After Years Working in Restaurants, These Are the Kitchen Shortcuts I Still Use Every Day

From cutting perfectly uniform onion slices to executing flawless poached eggs, chefs can seemingly do it all. Having spent more than a decade working in restaurants, I can attest to their super powers, but I can also tell you firsthand: it’s a team effort. And part of that team, alongside a rockstar crew, are the many clever kitchen tools that would help get us through hundreds of brunch orders in mere hours. 

After working my way around the restaurant biz as a bartender, waitress, baker, expo, and brunch manager, I’ve learned a thing or two, and it’s the often-overlooked tools, gadgets, and systems that keep restaurant kitchens running through the chaotic mayhem that is service. 

Whether it’s keeping all of your favorite hot sauces nearby in a GET stainless steel condiment caddy or prepping ingredients in classic Pyrex glass mixing bowls, there are a lot of habits home cooks can adopt from the professionals. Ever wondered how some elegant dishes are perfectly balanced? It’s likely with the help of Jetkong kitchen tweezers, or simple $5 Dujen bamboo tongs.

Best Time-Saving Prep and Kitchen Organization Tools

Before you even get started on cooking, you need an organized workspace. It’s all about efficiency and, ideally, everything you’ll need for your recipe is within reach (and sight) so you won't need to rummage through the cupboard or swing open the fridge door every other minute. Prep as much as you can ahead of time with Libbey prep bowls and portion out seasonings into a few Le Creuset Vancouver pinch bowls. Keep all your tools just a spin away with a large Cooler Kitchen rotating utensil caddy and store your knives close by on the Wüsthof magnetic knife rack. 

• Pyrex Essentials 3-Piece Glass Measuring Cups Set, $26 at amazon.com
• Whysko 5-Piece Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl Set, $28 at amazon.com
• Pyrex Essentials 3-Piece Glass Mixing Bowls Set, $18 at amazon.com
• Le Creuset Vancouver Pinch Bowls, Set of 6, $30, originally $42 at lecreuset.com
• FineDine Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls, Set of 6, $30 at amazon.com
• Libbey Small Glass Prep Bowls with Lids, Set of 8, $30 at amazon.com
• Cooler Kitchen Large Rotating Utensil Caddy, $20, originally $27 at amazon.com
• Oggi Stainless Steel Jumbo Utensil Holder, $25 at amazon.com
• GET Stainless Steel Round Condiment Caddy, $16 at amazon.com
• Deco Brothers 3-Tier Hanging Fruit Basket, $20 at amazon.com
• Wüsthof 14-Inch Satin Finish Magnetic Knife Rack, $75 at williams-sonoma.com
• Simple Houseware Under Shelf Basket, Set of 2, $20 at amazon.com
• Anchor Hocking 6-Piece Prep Bowl Set, $17 at amazon.com
• OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Rotating Utensil Holder, $27 at amazon.com

FineDine Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls, Set of 6

$30 at Amazon

Stainless steel mixing bowls are just as common as cast iron skillets in commercial kitchens, and chefs would be lost without them. A good quality mixing bowl has enough weight to stay put on the countertop, and this FineDine set can endure rigorous mixing and kneading. It comes with 6 sizes, ranging from a small half-quart container to a 5-quart bowl, and each nests into each other so you can keep the countertop clear.

Le Creuset Vancouver Pinch Bowls, Set of 6

$42

$30 at Le Creuset

You can’t go wrong with Le Creuset stoneware, and while it’s a little fancy to have in a hectic, accident-prone kitchen, these small pinch bowls are perfect for prepping meals at home. Restaurants will often use small stainless steel containers to serve condiments and sides of sauces, but as one shopper pointed out, those are “hard to clean and felt more sterile like a restaurant,” whereas these colorful Le Creuset pinch bowls work just as well if not better.

Best Kitchen and Food Storage Upgrades

While restaurants typically plan to feed a lot more than the average household, there are some clever food storage tricks that work just as efficiently at home. Anyone who has lived with a chef has probably found dozens of Freshware deli containers around the kitchen, but that’s just one of the easy ways chefs store bulk ingredients. Food storage containers lined with Reynolds parchment paper stop sticky mishaps, while the OXO squeeze bottle set helps you avoid drowning salads in dressing, and you won’t make it rain rice every time you grab a cup with the Lifewit rice dispenser. 

