This Is The Absolute Best Kitchen Tool, According To Ted Allen

When it comes to Food Network stars, Ted Allen is a breath of fresh air. Humble, easygoing, and drama free, the "Queer Eye" alum is a food expert, despite never receiving formal culinary training. In 1993, at the age of 28, the "Chopped" host got a job at Chicago Magazine, giving him the opportunity to interact with talented chefs, attend menu tastings, and try foods from the around the world (via Miami New Times). "I had my big culinary epiphany at the Ritz Carlton dining room," he said. "It was the first time I had ever had dessert paired with wine ... Light bulbs just went off."

Today, Allen has won the James Beard Foundation Award for outstanding host on "Chopped," and has received an Emmy Award for his work as the food and wine specialist on Bravo's "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy." The beloved host has cooked, written, and judged his way through the culinary world, so it's only natural Allen is everyone's go-to guy when it comes to knowing what the best kitchen tools are.

Ted Allen enjoys every part of the cooking process, from growing his own herbs and tomatoes to grocery shopping. There's really no food that the multifaceted talent doesn't enjoy, and he doesn't believe in guilty pleasures. Unlike the contestants on his shows, Allen also likes to take his sweet time in the kitchen. "Ironically, when you consider where I work, I'm very much a slow-food guy," Allen shares in an interview with Food Network. "I don't want to cook food that's fast. I like to watch flavor develop. I spend hours in the kitchen any chance I get."

When Allen is cheffing it up in the kitchen, his favorite kitchen tool is the Victorinox Slotted Fish Spatula. He gushed about the "majesty" behind this spatula when he first discovered it years ago, describing it as the one kitchen tool he couldn't live without in a Food Network interview from 2016. Clearly, he's still not over it. Recently, Allen took to Twitter to advocate for this magical spatula. "Best tool in the kitchen, hands down: The slotted fish spatula (widely available with dishwasher-safe handles, BTW)," Allen tweets. "Nothing better for nudging that first brownie or lasagna slice out of the pan." If Allen says it, it must be true!