cooking 101

pans

The main types of pans are:

• nonstick pans
• cast iron pans — use a "seasoning" layer to avoid sticking
• carbon steel pans — use the exact same seasoning layer as cast iron
• stainless steel pans — use high heat to avoid sticking

There are many other less-commonly used types, like enameled cast iron, aluminum, copper, etc. And there are hybrids, like the Strata carbon steel clad pan.

knives

If you could only have three knives in your kitchen, they would be — a chef's knife, a paring knife (or utility/petty knife), and a bread knife.

Here are the different cuts you should know: [1] [2] [3] [4]