After studying economics and finance in Sydney and taking up virtual cooking lessons, Vhonne Yao found it challenging to build up his kitchen arsenal in Manila.
He surmised that the available merchandise catered to gizmo junkies rather than dedicated culinary students or professional cooks.
Yao’s father, Ivan, whose family is in the watch business, saw an opportunity to diversify.
The solution was putting up Kitchenworks at the East Wing of Shangri-La Plaza, which provides nine of the world’s best cookware brands in its shop.
Ancestor of pans
Foremost is the cast iron pan—the ancestor of pans—which is still one of the best heat conductors. “Iron was the first material used by ancient civilizations,” said Jean-Michel Petitjean, manager of French cookware manufacturer de Buyer. Since 1830, de Buyer has been supplying iron to artisans who create kettles and cookware for chefs.
In 1870, de Buyer pioneered in the first pressure cooker, which remains a star product today. The most popular is the stainless steel pressure cooker, with a valve equipped with several safety devices.
“De Buyer has savoir faire,” said French pastry chef Jerome Languillier. The cake mold, for instance, is a combination of silicon and metal powder which helps to distribute the heat evenly. The rubber spatula keeps its firmness and shape; the wire whisk is light to handle, the scraper can get around the toughest surfaces and the silicon brushes don’t melt or fray.
Languillier recalled that when he joined a cake competition, the chairperson Hervé de Buyer ordered a special mold to speed up the baking time of his dessert.
De Buyer isn’t just for pros. Kitchenworks carries the Macaroon Kit, which is actually a starter package with the essentials for basic pastry making.
Energy efficient
The Swiss brand Kuhn Rikon is known for its cookware technology that not only conserves energy and cuts down cooking time, but also locks in the nutrients and flavor that are lost with conventional cookware.
The Durotherm stainless steel cookware is built with an insulated lid and a double wall. This cooks the meat and vegetables easily, eliminating the need for oils. The silicon gasket on the lid protects the fingers from burns.
Kuhn Rikon’s Hotpan has been getting good reviews. The stainless steel and aluminum bottom heats food quickly and evenly. The pan is covered with a neon-colored, melamine-insulating cover that keeps food fresh and retains the heat. The holder can double as a chic salad bowl.
Every cook must have a butcher’s knife for all kinds of cutting; a utility knife for smaller vegetables; a serrated knife with wide teeth; and a delicate paring knife. Shun Premier Knives’ claim to fame is its high-quality Japanese steel type.
Yao discovered the joy of cookery while he was a student at the University of South Wales. Intrigued by the shows of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, he started experimenting on his own.
He cited chef Alton Brown of “Good Eats” as a proponent of Shun Knives: “They are sharper. The food doesn’t get bruised or scratched, it maintains the juice and freshness.”
Yao chose de Buyer for his first pot. He has used Kuhn Rikon to pan-fry steaks instead of grilling. “It’s a method advocated by Alain Ducasse, to render its fat to give the juice, and then pan-fry. I flip steak every 30 seconds to get the desired done-ness,” he said
On acquiring the store’s merchandise mix, Yao and the general manager did their homework. “Brands have their strengths,” he said. “In cooking, I’ve learned that quality tools are needed to make delicious food.”