Chef Andrew Zimmern Shared His Holiday Kitchen Essentials — and You Can Get Two of Them at the Hardware Store

The first-ever Food & Wine Classic in Charleston begins September 27, and we’re counting down the days until the festivities begin. Among the many talented chefs featured at the three-day event is Andrew Zimmern, four-time James Beard Award-winning chef and host of the Emmy-winning “Bizarre Foods” series. The celebrity chef is sure to share a wealth of kitchen tips at this year’s Classic, but even if you can’t make it to Charleston, you can learn some pre-holiday hacks that might just change your life.

Ahead of the Food & Wine Classic, we asked Chef Zimmern to share his most essential kitchen products for holiday hosting and beyond. His picks include an oversized frying pan, storage baskets, and two surprising hardware store essentials.

Andrew Zimmern’s Holiday Essentials

• Scanpan Classic 14-Inch Frying Pan, $80
• Ez Kut Heavy Duty Pruning Shears, $37, originally $47
• Bates Choice Paint Scraper, Set of 2, $8, originally $11
• Yangqihome Nesting Wicker Baskets, Set of 3, $38
• Nagawood 2-Tier Wooden Fruit Basket, $27, originally $40

Scanpan Classic 14-Inch Frying Pan

When asked about the holiday kitchen gear he can’t live without, chef Andrew Zimmern pointed to his oversized frying pan. More specifically, he uses a 14-inch nonstick sauté pan for making tarte tatin and other festive dishes. “Size matters, and you don’t want to crowd the pan — and at holiday time, the number of mouths to feed increases. I have some 14-inch pans from Lodge, Scanpan, and this one from JB Prince.

 Ez Kut Heavy Duty Pruning Shears

Zimmern also swears by some unconventional tools to ensure holiday prep runs as smoothly as possible. If you’re into gardening, his most unusual pick might already be in your possession. The star chef uses pruning shears from the hardware store when cooking for carnivores, and his reasoning is genius. While the shears are made for trimming twigs and trees, ”they power through poultry and meat joints like nobody’s business,” he noted.

Bates Choice Paint Scraper, Set of 2

Another unexpected staple in Chef Zimmern’s kitchen is his trusty paint scrapers: “They are superb.” As it turns out, the tools — now just $4 apiece — serve many functions, including cleaning griddles and wiping down cooking surfaces. “I use extra wide ones for picking up dough, mixing ingredients, and cleaning boards,” he said.

Yangqihome Nesting Wicker Baskets, Set of 3

Chef Zimmern can’t live without his favorite storage vessels, which he has collected over the years during his travels. “[I have] wooden and woven baskets to hold all my non-refrigerated items for cooking that evening (corn, peppers, cabbage), or for longer-term storage (onions, garlic, tomatoes, eggs).” If you’re ready to stock up, head to Amazon to snag these stunning, nestable wicker baskets. Each set has an 8.7-, 10.2-, and 11.2-inch basket.

Nagawood 2-Tier Wooden Fruit Basket

Buying this wooden storage system is a great way to save fridge space and elegantly display your non-refrigerated fruits and vegetables on the kitchen countertop. “Seeing it all out there makes me feel organized,” Zimmern noted. Snag this two-tiered basket while it’s 33% off at Amazon.