Matty Matheson

Amazon

Bookshop.org

Ammu

Ethiopia

Africana

Chicken and Charcoal

The Outdoor Kitchen

Charred

Mi Cocina

Persiana

Bavel

Cook This Book

Diasporican

Foodheim

Home Style Cookery 

In Bibi's Kitchen

An Invitation to Indian Cooking

Mezcla

Mission Vegan

Momofuku

Motherland

Night + Market

Ottolenghi Simple

A Super Upsetting Cookbook About Sandwiches

Win Son Presents: A Taiwanese American Cookbook

The Family Meal

The Food of Sichuan

The Modern Larder

The Woks of Life

The Tucci Cookbook

Turkey and the Wolf

Xi'an Famous Foods

A Good Bake

All Under Heaven

Veg-Table

Start Here

Make It Fancy

I love watching Matty make food. He's got this magnetism about him that makes you want to watch everything he does — food-related or otherwise. So, naturally I expected the recipes in his book about cooking for his family to be bold and loud and personal, just maybe toned down a bit for home cooks. What I feel like I got was a strange juxtaposition of white tablecloth and blue collar that never quite made sense.

I'd totally expect that he cooks like this at home given his history in French restaurants like Le Select and La Palette, but I think the majority of his audience wouldn't see these as comforting, home style dishes and they almost certainly wouldn't associate them with the kind of personality they expect from Matty.

Escali

LB-3000

Nutro

Primo

Stela

KQ909

KQ908

KD-8000

11lb Scale

5lb Scale

Pronto

3817

1250

Enfinigy

This is just what you'd expect from a scale and nothing extra. There are a lot of things I'd love to change about it, but it genuinely nails its bang-for-the-buck intention.

Sohla El-Waylly

This is a hefty book with lots of pictures, bold text, and super nerdy, science-y know-how. On top of that, it's split evenly between savory and desserts so you'll learn a lot of basic techniques in both worlds. 

But the real question is, "would a beginner benefit from this book?" Personally, I think that as a first-time cook, you’d basically need to cook through the book sequentially, repeating recipes often, to feel like you really understand what’s happening. 

That being said, I do think if you’re an elementary home cook today: meaning you already know what could happen if you leave milk heating on a stove unattended, but want a college level cooking 101 course to up your game and cook with the big dogs, then Start Here is a great book to add to your shelf.

This book takes more work to use than a lot of cookbooks. But that's because learning something is harder than just getting *a* meal to the table.

Sohla admirably goes out of her way to really teach home cooks as much as could reasonably be packed into a single volume (TWICE the size of a typical cookbook) about the WHY of cooking and not just the HOW of a meal.

My only concern is if the sometimes underwhelming flavors will put off home cooks who just invested way more time than would be typical for many books to get a meal out.

Steph

Cult Flav

Essential Apron

Crossback Apron

Supply Apron

Neon Chef Apron

Lowboy Apron

Luxe Chef Apron

Utility Apron

Beelzebib

I love the colors and the design.  There are plenty of pockets and in all the in the right places.  The long strings around the waist are much appreciated. I bought one of each.  The best part - they're made here in the USA.  I try to buy products made in the US - I don't recall seeing this detail when ordering (I may have missed it), so I was pleasantly surprised - made the higher price completely worth it.  

Pink

Black

Lamson

Meiji 10" Chef's Knife

Classic 210mm Chef's Knife

Spartan Ghost Chef's Knife 8"

8" Chef's Knife

The 8" Knife

Professional Series 8" Chef's Knife (MTH-80)

Premier Chef's 8"

Everyday Chef's Knife

Classic Ikon 8" Chef's Knife

Förslag 3-pc Knife Set

Rosewood 8" Chef's Knife

French Chef's Knife

Classic Chef's 8"

Vardagen Chef's Knife 8"

Briljera Chef's Knife 8"

Vörda Chef's Knife 8"

365+ Chef's Knife 8"

