The Kitchen Gear Justine Dorion Can’t Live Without

“My boyfriend’s from the south, and he really got into Cayman Jack, so it’s a non-negotiable in our house,” says Justine. She always has at least a 6-pack and often a 12-pack in the fridge for a weekend treat. She and her boyfriend Eric recently bought a new home in Brooklyn with outdoor space and they love to make the most of warm weather. Dorion likes to rim a glass with tajin, add ice, and pour in her Cayman margarita to elevate the canned cocktail a touch. She loves that there’s nothing to mix or shake and she gets the full spicy margarita experience right in the backyard.

A great cutting board is essential in a high-use kitchen, and Dorion’s board of choice comes from Material. It’s made from durable, natural wood and has enough surface area to chop through a mountain of veggies or carve a centerpiece-worthy roast. One side has a groove for catching all the juices, too.

Dorion starts every day with a bowl of Three Wishes fruity cereal. She loves that it tastes like Fruit Loops but isn’t loaded with sugar.

A fun pasta shape is one of Dorion’s deserted island food needs, and no one does creative noodle shapes better than Sfoglini. The unique Cascatelli looks especially tasty in Dorion’s caramelized mushroom goat cheese pasta sauce.

You might not expect a petite ¾-quart saucepan to be the most useful item in your kitchen, but Dorion swears she uses her Made In butter warmer “five times a day.” She says it’s the ideal size for boiling two eggs for a snack, scalding milk for custards, and of course, melting butter.

The makers of chef-loved aprons Hedley & Bennett also have a cult-favorite chef’s knife that Dorion loves. The 8-inch, super-sharp Japanese steel blade and pretty color options make it a highly effective and aesthetic tool for cooks of all levels. Dorion vouches that, “It’s super easy to use, especially in terms of size. It's lightweight and also very easy to sharpen.”

Another pantry staple that Dorion would bring to her deserted island? Organic tomato paste. This is an umami-enhancing, deeply flavorful seasoning that most of us could probably use more of. Dorion’s favorite paste comes from Cento and is easy to find at most grocery stores–and cheap!

Dorion is a self-described fizzy drink fiend. “Ever since somebody told me that seltzer water is just as hydrating as regular water, I fill up two Aarke bottles at the beginning of the day, I put apple cider vinegar in, and I try to drink them throughout the day.” She says her ACV kick started in 2016. “A YouTuber told me to add it to my water, and I got really into the taste.” Dorion says she quit drinking soda in 2018 and the shot of ACV in her sparkling water “became a crutch, and now it’s my favorite thing.”

Dorion’s own book Justine Cooks: A Cookbook, is coming out this fall. She regularly relies on her favorite cookbooks for inspiration and education. One of her favorites is a classic among vegetable lovers: Joshua McFadden’s Six Seasons. Dorion picked the book up at a thrift store and consults it all the time.