Cooking Instructors Put the Meat Tenderizer at the Top of the Beginner's Kit

A new roundup of essential kitchen tools for first-time home cooks, compiled from working cooking instructors, gives a surprising amount of credit to the humble meat tenderizer. It is easy to overlook next to a good knife or a stand mixer, but the instructors behind the list count it among a dozen pieces every beginner kitchen should have. The tool's inclusion is a reminder that the basics of good cooking often come down to unglamorous equipment rather than showpieces.

With reporting from Eater.