Fundamentally, I find I've never really "needed" more than a small cast-iron frying pan, a small pot for boiling/steaming foods and cooking grains, and a larger pot for making soups or broths.
It's much the same with utensils. If you're determined, you can do anything with a half-decent Chef's Knife. Anything. Maybe you'd want a paring knife (or "office knife") for delicate jobs. Add in a spatula and a mixing bowl and you'd be hard pressed to "need" anything else. That said, cooking with fancy tools is a lot of fun. I've managed to build up quite a pile of equipment, utensils and tools from yard sales, thrift shops and clearance sections, and I don't regret any of it.
>>179When you say "office knife", do you mean you're doing everything with a paring knife?
>mfwMay as well try to dig through the Earth with a teaspoon! Yes, get a chef's knife, or even a santoku or a cleaver, or even a clean, sharpened garden spade, literally anything would be an upgrade. Don't break the bank, since you say you're just a beginner. Get something decent and get lots of practice with an actual chef's knife before worrying about getting something top of the line.
