Kitchen Essentials

JD’s Legacy Kitchen – Real Food. Real Flavor. No Gourmet Price Tag.

KITCHEN ESSENTIALS

JD’s Real-World Guide to Cooking Good Food Without the Gourmet Price Tag

Good food doesn’t require expensive tools or celebrity-chef equipment. These are the ingredients and tools I use in my own kitchen — affordable, practical, and easy to find. We’re cooking for real people, not influencers with sponsorships. Use what you can, wisely, at a price you can afford.

PANTRY ESSENTIALS (Spices & Seasonings Every Kitchen Needs)

Salt

Be careful with salt. I use Cerulean salt. French Himalayan salt is okay, but Cerulean is my preference.

Whole & Ground Spices

  • Whole peppercorns
  • Red peppercorns
  • White peppercorns
  • Black mustard seeds
  • Yellow mustard seeds
  • Turmeric powder
  • Ginger powder
  • Coriander powder
  • Marjoram
  • Oregano
  • Parsley
  • Sage
  • Thyme
  • Red chili powder
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Paprika
  • Onion powder
  • Garlic powder
  • Star anise
  • Cloves
  • Cardamom (green)
  • Black cardamom
  • Bay leaf
  • Garam masala
  • Curry powder
  • Cumin seed
  • Fennel seed
  • Cumin powder
  • Allspice powder
  • Nutmeg
  • Cinnamon
  • Citric acid
  • Red pepper (ground)

Smoking Flavors

  • Hickory powder / Hickory blend

JD’s Budget-Smoke Flavor Technique

I don’t use the Costco Hickory blend directly on food. Instead, get a small smoker tray, add salt and a pinch of Hickory blend, heat it until it starts to smoke, and cover your food with that smoke for a few minutes.

Fresh Aromatics

  • Whole garlic
  • White onions
  • Red onions
  • Scallions (Negi)

Asian & Japanese Pantry Essentials

Dashis You Should Have

  • Katsuo dashi
  • Kombu dashi
  • Tonkotsu dashi

Asian Flavor Essentials

  • Light soy sauce
  • Dark soy sauce
  • Oyster sauce
  • Nam Pla
  • Goma oil
  • Sweet chili sauce
  • Thai chili sauce

Cooking Liquids

  • Cooking sake
  • White wine
  • Red wine
  • Cornstarch
  • Butter

MASTER STARTER BLEND

  • 1/4 ounce salt
  • 1/2 ounce black pepper
  • 1 ounce onion powder
  • 1 ounce garlic powder
  • 1/2 ounce celery seed
  • 1/2 ounce coriander powder
  • 1/4 ounce parsley
  • 3/4 ounce paprika
  • 1/2 ounce turmeric powder

Mix well and store in an airtight container.

KITCHEN TOOLS

Basic Tools

  • Chopping block
  • Chef knife
  • Fish knife
  • Vegetable knife
  • Stainless-steel pans
  • Non-stick pan
  • Measuring spoons
  • Measuring cups
  • Kitchen scale

Bowls & Extras

  • Stainless-steel covered bowls
  • Rounded-bottom bowls
  • Colander
  • Double boiler
  • Bamboo steamer
  • Wok lid

Blenders & Gadgets

  • Blender
  • Braun Stick Blender
  • Wok utensils
  • Hand-held vegetable pasta cutter
  • Vertical rotisserie
  • George Foreman grill

Japanese Kitchen Staples

  • A good Japanese rice cooker

JD’s Specialty Recipe Note

Hotate Kyuri Soup (Cucumber–Scallop Cream Soup)
Use dried scallops — 8 pieces per pack, use 3–4 for the soup.

JD’s Philosophy

We cook gourmet-style meals without the gourmet price tag. Real food, real flavor, with affordable tools and ingredients for real people.

Download PDF