• Reynolds Kitchens Unbleached Parchment Paper Roll, $3 at amazon.com
• Williams Sonoma Squeeze Bottle, $10 at williams-sonoma.com
• OXO Chef's 6-Ounce Squeeze Bottle, $8 at oxo.com
• OXO Outdoor Leakproof Squeeze Bottle Set, $13 at amazon.com
• Pinnacle Mercantile 16-Ounce Condiment Squeeze Bottles, Set of 6, $18 at amazon.com
• Rubbermaid Brilliance Glass Food Storage Containers, Set of 9, $65, originally $80 at amazon.com
• Freshware 32-Ounce Food Storage Deli Containers, Set of 24, $15, originally $17 at amazon.com
• Cambro 4-Quart Food Storage Container with Lid, Set of 2, $30 at amazon.com
• Svklhy 4-Quart Commercial Food Storage Containers, Set of 8, $40, originally $50 at amazon.com
• Lifewit 25-Pound Rice Dispenser, $27, originally $30 at amazon.com
• Progressive ProKeeper 6-Piece Kitchen Storage Canister Set, $58 at amazon.com
• Williams Sonoma Glass Olive Oil Dispenser, $35 at williams-sonoma.com
• ATL Direct Dissolvable Food Labels, 1,000-Pack, $25 at amazon.com
• OXO POP Container 6‑Piece Bulk Set, $50 with coupon, originally $56 at amazon.com

Progressive ProKeeper 6-Piece Kitchen Storage Canister Set

$58 at Amazon

There are so many different ways to store food in the pantry, but finding the balance between perfectly airtight and easy to access is surprisingly difficult. This 6-piece kitchen storage set is specifically designed with bulk storage in mind, and it will keep your flour, sugar, cereal, oats, and all your favorite baking goods fresh. Easily shake sprinkles onto ice cream sundaes with the 1.5-cup containers, and carefully portion out cups of flour thanks to the leveling bar. Even your brown sugar will be safe from humidity — the set also includes a clever Terra Cotta brown sugar keeper. 

OXO Chef's 6-Ounce Squeeze Bottle

$8 at Oxo

I’m not sure why more household kitchens haven’t adopted the use of squeeze bottles, but once you make the swap, you’ll kick yourself thinking back to all of the fancy olive oil you’ve accidentally poured down your arm and salads you’ve overdressed. The pointed tip controls the amount of oil, chocolate, mustard, or whatever it is you’re squeezing onto your plate, and the attached cap eliminates the greasy messes you’re used to. The OXO squeeze bottle makes it possible to drizzle anything one-handed, and it’s “easier than spreading with spatula” as one shopper shared. 

Best Specialty Kitchen Gadgets 

Some of the most-used kitchen tools in restaurants are the most unexpected. Rather than the flashy appliances and gadgets you might expect behind the line, chefs rely on Jetkong stainless steel tweezers, simple kitchen shears, and the best fish spatulas. These simple,but clever, kitchen gadgets make cooking easier and plating much more precise. Whether you’re checking temperatures, zesting citrus, or plating a finished dish, these are the tools that help make it happen.

• Edlund Heavy Duty Locking Gripper Tongs, $14 at amazon.com
• Jetkong 12-Inch Stainless Steel Kitchen Tweezers, Set of 2, $10, originally $14 at amazon.com
• OXO Restaurant Turner, $18 at oxo.com
• Misen Fish Spatula, $19 at misen.com
• All-Clad Stainless-Steel Strainer, Set of 3, $130 at williams-sonoma.com
• OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Multi-Purpose Scraper, $12 at amazon.com
• KitchenAid All Purpose Kitchen Shears, $8, originally $9 at amazon.com
• Dujen Bamboo 10-Inch Tongs, Set of 2, $5 at amazon.com
• Microplane Premium Classic Series Zester, $18, originally $19 at amazon.com
• Williams Sonoma Olivewood Offset Icing Spatula, $25 at williams-sonoma.com
• Hiash 9-Inch Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Kitchen Tongs, $10 at amazon.com
• KitchenAid Silicone Stainless Steel Tongs, $13, originally $19 at amazon.com
• De Buyer Perforated Tart Ring, Set of 3, $70 at williams-sonoma.com
• TempPro Digital Meat Thermometer, $14, originally $20 at amazon.com
• ChefAide 5-Piece Silicone Spatula Set, $9, originally $13 at amazon.com
• King Arthur Baking Company Offset Spatula, $11 at amazon.com
• Donxote Wooden 16.5-Inch Cooking Chopsticks, Set of 2, $6 at amazon.com

