What's Cooking: Denise Bray

Denise Bray of Kitchen in her Botany store. Picture / Carolyn Elliott

Denise Bray opened Kitchen, a kitchenware shop in Botany Town Centre, last year for cooking enthusiasts in the eastern suburbs. The former chartered accountant wanted to create a new approach to shopping, with a store that was part deli, part library and part kitchen.

Single most useful kitchen gadget?

A wooden spoon or a pair of tongs.

The most over-rated, useless one?

The mushroom brush used to get any mud off the top of your mushroom.

How many little cooks' helpers does someone need?

It depends how often you cook. Certain items should be in every kitchen: a lemon squeezer, colander, potato peeler and can opener are a few. Other items you stock should be determined by what you like to cook, budget and personal choice.

The best lemon juicer or method?

I find a stainless steel lemon reamer with a pointed end is the quickest way.

Favourite cookbook?

I enjoyed Twelve: a Tuscan Cook Book by Tessa Kiros and found Bills Open Kitchen by Bill Granger to be very useful. The revised The Cook's Companion by Stephanie Alexander will also be a good read.

Favourite meal?

I like cooking omelettes, scrambled eggs, risottos, pasta and Thai food. Roast chicken is also hard to beat.

Drink of the moment?

Sparkling mineral water, because I'm pregnant. Normally I like a glass of wine.

How do you get an omelette on its back?

Practice is the best way, but a shallow-sided crepe pan and a good lifter help considerably.

Characteristics of a good frypan?

You need one that heats up quickly and transmits heat evenly. Look for one with a good heavy base.

Chopping boards - wood or plastic?

Wood is by far the best to protect your knives. Ideally you should have different boards for different foods.

How should you store knives?

In a knife stand or magnetic rack. If possible, don't put them in the dishwasher as the blade edges will get nicked.

What is always in your fridge?

Eggs, a tub of pesto, pickled onions and tomato chilli jam. All useful items when putting together a quick dinner.

Biggest kitchen indulgence?

A set of WMF pots, but once I can decide on a colour it will be a KitchenAid mixer. Anyone who enjoys baking should have one.