The Old-School Kitchen Tool Gordon Ramsay Trusts For Unlocking The Full Potential Of Spices

All chefs and home cooks have their favorite recommendations for essential kitchen tools. Each tailored list is slightly different, with the best of them nailing that sweet spot between efficiency, usability, and budget. Chef Gordon Ramsay tackles the topic in a video on his YouTube channel, titled "What You Need To Be A Better Chef," in which he talks about items he thinks are worth the investment. Spice lovers in particular will want to pay special attention to one Ramsay must-have: The time-honored mortar and pestle (though being British, he refers to it as a pestle and mortar). Either way, it's something the "Hell's Kitchen" host passionately promotes, exclaiming, "To get the most out of your spices, there's only one piece of kit that you need."

Not only does a mortar and pestle amp up your spices, releasing oils and concentrating flavor by crushing them against the stone bowl, but the iconic chef also notes its versatility. "These ancient kitchen tools are perfect for everything from pestos to dressings," he says. Other aspects he likes are the total control they allow for — as opposed to what you get with electric food processors or grinders, the textures that you can achieve and control by hand, and even just their appealing look. Ramsay recommends getting a large mortar and pestle with a wide circumference, so that using it isn't too fiddly. Emphasizing the homemade qualities a mortar and pestle lends to any dish, Ramsay says, "The heavier, the more durable they are, the more confidence it gives you when you're pounding."

For the uninitiated, the mortar and pestle is basically a set that includes a heavy bowl (the mortar) and smooth rod or club-shaped tool (the pestle). The combo comes in a variety of sizes from small to overwhelmingly huge. Large, granite versions are the pinnacle of mortar and pestle excellence, looking and feeling weighty. But while materials are varied, ranging from porcelain and stone to marble and wood, the basic principles remain the same — place spices or other ingredients into the mortar and use the pestle to smash, crush, grind, and pulverize them to your preferred consistency.

Just one of 12 Gordon Ramsay-approved kitchen gadgets, the mortar and pestle has had some 37,000 years to prove its worth. Everyone from the Greeks to the Egyptians used them so it's no wonder Ramsay calls it "ancient." Many see its effectiveness at bringing out ingredients' flavor potential as unmatched by knives, food processors, blenders, and even spice grinders. Crushing is a better method than cutting to release the full-bodied notes contained inside, whether it's herbs, spices, or anything else being crushed.

Because not only does a mortar and pestle excel at making sumptuous spice blends, it can also be used to turn fresh herbs like basil (along with olive oil, garlic, and nuts or seeds) into a bright and fresh handmade pesto. It's perfect for making all kinds of flavorful pastes, particularly using garlic and ginger, or more complex curry mixes, as well as some of the most crave-worthy guacamole.