You’d be forgiven for thinking that professional chefs make everything themselves. But just because chefs can make an ingredient doesn’t necessarily mean they choose to, especially when they’re cooking at home after a long day in the kitchen. Plus, some sauces and condiments simply can’t be replicated (looking at you, ketchup). Here are six cases where, in the words of Ina Garten, store-bought really is fine.
Lemongrass paste
Rather than going through the laborious process of pounding stalks of sturdy lemongrass and blending them until smooth, 2023 F&W Best New Chef Nando Chang buys lemongrass paste pre-made. “I add it to a lot of the comfort food I make at home,” he says. Whether you’re cooking a Thai-inspired soup or a Cambodian stir-fry, a spoonful of lemongrass paste will add floral, citrusy notes.
Heinz figured out a long time ago how to make a better product than whatever my fancy, chef-y, house-made ketchup could ever try to be.”
— Fermín Nuñez
Salsa
“We make a lot of nachos in my house,” says 2011 F&W Best New Chef Jamie Bissonnette. “On a very rare occasion, I’ll chop up some tomatoes and char some peppers for salsa, but it’s never what I want.” According to Bissonnette, the only way to achieve dive bar-style nachos is with store-bought salsa. “I get looks from some of my friends, but I stand by it.”
Ketchup
“At my restaurants, we take pride in making a lot of our products from scratch. However, I gave up on making ketchup,” says 2021 F&W Best New Chef Fermín Nuñez. “Heinz figured out a long time ago how to make a better product than whatever my fancy, chef-y, house-made ketchup could ever try to be.”
