Different types of Kitchen Hand Tools & Small Equipment

All kitchen staff should be familiar with the different types of hand tools and small equipment used in their respective work area. They should also be able to properly handle them while cooking, should be of good quality, stand long enough, safe to use, know how to use and most importantly know the purpose of each such tools and equipment.

There are many types of hand tools and small utensils used in the hotel kitchen. This equipment helps the kitchen staff or chefs in different day to day activities like measure, prepare, cook, and serve food. It is very important to know what they are called, where they are stored or kept in the kitchen, and how to properly use and clean them.

The chef or sous chef should choose this equipment carefully and inspect them to ensure the proper usage, cleaning, storage and maintenance is done on regular basis.

1) Ball cutter / Melon Ball Scoop / Parisienne knife:

A sharp-edged scoop or cup-shaped, half sphere implement used for cutting fruits and vegetable into small balls. Normally used by the Garde Manger Chef.

2) Cooks Fork / Meat Turner:

Cook equipment used for lifting and turning meat and other items must be strong enough to hold heavy loads.

3) Straight spatula or palette spatula knife:

A 2 to 3 cm. wide, flexible handled blade with a rounded, unsharpened end used for manipulating foods such as spreading and for smoothing icings on cakes and for mixing and scraping bowls.

4) Offset spatula:

Used for turning and lifting eggs, pancakes and meat on the griddle, grills, sheet pans, and so on. It can also be used as a scraper to clean bench or griddle.

5) Sandwich scrapper:

With a blade length of 3 1/2" and handle Length of 4" which is used for spreading filling and spread on the sandwich. 

6) Rubber Spatula:

A broad, flexible plastic or rubber scraper, that is rectangular in shape with a curve on one side, used to scrapping bowl and pans—also used for folding in eggs foam or whipping cream 

7) Pie server:

Pie Server a wedge-shaped offset spatula. Boasting a solid blade and classic triangular shape, the pie server makes it easy to pick up a slice and move it onto a plate. Plus, its edge can be used to cut through crusts and create even slices into the pie. 

8) Bench scraper:

A broad, rectangular stiff piece of metal with a wooden handle on one edge used to cut pieces of dough and to scrape workbenches.

9) Pastry wheel or wheel knife:

A round, rotating blade plain or plated with a handle used to cut rolled- out dough pastries, and baked pizzas etc.

10) Spoon, solid, slotted:

Used for stirring, mixing, and serving. Slated and perforated spoon is used when liquid must be arranged from solid materials. 

11) Skimmer:

Used for sliming froth from liquid and for removing solid pieces from soup, stock and other liquids. 

12) Tongs:

Used to pick up and handle food in the kitchen. 

13) Wire whip:

Heavy whip is straight, stiff and have relatively few wires and used for general mixing, stirring and beating—especially heavy liquid. Balloon whip or piano wire wipes have many flexible wires and is used for whipping egg, cream, hollandaise, and for mixing thinner liquids. 

14) China cup:

Is used for straining stocks, soup, sauces, and other liquids. Pointed shapes allow cooks to drain liquid through a relatively small opening. 

15) Fine chine cup or chinois:

Is normally used when great clarity or smoothness is required in a liquid.

16) Round bottom cup shape strainer:

Used for straining pasta, vegetables etc. 

17) Sieve:

A screen- type mesh supported by a round metal frame used for sifting dry ingredients like starch and flour.

18) Colander:

A perforated bowl of varying sizes made of stainless steel, aluminum or plastic used to drain washed or cooked vegetables, green salad, pasta, and other foods 

19) Food mill:

A device with hand- turned blade that forces food through a perforated disk that is interchangeable with different coarseness or fineness reduce a solid to small, fine pieces or powdery particles like vegetables, coffee, pepper, spices, etc.

20) Grater:

A four-sided metal box with grids of varying sizes. Used for shredding and grating vegetables, cheese, citrus rinds, and other foods. 

21) Zester:

A small fine-toothed metal grater often mounted on a wooden or plastic handle to remove the zest or coloured portions of citrus peels in thin strips.

22) Pastry bag and tubes:

A funnel-like or cone-shaped cloth or plastic bag with an open end that can be fitted with metal or plastic tubes or tips of varying sizes and designs.