Culinary School Essentials: The Must-Have Tools for Every Student

Starting culinary or baking school comes with a long list of tools and gear—but don’t stress. This checklist covers many of the items we’ve seen new students pick up over the years, from must-have knives to helpful extras. Not everything here will be required for your specific program, so always double-check what your school recommends. We’ve also included links and product recommendations for the gear we commonly suggest to students, to help make the process a little easier. You can shop the entire collection of our culinary student essentials here. 

Culinary school can be a big shift—there’s a lot to learn, and things move quickly. It’s not just about cooking or baking well; it’s about working clean, staying organized, and getting comfortable with the tools you’ll be using every day. The more prepared you are going in, the easier it is to keep up and focus on learning.

That said, every culinary program is a little different. Some schools provide kits, others expect you to bring your own, and some might wait until after the first week to share exactly what’s required. If you’re unsure, it’s totally fine to start with the basics and build your toolkit as you go. Your instructors will guide you on what’s essential—and what can wait.

Checklist

Kitchen Cutlery

For students, we recommend Victorinox knives—they’re durable, reliable, and offer excellent value for the price. They’re widely used in culinary schools and professional kitchens alike, making them a smart starting point as you build your kit.

• Chef knife (7–10″)

• Boning knife (6–9″)

• Paring knife (4″)

• Bread knife (10–12″)

• Honing steel 

• Sharpening stone 

• Fish bone tweezers

• Turning knife

• Graters & Zesters

• Vegetable peeler

  • There are two main types of peelers: Y-shaped and straight/swivel. Y-peelers have a horizontal blade and offer more control for quick, downward strokes—great for peeling round or soft produce. Straight or swivel peelers have a vertical blade that pivots slightly, making them versatile and easy to use on a variety of fruits and vegetables. Depending on your program or instructor, you might be asked to bring a specific style, so it's good to have both on hand.

• Knife bags

  • Knife bags come in different materials, sizes and slot counts, depending on how many tools you need to carry. We recommend a 9-Pocket knife bag, assuming you'll be starting off small as a student

• Blade guards

Kitchen Utensils

• Wooden spoon

• Slotted spoon

• Soup/tasting spoons 

• Ladles

  • Might be recommended by your course to have various sizes

• Fish Spatula

• Metal whisk

  • Whisks come in different styles, with French whisks and piano whisks being the most common. French whisks have longer, narrower wires—ideal for mixing thicker batters or sauces where more resistance is needed. Piano whisks have more flexible, widely spaced wires, perfect for whipping air into cream, egg whites, or lighter mixtures. Your program might specify which type you’ll need, so it’s helpful to know the difference and have both if possible.

• Heat-resistant spatula

• Offset spatula

• Fine mesh strainer 

• Pastry brush

• Cloth piping bag

• Piping tips

• Precision Tongs
  

• Dough scraper

• Rolling pin

• Manual juicer
  

Kitchen Supplies

• Measuring spoons

• Box grater

• Metal cooling rack

• Digital kitchen scale

• Digital thermometer

• Meat twine

• Baking sheets 

  • Your course might require multiples in various sizes

• Mixing bowls (variety of sizes)

• Cutting board

  • Some courses may require colour-coded polyethylene cutting boards, which help prevent cross-contamination by assigning different boards to specific food groups—like red for raw meat, green for produce, and blue for fish

• Food storage containers

• Kitchen towels

Starting school with the right tools can make a big difference, but remember—it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Use this checklist as a guide, take your time building your kit, and focus on the items that matter most for your program. Whether you’re just getting started or adding to your collection, having the right gear sets you up to feel confident and capable in class. And if you ever need help finding specific items or recommendations, we’re always here to help.