Pro Le Blanc 8" Chef's Knife

365+ 6" Utility Knife

Birchwood SG2 8" Chef's Knife

Black 5000MCD67 8" Gyuto

G-56 7" Santoku

G-2 8" Chef's Knife

GU-02 8" Asian Chef's Knife

210mm Ginsan Gyuto

Chef's Knife

Graphite 8" Chef's Knife (+ 13-pc set)

8” Brad Leone Signature Series Chinese Santoku Cleaver

7.25" Chef Series

8" Chef Knife

Koh 8" Gyuto

Kanso 8" Chef's Knife

Fibrox 8" Chef's Knife

Classic 6" Chef's Knife

Just like the Kramer by Zwilling, I initially expected this knife to be all flash and no filler. I was wrong again.

In fact, I only really have two complaints against it whatsoever: 1. it's a little too big for some people's hands, and 2. the metal reverberates like sheet metal when it's tapped against something. That's not really a problem per se — I was actually super impressed with its balance of lightness and edge retention — but it feels a little too cheap for a knife at this price point.

But other than those couple of nits that I couldn't help but pick at, I've actually grown quite fond of this big, goofy knife. It's friendly in a way that a lot of kitchen tools aren't — just like its big, goofy namesake.

It's too big for my hands, but it's a fun bench scraper / knife combo.

I absolutely love this knife - I bought a version of this as my first "real" knife back in 2020 and it's been my daily driver ever since.

The most important thing to address in opinion is "how does this knife feel in hand? " And honestly, this is an extremely fun knife to use. Despite it's size, it is surprisingly maneuverable and light weight. It is a perfect work horse for prep work of veggies, meats, (almost anything tbh) and for me it gives me the right leverage for handling most cutting jobs. Also, because of it's size, you feel like a badass using it.

Cons for me - on my version the handle is fine but I'd prefer a different shape. Also, over the time I've had this knife, it has been a little difficult to take care of the wood that Lamson used. Another note, over the past few years, the knife has had some tarnishing and staining (I personally don't mind but it's something to note)

All in all - I think this is a fun knife to have in your kit. Especially for the cost I think you get a good bang for your buck

Peter

Putnam

Large Bowl 01

A little spendy, but it's handmade by one of my favorite ceramicists: Ryan Putnam.

I love this collection where he stencils dithered patterns onto his ceramics for a lovely, vibe-y mashup of digital and analog aesthetics.

Cult Flav's 2023 Honorable Mentions

Acids

Aprons

Chef's Knives

Chili Oils

Cookbooks

Cooking Utensils

Cutting Boards

Dutch Ovens

Food Storage

Graters

Hand Blenders

Instant Noodles

Instant Thermometers

Kitchen Scales

Knife Sharpening

Knife Storage

Leave-in Thermometers

Oils

Peelers

Plating Utensils

Presses

Saucepans

Saute Pans

Serving Bowls

Sheet Pans

Skillets

Soy Sauces

Spice Grinders

Stockpots

Vinegars

Wearables

Hitohira

Bernal Cutlery

210mm Heavy Cleaver

220mm Chukka Bocho

210mm Gyuto

180mm Santoku

If you have the money, go buy one of these today. This thing is a hidden gem and more people should have them.

Feels like a fucking razor and holds an edge like nothing I've used before.

I love the shape. I love the size. I love the feel. It's not the prettiest knife, but it sure ain't bad. It's simple, useful, and probably a great first carbon steel knife if that's something you're interested in.

Update: The problem is — as with many Japanese knives — they're unique and so they sell out quickly. The link is already dead and it's sold out the manufacturer's site too. Looks like a couple other knife shops have stock and they'll probably change over time. Good luck!

This little baddie is my carbon steel go-to for daily use. 

I love how light this knife is, and the shorter blade and razor edge  gives me the extra confidence I need when tackling a new knife skill.

The only down side is how brittle this knife is, and being that it's carbon steel it does need dried off immediately.

