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Professional kitchen equipment stores in NYC


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I'm travelling to New york in a couple of weeks and am thinking of perhaps buying some knives and chef whites while i'm there. Would be interested if anyone can give some advice on where the best places are to find these.

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I am a home cook.. But check this place out, it has a really beautiful collection of Japanese Knives, neat Japanese Sushi Equipment, Yakitori Boxes, tableware and some uniforms.. Its downtown by the Brooklyn Bridge so you can plan your visit accordingly.. Here is the website.. korin

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I am a home cook.. But check this place out, it has a really beautiful collection of Japanese Knives, neat Japanese Sushi Equipment, Yakitori Boxes, tableware and some uniforms.. Its downtown by the Brooklyn Bridge so you can plan your visit accordingly.. Here is the website.. korin

Ahhh... Korin, from a cooks prespective, its a Great store, they import alot of knives from Japan, and they are simply great, they even have knife sharpening lessons, if you purchase a knife, its free. However this store closes very early i think its like 5pm or 6pm... so get there early.

As for Chefs jackets...... These can be Soooo expensive... so go to http://www.chefwear.com Now you can get your chefs jackets custom made, any color ect..... A whole lot better then buying them for 40+ dollars each... other then that..... Stay away from those "high end" cooking stores... like the one in the Time Warner Building, they sell some very nice things, but they are mostly for home cooks that like shiny objects.... Good luck, have Fun!!!

Korin and Chefwear....

Btw JP prince is a hard store to find, it looks like an apartment building.... or an office building, if you dont know what your looking for its not too easy to find it... Not to mention it is a bit pricey. But they do have nice items, thats where i bought all my knife guards, and my new knife case.....

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I may be in the gutter, but I am still staring at the stars.

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  • 11 months later...

My wife flew to NYC to bake a wedding cake and we took some time to prowl the expected stores. You all know the merchandise so most of my comments are about the people and the experience.

Korin: I traveled in Japan in the 1960's and expected practiced politeness. I did not expect the warmth and open charm of the staff. It was a treat to watch Mr. Sugai train a customer in sharpening techniques. The store has a wonderful display of beautiful tableware and knives. One of the knife lines featured a forged, unfinished spine graduated to hammered steel and finally finished steel to the edge.

Korin is definitely worth a trip to the business district.

JB Prince: A beautiful store with very friendly staff. Prices range from bargain (ISI Thermal Foamer @ $102) to pricey. The cookware is mostly heavy, expensive, commercial stainless. It is also a wonderful place to shop.

New York Cake: They are awful to deal with by phone and really nasty in person. Every time we go, we are offended. The huge selection requires our visits but we do not like this store. My wife needed a beaded fondant impression tool that was in their roped off section. They refused to get it saying, I'm too busy! She rewarded them with her $100 purchase... Please let there be a competitor.

Chef Restaurant Supply: Actually fun and where else can you get a Comark PDT300 for $20.

The Bowery: Not fun. There was actually a clean store at Rivington with a French chinois for $49 and cheap stainless stock pots with decent discs.

Zabars: What's not to love about a store with NINE different brands of fully clad cookware and great selection of rod blenders. (Think of an Evinrude!) I think the cheese selection has grown appreciably in the past 10 years. The wonderful fish slicers seem to be going through a change in heritage.

Broadway Panhandler: The staff was complaining about lost customers - the customers can't find the new store. It's at 165 E 8th St., just west of Broadway.

Bridge: We didn't bother, not wanting to have Fred snarl at my stupid questions. (ie: Can you get an 11" de Buyer Carbon Steel Paella?)

The wedding cake was incredible and we enjoyed wonderful food. Tia Po is a must! Unfortunately Prune was closed, Inoteca was too busy on Tuesday at 8, Schillers was way to loud but the Tasting Room and Peasant were on the mark. Lil' Frankies was home and I am still exhausted.

Question: How much would a Diva de Provence cost? (Two sides with three ovens, 7 burners, french top, fryer and griddle.) Really cool.

Tim

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jb prince is the only store you will ever need. seriously.

except for cookware

if you want good pots, check online, but bridge kitchenware has some fabulous sales on mauviel tin and stainless copper - better than any online price, but you have to go in the physical store, not call or not their webpage. broadway panhandler and everyone else's prices are crap

oh and for knives

korin

Edited by chefboy24 (log)
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Having died some years ago, Fred Bridge isn't snarling at customers anymore.

So, who is the guy who has assumed snarling duties?

Fred's son took over the business but I don't think he inherited his father's snarl. When I was starting out on my own in New York in the late 1960s, I asked Fred's advice about cookware items. His recommendations -- a Sitram pan, Wusthof chef's knive, and a french omelet pan -- were among the best purchases I've ever made and still good as new. I've always been thankful that I shopped at Bridge despite Fred's reputation (he was very nice to me when he realized I was serious about cooking.) By the way, you can register on the Bridge website and get emails about special sales.

Ilene

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Fred Bridge steered me very right too, back in the late '60s, when the store was at 33rd and 3rd, if I remember correctly. But one day many years later he was so appallingly, stupidly rude that I didn't set foot in the store again until I read that he'd died. The current crew never - hardly ever - snarls.

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