For a good portion of my life, I have been interested in anything and everything to do with cooking. This passion led me to my job at Williams-Sonoma, where I have been employed since the fall of 2006.

    One of the greatest perks of being a Williams-Sonoma employee is the discount, which, if used improperly, can lead to an overstocked kitchen with too many unnecessary gadgets. Let me be your guide to tell you which tools are a must for every serious kitchen.

You don't have to spend a fortune to have a totally functional kitchen, and I will explain the gadgets that will get you the most bang for your buck, all the while keeping in mind our college budgets.
    Every good chef will tell you the value of a good knife, but as college students, how can we afford a good cutlery? I own too many knives, but by far my favorite brand is Shun , which is made by Kershaw. But many of the Shun knives are too expensive for the average college student, so I recommend the Shun 9900 series.

    Knives can be made a variety of ways; the two most popular are forging and stamping. The more expensive your knife, the more likely it is to be forged. The forged style offers more strength and weight to the blade. The 9900 series is the best stamped blade I have used.

    Everyone who is serious about cooking should have at least two knives at their disposal: a chef's knife (or santoku) and a paring knife. A chef's knife is the most universal knife in your kitchen. It can be used for just about everything from dicing vegetables to carving a turkey. The 9900 series offers a six-inch chef's knife for $34.95.

    I know, given our budgets, $34.95 sounds like a lot for one knife, but instead of buying that $30 set of knives at your local superstore, invest in one good knife that can do the job of all those knives. One decent knife is worth a kitchen of bad ones.

    The second most important knife in your arsenal is the pairing knife. This knife is ideal for peeling vegetables and doing just about any small job you can think of. The Shun 9900 series makes a couple variations for around $13-14.
    A good knife's value to a chef cannot be stressed enough. A good knife is less likely to cut you badly. A good knife makes cutting pounds of vegetable a much easier task. A good knife lasts a lifetime.

    The next most important thing to consider with knives is their care. How can you prolong the lives of all of your knives?

    The most important investment is a cutting board. And I do mean board. Do not use glass, polypropylene or any other non-wood variation. They will dull your knife, and ultimately cut its life short.

    Wait, I said don't use polypropylene boards? Over the past years, plastic boards have been acclaimed for their sanitation and ease of cleaning, and so it would seem they would be a good choice.

    There is a better option, end-grain bamboo. This material has super tight pores that have a difficult time absorbing liquids and germs, which makes them very sanitary. And better yet, they don't dull your knives. 3rliving.com offers a small end-grain bamboo board for $12.50.

A cutting board is an absolutely necessary investment for anyone with knives, which should be just about everyone with a kitchen.

    Next article, I will offer my thoughts on electrics and cookware.