Teakhaus

Cookin' Cut Synthetic Rubber Cutting board 

Hinoki Cutting Board

R01 Maple Edge Grain Cutting Board

Cutting Board

Chopping Block

FRK20 Soft Cutting Board

Aptitlig

Finfordela Flexible Chopping Board

Proppmatt Beechwood Cutting Board

Skogsta Acacia Cutting Board

reBoard Recycled Plastic Cutting Board

Edge Grain Cutting Board

Hi-Soft Cutting Board

A low-cost, nice hardwood cutting board. It's made of a fairly soft teak, so it's relatively gentle on knives (but also gets beat up pretty easily). 

We found that it has a slight odor that can be difficult for those with sensitivity to smells...

I'd love for it to be a little thicker, but I suspect it's thinness is why it's so cheap.

Fuchsia Dunlop

The flavors in these recipes are complex, spicy, rich, and inviting. Nearly every dish we made was perfectly balanced between spicy and numbing or sour and sweet. 

Not only does Fuchsia take the time to break down everything from common tools to pantry staples found in traditional Sichuanese cooking, she also includes unique and entertaining anecdotes about each recipe.

Tovolo

Jar Scraper Spatula

Yes, we need to replace this spatula, but I couldn't replace it without mentioning that this is hands down my favorite spatula, and it's lasted us 5 years! 

Obviously, this will be the final sendoff, but I love how nimble and lightweight this little silicone jar scraper is. 

I think the cracks and bumps are the testament to how much I've relied on this thing so I'll just leave it at that.




Staub

3.5qt Signature Round Dutch Oven

4qt Cocotte with Glass Lid

The Dutchess

Staub and Le Creuset have been at each other's throats for as long as I can remember. With this pot, I think there's finally a clear reason (lol) to pick one or the other.

Creusaders all clamor for the two-tone gradients and that white interior that makes it easier to see fond developing. Meanwhile, Staub devotees will (accurately) claim that the texture of the Staub makes the black color worth it.

I think Staub's got a good claim to best texture, but not because of the browning that everyone talks about... It's all about the way it wears. Le Creuset's smooth finish is prone to crazing. Hell, if you look at it wrong in the first couple months, you'll wake up to find a web-like network of hairline cracks spread across the whole pan.

Staub's finish isn't prone to crazing and in-fact, because of the quartzite embedded in it, it grinds down rather than chipping and cracking. Frankly, it's a huge improvement for both beginners AND experienced dutch oven enthusiasts. 

On top of that, they went ahead and tacked on a glass lid, which is far superior to a solid cast iron lid for most tasks. 

Pack it up folks, this game's over and it's not close.

Shapton

Horl 2

Diamond Rolling Knife Sharpener Set

Ha No Kuromaku #5000 Ceramic Water Stone

Ha No Kuromaku #1000 Ceramic Water Stone

Gouken Fuji #8000 Ceramic Finishing Stone

Professional #3000 Ceramic Water Stone

Professional #800 Ceramic Water Stone

Gouken Kurouto #1000 Ceramic Water Stone

71671 Sharpening Stone Sink Bridge

71013 Sharpening Stone Holder

Sharpening Stone Holder

Glass #1000 Ceramic Water Stone

Rubberized Cork Strop

Sink Bridge

Flattening Stone

A great beginner's stone. It's got excellent responsiveness for a #1000 grit stone. Splash-and-go is the only thing I'd recommend for newcomers because it's so much less hassle. Love the vented drying case (but I wouldn't use it as a stone holder).

KitchenAid

I adore this scale and it all comes down to the knob. I spend a lot of time switching modes on scales and accidentally passing the one I want, but it's literally impossible to miss on this scale. Not to mention, the tare being just a press on the knob is super clever.

It's unique as a modern design, convenient, easy to use, and has all the major details I need. The only additional feature I'd love would be 10ths or 100ths of a gram. Really a great scale — especially for the price.

reviews

recipes

guides

reviews