Esteemed chef Missy Robbins never thought she’d ingrain herself in a singular cuisine. “It’s not how I grew up in the restaurant business,” she says. But after spending time in Italy and immersing herself in its various regional foods, it was amore. “I got in so deep that I never got out of it,” she says. “Now it’s where my career is focused, and I’m happy doing it.”
The season four “Top Chef Masters” alum — who’s held a coveted Michelin Star at two restaurants — now has three Italian hot spots in her Brooklyn, New York, neighborhood of Williamsburg: Lilia, Misi and Misipasta. (The latter doubles as a pasta shop and online retailer.)
Still, Robbins only delved into chef mode in her own kitchen in the past few years. “During the pandemic, all the restaurants were closed, so I started cooking at home,” she says. “And I’ve kept it up because I want to stay healthy and have a balance between eating here and checking out other restaurants.” And yes, she adds, she’ll happily boil dry pasta out of a box like everyone else: “I don’t have time to make fresh pasta in the middle of the week!”
Below, Robbins shares her eight kitchen essentials with CNN Underscored.
Cooking a pasta meal for just a few people? Try this stainless-steel saucepan with triple-ply construction. “It’s an all-in-one pan,” Robbins says. And with its riveted, ergonomic handle, “You can toss the pasta in the air really comfortably.” She keeps the smallest size in her home kitchen.
She gives a shout-out to chef Gray Kunz — known for his exacting standards and attention to detail — for developing this special utensil. “I view it as the perfect kitchen spoon,” she says, noting that the easy-to-grip, ladle-like handle allows cooks of all levels to perform tasks such as mixing, plating, saucing, portioning and tasting.
After testing out a variety of peelers, Robbins chose to have this sleek peeler from Material Kitchen engraved with Misipasta. Unlike its plastic peers, “This one is sharp, it feels good in your hand and it just looks sexy,” she says. It comes with extra blades too!
Making fresh pasta at home doesn’t have to be a twisted ordeal. Thanks to this steel pasta maker, dough for thin spaghetti and wide fettuccine noodles can be rolled-out easily at home. “It’s very compact,” Robbins says. Have a standard KitchenAid mixer? She recommends buying an electric pasta attachment set to crank out noodles in a hurry.
Though a splurge, “this is the blender you see in every kitchen,” she says. With its sharp blades and various speed controls, this kitchen appliance can handle any chopping or mixing task for soups, salads, purees, vinegars and much more. “It’s super smooth but very powerful,” she adds.
Designed by Danish architect Christoffer Harlang and imported from the Scandinavian company Skaerack and Fritz Hansen, this Misipasta-engraved grinder is carved out of oak and contains a mix of peppercorns. “I love the simplicity of the design,” Robbins says. “It’s so efficient and pretty, and it looks good on any kitchen counter.”
Robbins says she’s kept her lidded black Dutch oven on various stovetops for almost 15 years. “I don’t remember how or where I got it,” she says, “but I do know it’s sturdy and looks good.” Plus, Robbins adds, its wide surface enables room for browning food before simmering or braising — and its enameled cast iron delivers even heat distribution and retention for her soups and beans.