cooking 101

pans

The main types of pans are:

• nonstick pans — This term is used to talk about the pans that use fancy chemistry, usually a form of Teflon, to minimize food sticking. These are the best at keeping food from sticking.
• cast iron pans — These use a seasoning layer to avoid sticking. The pans are moderately non-stick.
• carbon steel pans — These use the exact same seasoning layer as cast iron. These are moderately non-stick. They are the main workhorse of commercial kitchens.
• stainless steel pans — These use high heat and other techniques to avoid sticking. They are the least non-stick of the four types of pans, but that's not a bad thing.

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]