This is Chef’s Staples, where professional chefs dish on the gear they couldn’t cook without. This week: Pat LaFrieda of LaFriedas in New York City, NY.
The LaFriedas have been in the New York meat business since 1922. Today, Pat LaFrieda continues the legacy started by his grandfather, becoming one of the country’s most well-known meat purveyors, specializing in dry-aged steaks and burger blends (Pat LaFrieda concocted Shake Shack’s famous burger patty blend). With nationwide distribution, anyone in the 50 states can enjoy provisions from Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors, now based out of New Jersey. These are the tools that the country’s most famous butcher uses to break down and cook his world-famous beef.
The Otto Wilde Grill

“The Otto Wilde Grill is by far the best grill I’ve ever used. It heats from the overhead broiler to astounding temperatures (1,500 degrees Fahrenheit) that you just can’t get with a normal grill or an oven. That is what gives steak that beautiful sear to trap in those amazing juices. It can be used for anything — fish, poultry, fruit, vegetables — but of course my favorites are the perfect T-bones, ribeyes and porterhouses.”