Jetkong 12-Inch Stainless Steel Kitchen Tweezers, Set of 2

$14

$10 at Amazon

Kitchen tweezers may be the most-grabbed tool in restaurant kitchens, and it plays a big part in delivering guests that iconic, photo-ready dish. Whether it’s carefully dropping a microgreen garnish atop a plate or helping keep chicken skin intact in a frying pan, Jetkong tweezers can get in where fingers can’t. 

Microplane Premium Classic Series Zester

$19

$18 at Amazon

Aside from butter, citrus is one of the more simple, not-so-secret ingredients that can make an average dish taste restaurant-worthy. A squeeze of lemon will do wonders, but fresh lemon zest is in a league of its own. With a Microplane zester, that simple recipe addition is totally feasible at home, and there are nearly 10,000 ratings backing this little tool. Beyond bits of sour citrus, a zester can grate the perfect amount of cheese, garlic, spices, or even chocolate for a sweet finish. 

Best Kitchen Cleanup Gear

As much as it pains staff post-service, restaurants don’t save cleanup until the morning after. Chefs are impulsively wiping down surfaces by the minute with Utopia Towels bar mops and keeping countertops dry with a Kohler kitchen squeegee. Once the night comes to an end, a Grillart grill brush helps ensure nothing gets left on the grill and Bar Keepers Friend cleanser keeps stainless steel appliances and tools looking shiny and new. 

• Grillart Grill Brush and Scraper, $22 at amazon.com
• Homaxy Cotton Waffle Dish Cloths, Set of 6, $9, originally $13 at amazon.com
• Utopia Towels Kitchen Bar Mops, 12-Pack, $19, originally $30 at amazon.com
• HDX Easy-Tear Microfiber Cloth Roll, $10 at homedepot.com
• Utopia Towels Blue Dishcloth, 12-Pack, $17, originally $20 at amazon.com
• Goo Gone Spray Adhesive Remover Gel, $18 at amazon.com
• Epica Countertop Compost Bin Kitchen, $30, originally $40 at amazon.com
• Williams Sonoma Signature Linen Apron, $40 at williams-sonoma.com
• Zep Foaming Wall Cleaner, $7 at homedepot.com
• Bar Keepers Friend Powder Cleanser, 2-Pack, $16 at amazon.com
• Williams Sonoma Classic Stripe Towels, Set of 4, $25 at williams-sonoma.com
• Lalastar 1.8-Gallon Hanging Trash Can, $27 at amazon.com
• Kohler Surface Swipe Kitchen Squeegee, $14 at homedepot.com
• Goderewild Collapsible Dish Basin with Drain Plug, $14, originally $16 at amazon.com
• Williams Sonoma Grilling Apron, $40 at williams-sonoma.com
• Rachael Ray Garbage Bowl 4-Piece Food Prep Set, $40 at amazon.com

Utopia Towels Blue Dishcloth, 12-Pack

$20

$17 at Amazon

While I have happily adopted the mise en place approach to cooking, consistently tidying up as I prep isn’t a habit that’s stuck. In an effort to avoid a sinkful of dishes and endless sticky surfaces, I’ve at least started to catch spills the moment they drop. These classic kitchen towels are 100% cotton, making them super easy to clean, and they somehow always seem to remain presentable after a quick wash. I always have a stack of these incredible absorbent dishcloths in the kitchen for cleaning, drying, or quickly grabbing a hot pot lid. 

Goo Gone Spray Adhesive Remover Gel

$18 at Amazon

Goo Gone is one of my secret cleaning weapons that I have to completely credit to my wise restaurant industry predecessors. When tasked with removing all things sticky, gunky, and just plain disgusting from countertops, tables, or wherever, Goo Gone was the only thing that would work on the toughest of mystery blobs. A few sprays of the bestselling gel can soften spilled candle wax, stubborn grease, tape residue from who-knows-when, and even ancient gum stuck underneath tabletops.