Key Points
In an exclusive interview with Food & Wine, French chef Jacques Pépin reveals that he always keeps five ingredients — including olive oil and herbs — on hand.
He specifies that he likes to have two types of olive oil: a high-quality extra virgin olive oil for finishing dishes and a less expensive one for cooking.
Pépin opts for different butters depending on whether he’s cooking just for himself or testing new recipes.
Whenever I arrive at a vacation rental, I immediately scour the kitchen to see what ingredients are at my disposal. I’m hoping for a minimum of olive oil and salt, the two items I use for almost everything I cook. If there are a few spices and a vinegar of some sort, then I’ll be happy — those are enough of my essential cooking needs to know I’m not going to break the bank on basics at the grocery store.
Most passionate home cooks likely have a selection of items they rely on in the kitchen to create flavorful meals. Perhaps their repertoire includes ghee instead of olive oil or white pepper instead of black pepper — the staples may change depending on the person, and learning from the building blocks of others can expand your own arsenal of cooking skills and flavor-boosting ingredients.
Whether you’re figuring out which basic ingredients to keep on hand, want to learn what an expert chef falls back on, or are curious about a culinary icon, you’ll want to take note of what legendary French chef Jacques Pépin always has in the kitchen for his own meals.
Related: You’ve Probably Never Heard of This Dish — but It Always Reminds Jacques Pépin of His Childhood
In an exclusive interview with Pépin about the Jacques Pépin Foundation and its 90/90 campaign — a series of dinners across the country held in advance of the chef’s 90th birthday this December, aimed at supporting the foundation’s efforts to make culinary education more accessible — he revealed the five ingredients you’ll regularly spot in his kitchen at home.
Besides the obvious salt, Pépin says that he consistently stocks “butter, olive oil. That certainly will be there along with garlic and onion, and depending on what’s in the garden, herbs. Very simple things that you use over and over again without even thinking about it.”
The cookbook author and television personality did share a little more detail, explaining that “I try to use an extra virgin olive oil of high quality to finish dishes with, and another less extravagant olive oil to cook with.” Cooking at high heat with a high-quality extra virgin olive oil can degrade its flavor, and lighter olive oils (which are usually more affordable and have a less intense flavor than extra virgin options) tend to have a higher smoke point.
While Pépin doesn’t specify which herbs he always has on hand, I’d hazard a guess that his garden includes parsley, chives, tarragon, and chervil, or at least some of these. Known as the “fine herbs” of French cuisine, these four plants are traditionally used together to season a wide variety of dishes, from omelettes to chicken.
Of course, you don’t need to have all of these on hand, and any fresh herb, from cilantro to basil, can be a great addition to your kitchen lineup. But if you want fine herbs specifically and can’t grow them in a garden or use up the tender leaves before they spoil, there are dried mixes of these seasonings that you can keep in your pantry.
When it comes to butter, the French chef isn’t picky about which one he has on hand. He notes that the variety and selection of quality butters at American grocery stores has grown significantly over the years, and that the type he chooses often depends on whether or not he’s developing new recipes. Pépin explains, “Remember also that I made a living out of recipe writing. So I would [usually] go to the supermarket to do my shopping when I’m [working on] recipes.”
Related: Ina Garten Always Has These 5 Things in Her Refrigerator — and They’ll Come in Handy During the Holidays
He points out that “I may go to a farm and get special stuff,” like artisanal butter, when cooking purely for himself, but if he’s doing recipe development, then “I will usually go to a regular supermarket so that people can identify the type of ingredients that they can get. So I think that’s important.”
This means you don’t need to buy expensive butter if it’s not accessible or affordable to you. (Although if you can opt for a high-quality, cultured French butter, by all means go for it.) Instead, just make sure you buy butter that isn’t cut with other fats (like most spreadable tubs), and don’t be afraid to use it for more than just toast, especially if you want to follow Pépin’s lead and cook like a French chef.
Jacques Pépin’s five essential ingredients
Olive oil (two kinds — high-quality extra virgin for finishing, and a less expensive one for cooking)
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