Cooking is so much fun. I could never imagine the joy it could bring to someone until I started cooking myself. Whenever you prepare a dish and your diners enjoy it, the happiness it brings is beyond description.
More than anything I’ve always loved to eat. Growing up an athlete, I played all sorts of sports. That meant I loved to eat and eat a lot. My passion for cooking started when I was working as a waiter in our Paris restaurant. When I saw the joy the dishes brought our customers, I wanted to be part of that. Thus started my journey in the kitchen. I took courses here and there plus worked and assisted in our restaurants' kitchens.
As we slowly started to venture into television and got more positive feedback, I got more encouraged to discover food that would satisfy my viewers. From all this experience, I wanted to work with the best equipment. I searched around for the best pots and pans as well as any kitchen utensils.
In my early years of cooking, my go-to cookware was by Circullon. I loved the heavy non-stick pans and the high quality of the dark metal they used. I’ve tried many brands, including the highly popular Saladmaster, which I also have had the privilege of working with. Today, I get my pans from Santi’s. The pans are heavy, thick, and non-stick, perfect for my needs on the show and for cooking at home. It’s not easy to find good cookware. I’m very happy with what I use today.
I’ve also used all kinds of knives. I’m obsessed with kitchen knives. I have a set of Cutco knives. I hate listening to demonstrations because I am a sucker to these things. Cutco did a demo for me in Canada and even if I promised myself I wouldn’t buy, I lied to myself and ended up getting a set. No regrets though. Today, I still use them. Cutco gave me a lifetime warranty, so anything that breaks gets replaced. I used my chef’s knife to cut a branch of a tree, broke it, and they replaced it. Having a colonial mind, I also love German knives and I’ve bought a few sets. Lately, I’ve had a fancy for good Japanese knives. In fact, Anges, a friend, gave me a beautiful Japanese knife with my initials and I treasure it.
My sister Nina spends most of her time in the kitchen and she too is obsessed with anything that has to do with it. Excited to tell me about her new discovery, she offered to send me a sample. This brand is called Nacionale Bladeworks. Of course I accepted her gift. O my gosh! It is the most beautiful knife I have ever owned. It is heavy, very well balanced, extremely sharp, and I enjoy using it in the kitchen. A knife becomes dangerous when it isn’t sharp. This one is always sharp. It cuts cleanly and neatly.
Nacionale is a local brand developed by Chef Ryan David. He has had an obsession with knives since he was a kid. He went into deep study on how to put together a great high-grade knife with superior metal and handles and came up with Nacionale.
Nacionale is a local brand developed by Chef Ryan David. He has had an obsession with knives since he was a kid. He went into deep study on how to put together a great high-grade knife with superior metal and handles and came up with Nacionale. I must congratulate him for a job well done. Many chefs today use his knives. If you spend time in the kitchen or your husband, wife, son, or daughter does, invest in Ryan’s knives. They will love you for it. Today, this is one of my treasures. He also has those heavy Japanese cleavers and other models. Ask him what he recommends for your needs, or just get the basic chef’s knife. You will thank me! Check out the various models on his website!
I love having the best gadgets when working in the kitchen. With them around, my cooking becomes even more fun!
Happy cooking!
To order, call 0917 882 3110 or go to www.nacionalebladeworks.com.
Email comments and suggestions to sandydaza@yahoo.ca.