We Asked 8 Chefs What Trader Joe's Products They Love

Trader Joe's just might be the best grocery store for cooks who don't always have the easiest time in the kitchen. The chain is known for its wide variety of frozen meals and easy, ready-to-use kitchen staples that can make dinner a breeze regardless of skill level. But it's not just amateur chefs who rely on TJ's to stock their pantries and freezers. As it turns out, some professional chefs are devoted fans as well.

At the 2025 New York City Wine & Food Festival, we caught up with several chefs who shared which Trader Joe's items they reach for over and over again (though one chef we spoke with via email instead). So if you're planning a TJ's run sometime soon, you may want to grab a pen and paper and take note. From freezer-aisle essentials to limited-edition snacks, here are the Trader Joe's picks culinary pros are buying for their own home kitchens.

Ayesha Nurdjaja, executive chef at Shuka, confessed that she isn't much of a "Trader Joe's girlie." Still, she did admit that she's the "biggest fan" of the chain's Everything But the Bagel Seasoning Blend. "No one makes a better Everything Spice than Trader Joe's," Nurdjaja claims.

Not everyone's favorite Trader Joe's find helps them with their weeknight cooking, though. Geoffrey Zakarian has more of an affinity for the flower bouquets. "I go there particularly because they have a spectacular flower selection. So I buy all my flowers in my house there." He's also a fan of the chain's wine, telling us that "they have a good selection" to choose from.

While we didn't catch up with Jake Peterson, chef and co-owner of Dēliz Italian Steakhouse, at the New York City Wine and Food Festival, he still shared his favorite TJ's finds with us via email. Peterson says he has many go-tos, but the first that came to mind was the Super Sour Scandinavian Swimmers. He also gave a shoutout to the Taiwanese Green Onion Pancakes and Chicken Gyoza Potstickers as some of his other favorites.

For Jeff Mauro, chef and co-host of The Kitchen, Trader Joe's is full of go-to grocery favorites. The first one to come to mind? The Norwegian Sourdough Rye Chips, which he describes as "so good." Mauro and his wife, Sarah, are also fans of the chain's Hold the Cone! Mini Ice Cream Cones (especially the pumpkin flavor in the Fall and the chocolate flavor year-round), the Strawberry Mochi, and frozen jasmine rice. "Our son only eats, for most of the time, chicken, rice, and broccoli," Sarah tells us. And because of that, the Mauro household is always stocked with TJ's frozen variety of the popular grain.

When it comes to Trader Joe's, John Kanell — baker, cookbook author, and founder of Preppy Kitchen — makes a beeline straight to the produce section. What for exactly? While the chain offers many must-buy produce selections, Kanell can't get enough of the kumquats. "I do like that you can get fresh kumquats there just because they're not always available," Kanell says. Calling them his "favorite snacks," he tells us that the grocery chain is pretty dependable when it comes to having the sweet and sour citrus in stock.

John Kanell isn't the only chef who heads to Trader Joe's for the produce. Melvin Boots Johnson, chef and owner of Harlem Biscuit Company and Boots & Bones Smokehouse, raves about the chain's shisito peppers. "They always have great shisito peppers," Johnson tells us. He adds that the peppers are affordable, crispy, and downright delicious (especially with a bit of lime).

When we asked Stephanie Bonin, chef and owner of Patio Tropical, which Trader Joe's product she loves the most, she had two words for us: "The Mochi." And honestly, we get the hype. The chain's rendition of the classic Japanese dessert is absolutely worth throwing in your cart during your next TJ's run (though some flavors have been ranked better than others).

Lifestyle and cooking content creator Tyler Speegle "loves Trader Joe's." Out of all of the chain's many offerings, his top pick is the limited-time Deli Sandwich Style Potato Chips. "[My wife and I] bought some potato chips recently," which are "a deli-style chip." In essence, Speegle says, "it tastes like a deli sandwich, but it's a potato chip." Lunch flavors in snack form? Sign us up.