recommend kitchen utensils  

Let's not forget what's on th...
Let's not forget what's on the floor. Gave the mother two of these GelPro chefs mats. A blessing to anyone spending much time cooking & dishes.

David Mellor
cookshop is a treat, and this website has nice-looking stuff..
Robert
not cooking Christmas dinner for the first time in living memory ..
http://www.manufactum.com/Kategorie/193551/Kitchen.html

Dear Riki
I do not disagree with your choice of deep-anodised aluminium. It certainly is a nice material, a good heat conductor and one of the hardest surfaces known. There are two additional aspects that I have taken into consideration. One is the comfort of being able to wash everything in the dish washer, the other is induction plate cooking. Induction requires a magnetic material and aluminium is not. The reason behind my choice is that induction cooking is about the most energy efficient we have right now. I know it is not widespread in North America but I am quite sure it will get here to. Demeyere uses a stainless that is magnetic. Actually, for the non-stick skillets (all non-stick is based on Teflon by the way with an array of reinforcement materials from ceramics to stainless steel particles, from quartz to diamond powder) Demeyere uses a stainless steel that loses it?s magnetic capacity just below the temperature at which Teflon loses it?s non-stick characteristics. So when used on induction stoves you can never overheat it.
As for the David Mellor store on Sloan square, it is a cook's paradise especially those who care about good design. I for one can not visit London without a visit to the store.

I can highly recommened...
I can highly recommened the lemon squeezer from our very own resident poster Koen,its a beautiful object and a pleasure to use.
Riki,I love your kitchen.

My 2 cents...
You've gotten a vast quantity of good advice, glass artist, but let me add my small thoughts to the mix as well.
1. I've had mostly Calphalon cookware since I got married nearly 18 yrs ago. We have, pardon my language, beat the shite out of them as we have learned and matured as cooks. They have put up with everything we've ever thrown at them with style and vigor. However...there are some things I wouldn't use them for. Sauces, especially creamed ones, are much better done in an enameled or SS pan. Omelets really don't do well in anything but well buttered SS. And a good cast iron skillet is the only way to go for a well seared steak.
2. I also think restaurant supply is the best source. You will get simple, sturdy, functional utensils that are made for the long haul without gewgaws and gadgetry. My hubby's mum ran a restaurant when he was a kid and he basically grew up in the kitchen. He's the one that insisted on professional quality stuff, regardless of the price. And he was right. As per usual, buy the best you can afford if you want it to last.
3. Get a zillion silicon spatulas. I use them for everything including stirfrying and making risotto.
4. That reminds me...if you like risotto, don't bother investing in those special risotto pots. A wok works beautifully. Just remember to reseason before trying another stirfry.
5. Buy the best quality knives you can possibly afford and keep them sharpened. Period. No ifs ands or buts.
6. There are some really nice vintage things out there. I agree with Koen about Ole Palsby. I have a bunch of stuff designed by him, my favorite being these nifty storage jars. I also really like Michael Lax's stuff for Copco. I've bought several pieces on ebay of his. I have 3 of the one below, shown on DA. I also have a fondue pot done by him. Another useful retro item is old ceramic/porcelain airline dishes. They are cheap as dirt on eBay and sometimes come with funky-cool old logos. These things are SO useful. You can bake single portions in them or use them as side dishes. They are ultra sturdy, usually made by a top manufacturer and simple enough to appeal to us modernists.
7. Koen's mortar and Pestle from Atelier Orange is handsdown the very best I have ever used. Get one.
Have fun and cook well!
http://cgi.ebay.com/JAL-AIRLINE-DISH-casserole-sushi-by-NORITAKE-Japan_W...

Good advice from Olive....
Good advice from Olive. Hadn't seen that mortar and pestle before. Looks good.
Of all that has been mentioned, I think two things deserve special mention because they are often overlooked:
Storage. I recommend Fido glass jars. There are many storage solutions, but to me price, performance, and style all rank very high with Fido (image 1).
Wok. Not the teflon coated or cast iron ones, but the real deal carbon steel models from China. I use mine for almost everything: stir frying, deep frying, boiling, steaming (image 2, and a nice write up in the link below it).
http://food.recentrunes.com/?p=1527

GoodGrips
GoodGrips utensils were originally designed for old people and those who have trouble with conventional utensils (arthritics, etc). That's the reason for the soft, rubbery handles. They are so comfortable and easy to use that they caught on big time with the general population.
I think their potato peeler is the best thing ever designed (ok, one of the best). However, I had a GoodGrips paring knife blade that came loose from the handle. And a corkscrew screw that broke from metal fatigue (NO, I do not drink a lot! I swear!). The good news is that you can email them about stuff like this and they'll send you a new one, or the equivalent. Not that I'd want another paring knife from them.
I have a Wusthof paring knife that I got at an auction for a couple of bucks. I love it. I think they are about $45-50 new.
My sister is a former pastry chef and very accomplished cook and she swears by a steel saute pan that she got in France many years ago. No coating, nothing special, just the right kind of steel, seasoned correctly and cared for properly. I wish i had one.
I do recommend you get an enameled cast iron round oven (or Dutch oven, or French oven, depending on who you're talking to). Le Creuset is fine, but the vintage Copco ones are the prettiest. I love them. I also have a long, narrow Copco enameled steel loaf pan, though it is much longer than a loaf of bread. It's red and it's gorgeous and I've never used it, but I can't bear to give it up.

I just want to...
...share a link. The coversation with Sam Farber is more than worth the time to read it. Sometimes it is a bit "promotional" but that's part of Sam Fraber's succes.
http://www.cdf.org/issue_journal/getting_a_grip_on_kitchen_tools.html