Samin Nosrat’s Tips for Hosting a Stress-Free Dinner Party
Nosrat nearly leapt out of her seat with excitement when talking about the value of a sturdy pair of tongs: “Tongs! Oh my God, stainless steel tongs! The most important!”
Nosrat says tongs are handy for stirring and mixing and are essentially “an extension of your hand,” but she strongly advises against using them to make a salad. “Never, ever, ever, ever dress salad with tongs. Always use your hands. You don’t want to smush those delicate lettuces,” she says.
While Nosrat notes that any “inexpensive restaurant-supply store tongs” will do, we recommend Winco Extra Heavyweight 16″ Stainless Steel Utility Tongs in our grilling accessories guide.
Top pick
These affordable stainless steel tongs offer the best balance of comfort and dexterity for cooking over open flames, mixing, and handling food.
When serving food, Nosrat loves to use Material Kitchen’s Slotted Metal Spoon and Metal Spoon, both of which she says have a unique shape and a substantial weight that feels good in the hand.
The Material Kitchen spoons that Nosrat prefers are currently unavailable, and the company has no immediate plans to restock them. However, a Gray Kunz Sauce Spoon is a popular, chef-approved alternative that we recommend. (It’s also available as a slotted spoon.)
Nosrat likes to use a slotted spoon for managing how much liquid she’s adding to a plate, such as when she’s draining beans from their cooking liquid. “You don’t always want to serve people a whole bean soup, you know what I mean?”
This sturdy stainless steel spoon is much larger than a standard one, and it makes kitchen tasks, such as basting and plating, more efficient.
Nosrat also recommends keeping a fish spatula with a wooden handle readily accessible. “They’re just so multipurpose” and “so irreplaceable,” she says.
We recommend the Victorinox Swiss Army Slotted Fish Turner in our guide to the best spatulas because it can slide under everything from over-easy eggs to freshly baked cookies.
Top pick
This affordable, lightweight spatula works well for a multitude of tasks, including turning delicate fried eggs, fish fillets, crepes, and pancakes.
