We all have a drawer full of kitchen tools and gadgets we thought we needed. That avocado slicer? Used once. The spiraliser? Still has the tag on it. But every now and then, you come across a tool that’s so simple, cheap, and actually useful, it becomes something you gravitate towards for every cook.
For viral chef and online sensation, Andy Hearnden, a.k.a. Andy Cooks, that tool is something so humble, you can pick it up for as cheap as a couple of dollars. What is it, you wonder? It’s a bench scraper, also known as a dough cutter. And Andy swears by it.
“One tool I use in every cook is my essential scraper (aka dough cutter or bench scraper),” he told us in an interview. “It’s perfect for moving things around your chopping board without dulling the end of your knife.”
You heard it from a man who’s cooked in top-tier restaurants across London, Sydney and Melbourne, who has millions of followers amassed across social media. He didn’t build his following by messing around, so when he says it’s essential, you bet we’re adding one to our kitchen drawer.
What is a bench scraper?
Also known as a dough cutter or pastry scraper, this unassuming tool is a multitasker’s dream. You can scrape up chopped herbs, vegies, onions and garlic like a culinary professional. Clean flour and dough remnants off your bench in mere seconds. Portion out dough and flatten ingredients, or crush garlic. As Andy mentioned, you can gather and transfer chopped ingredients without dragging your knife across the board, which is a cardinal sin in knife care.
Not flashy and not expensive. Just practical, effective, and surprisingly satisfying to use.
Who is Andy Hearnden?
If you often find yourself scrolling through Instagram and TikTok, you’d recognise Andy Hearnden, also known as Andy Cooks. He’s a New Zealand chef who began making cooking videos during the COVID-19 pandemic. Within 18 months, he amassed over 10 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, Youtube and Facebook. Since then, he’s continued to grow exponentially, creating his own cookbook, Andy Cooks: The Cookbook.
