This New DTC Kitchenware Comes With a Cooking Coach on Speed Dial

What happened when I tried Equal Parts.

Elly Leavitt

Updated Oct 12, 2018 6:34 PM

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It was 6:30 p.m. on a Friday, and a woman named Tammy was teaching me how to make a frittata.

At first read, nothing feels strange about that scenario—who doesn’t love an end-of-week cooking class? The difference here is that the instructions were coming via text, and Tammy was not some aproned chef whose expertise I had paid $100 (I live in Manhattan) to hear, but instead a trained coach whose services came gratis with my new cookware set. This is the future of kitchenware: a company offering people with limited culinary experience total peace of mind, starting with a full product suite of pots and pans and ending with guided assistance. It’s called Equal Parts, and it just launched today.

Equal Parts offers a number of packages, the simplest of which is $79 for its all-purpose knife (a complete set is $575). All of them come with the personal coach service for the first eight weeks after you order. I went with the most comprehensive bundle, and came home one afternoon to find a box on my doorstep brimming with everything from a large pot to a colander to a serving board. It’s pricey, sure, but consider the upside: Everything is dishwasher-safe, made from nontoxic recyclable materials, and super-durable. Admittedly, the simple black design might not be the chicest, but it will blend right into your space—and you won’t have to worry about buying another piece of cookware for years.

While DTC kitchenware brands aren’t new—hello, Great Jones and Material—most companies stop communication at delivery. With Equal Parts, you get a cheery virtual chef named Tammy texting you at dinnertime to inquire about the contents of your refrigerator. And to suggest a chill jazz playlist on Spotify. And to implore you to consider a shakshuka. The conversation happens in real time and is actually helpful (for anyone who wants to know, my frittata, made from pancetta and leftover potatoes, was delicious).

Equal Parts is made for aspiring Alison Romans, those of us still finding our footing at the stove. The brand supplies the tools (both literal and figurative) to convince you to actually use your new frying pan and crack open that cookbook you got as a housewarming gift. So if you’ve tried everything else to kick your Postmates habit, you might want to add this set to your holiday wish list.