E. Dehillerin takes up a lot of valuable Parisian real estate with its corner space.

I really love all my kitchen tools. Although I’d be the first to admit that simply having a good chef’s knife is all one truly needs in the kitchen, having the right tool for the right job often makes all the difference. So having Paris’ kitchen supply shops just a couple blocks from where I am working makes it all too easy to jaunt over during my break for that “one special tool” I happen to fantasize about while cooking… or to replace a tool that finally met its match in the middle of service.

Another angle of the storefront, showing off the countless kitchenwares available inside.

Although I usually maximize my precious time off with a serious nap on a bench within the Palais-Royal, I occasionally satisfy my urge for that “one special tool,” and with glazed eyes peruse the wares along the shelves and isles in the different stores… all conveniently located within vicinity of each other.

The iconic rooster in copper displayed in the case surrounded by other gleaming copperware.

Even after my first visit to all of them, I quickly deduced which stores were for mommies baking cookies with the kids and which ones were for professional cooks. It came down to three shops, with a final honorable mention. My favorite shop, simply because it could only exist in the heart of Paris, open since 1820, is E. Dehillerin located at 18, rue Coquillière. This is the real deal, with stacks and stacks of copper, carbon steel, Le Creuset, and Staub cookware, and with rows and rows of tiny kitchen utensils, it’s enough to make your head spin and wish for every item. And the gruff, yet surprisingly helpful clerks (if you have the patience) just add to the charm.

You are immediately welcomed by this wall of copper as you enter the store.

I found some items here that I've been searching for a long time.

Every size and type of pots and pans stacked up and up and up...

Another great culinary shop is Mora, just around the corner from E. Dehillerin, at 13, rue Montmartre, which opened in 1814. This store specializes in equipment for bakers and pâtissiers. They have an endless supply of hard-to-find ring molds, silicon molds, and chocolate molds of every shape and size imaginable.

The storefront of Mora as you approach from the street.

A decent selection of pots and pans, along with an entire wall of ring molds in the back.

Pastry cutters, piping tips, and numerous tools of which I can only guess their use.

Endlessly varying shapes and sizes of silicon and baking molds.

The third shop that I really enjoy going to is A. Simon, just down the street from Mora, at 48, 52, rue Montmartre, the “youngest” of the shops, opening in 1884. Just recently, the owners of the famous G. Detou bought A. Simon and they did some renovations to the kitchen equipment side of the store. Now the two sides are more distinct, with the “red” storefront depicting the kitchenware side of the operation, and the “green” storefront depicts the dinnerware side of the operation (hence the “48, 52″ address).

The red storefront of the kitchenware side of A. Simon.

Each store has so many things, there's always something new to find... which led me to spend plenty of hard-earned euros, yet again.

The green storefront of the dinnerware side of A. Simon.

Inside A. Simon shows the ceiling track that helps move big, heavy boxes throughout the store... although the rest of the shop simply reminds me of a department store.

I wouldn’t be completely honest if I gave the impression that it’s only these specialty kitchen stores that I frequent, since I’ve made several trips to BHV as well… a department store. Although I did take one trip up to the 3rd floor (Culinaire & Table) to buy an affordable digital scale, it’s usually the basement on the -1 floor (Bricolage) where I find what I need, such as scissors, rulers, masking tape, tweezers, pliers, and other kitchen essentials that can only be found in the hardware store.

"Here You Are" sign at BHV... important floors to note: 3 and -1.

Kitchen utensils at BHV are geared more for the home cook, but there's still an impressive collection of Le Creuset pots.

The expression “like a kid in a candy store” couldn’t be more appropriate. I often contemplate purchasing an item which I may not even know what its use is, but it look so useful. I have so many kitchen tools and gadgets at home that my wife has banned me from ever complaining about how many shoes she has… but having the right tool for the right job is truly worth it. And I can’t wait to test out my new toys at the next Chef’s Table Event.