5@5 – Unconventional kitchen tools – Eatocracy

July 6th, 2011

05:00 PM ET

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5@5 - Unconventional kitchen tools

5@5 is a daily, food-related list from chefs, writers, political pundits, musicians, actors, and all manner of opinionated people from around the globe.

When it comes to cooking, sometimes chefs must channel their inner MacGyver: tweezers for delicate garnishes when fingers tremble a bit too much; blowtorches on crème brûlée for that even, Amélie-approved crust; shoes when there isn't a corkscrew nigh.

And now, thanks to James Beard winner RJ Cooper, executive chef of the soon-to-open Rogue 24 in Washington, D.C., you too can get a little wack-a-doo at your next dinner party for spontaneity's and creativity's sake.

Five Non-Traditional Serving Methods for Your Next Dinner Party: RJ Cooper

1. Stainless Steel Cocktail Picks
"Sleek and shiny, these barware slivers are super sexy - much more fun than traditional wooden or bamboo toothpicks. They're the perfect way to enjoy canapés or a one-bite, layered course. Best of all, they are reusable."

2. Surgical Tongs
"Raw, sliced proteins should be enjoyed without simultaneously experiencing a mouthful of silverware. If you're offering guests ceviche, beef carpaccio, or sashimi, surgical tongs offer an easy and elegant way to enjoy these types of dishes.

You may even find yourself replacing chopsticks with surgical tongs. Who cares if it's 'cheating?'"

3. Test tubes
"Want to inject a little impressive whimsy to your soups and other drinkable courses? Test tubes enable you to display layered ingredients, creating an attractive course. Fun to look at and dissect with the eyes, then down with one gulp."

4. Salt stones
"Restaurant and home chefs can heat these stones to a very high temperature, allowing you to 'grill' fish and other meats at the table. This makes a dinner party or any Tuesday night more interactive.Think fondue pot and hibachi grill fun, but you're cooking with a stone.

And if you throw some herbs on these stones they'll smolder — the smoke helps raise a dish's flavor profile."

5. Slate
"For certain foods, slate is the perfect way to present them to your guests. The material has an earthy effect, which really helps take a dish back to nature. Also, the aroma of slate has a dirt-like essence - kind of like Burgundy wine - that can make the right dish more earthy.

On the practical side, you can also write on slate with chalk to label or add something fun to the dish."

Is there someone you'd like to see in the hot seat? Let us know in the comments below and if we agree, we'll do our best to chase 'em down.

Posted by: Eatocracy Editors
Filed under: 5@5 • Think

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soundoff (11 Responses)

Brandt

Food presented in the style he is going for can be exceptionally fun and emotionally involving. As someone who has eaten at a number of the best restaurants in the world, I can assure you that the tools, presentation and overall atmosphere has an enormous effect on the experience of eating a long form tasting menu.

The easy solution is don't go to his restaurant and don't go to Alinea and don't go to Per Se (or The French Laundry) and don't go to Noma and don't go to minibar and don't go to El Bulli. Problem solved, molecular gastronomy will have effectively disappeared and you will be able to continue on in your world where everything is always the same.

July 8, 2011 at 10:12 am |
Ant928

All I saw is a pretentious fat f*ck who is trying to hide his abilities behind "whimsey"...between this and molecular gastronomy...you gots to go!

July 7, 2011 at 9:32 am |
- Natt@Ant928
  
  You fail in the basic ability to comprehend what you have read. Here is a beaker full of stfu battery acid for you to imbibe.
  
  July 8, 2011 at 10:21 am |
Not hungry anymore

Very misleading story... Would have expected how to save the day type of hints.... New title please!

July 7, 2011 at 8:04 am |
Jon's Musings

I like restaurants that think outside the box and do things differently. And it's not like these new and sometimes bizarre things are bad because if they were then you'd hear about mass illness' and restaurants being shut down. No, what you hear is how these weird ways are spreading and becoming popular. I love it!

July 6, 2011 at 10:59 pm |
Booo

Misleading. When you say "Kitchen McGyver," that implies being able to whip up great meals with unassuming or common objects/ingredients. These are all things I have to go out and buy!

I'm going to go back to putting garlic powder on everything I make until someone gives me better tips...

July 6, 2011 at 7:35 pm |
- Jena
  
  I'm right there with you. I thought for sure it would read like, "Can't find the can opener? Use this tool!" and "Can't run to the store for more white wine and the recipe calls for it? Substitute this." Or "Here's a creative way to make meals using a toaster, a clothespin and a vegetable peeler." Come on, don't call it MacGyver - I've used the metal picks, SINCE 2005. I've seen the test tubes being used for shots at sleazy bars - and that was closer to 10 years ago. The tongs are od news - everyone uses tongs for something. Who buys slate? And last, how is it MacGuyver to cook on a stone? That's just a chef's trick, used forever. I got my first pizza stone when I was in high school, and it didn't take any MacGyver skills to figure out how to use it for other things. No improvisation there at all. NOT MACGYVER!!! BOOOOO!!!!!!
  
  July 7, 2011 at 9:35 am |
RichardHead

What's next–Bed Pans to serve Nacho's in?

July 6, 2011 at 5:24 pm |
- jujubeans
  
  good one!
  
  July 6, 2011 at 7:24 pm |