with just about anything that you want to eat creamy, cold and frozen.
The premise is simple. You freeze the base for 24 hours—ice cream custard or whatever you want to make into a frozen treat/ice cream—and the paddle of the Creami literally “creamerizes” the contents. The new Creami Deluxe can also spin slushies, make Italian ice, frozen yogurt and creamy coffee drinks. There is a setting for mix-ins and this is where the fun begins. Make a simple base like vanilla and add your favorite toppings, candy, sauce etc., to unleash your inner Ben and Jerry and customize it how you like it.
For those who prefer it super creamy, there’s a new re-spin function to make a creamier soft- serve style ice cream. The Creami Deluxe has a suggested retail price of $249.99
