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Knives

First of all, let's talk knives. All you need is one knife. Learn it, master it, keep it sharp, and you're all set. A paring knife and a bread knife can help too, but that's about it. Most pros go with a 10" Chef's Knife, like the 'Wüsthof Classic 10-Inch Cook's Knife', but I recommend the 'Wüsthof Classic 7-Inch Hollow Edge Santoku Knife', because I like the hollow edge and it also allows you to dice while having just round enough a belly to permit the circular cutting motion. Round it all out with 'Wüsthof Grand Prix 8-Inch Offset Handle Bread/Deli Knife', you'll appreciate the offset handle, or at least your knuckles will. Other than that, all you need is 'OXO Good Grips 24080 2-Piece Peeler/Parer Set'. You don't need a zester, just use the peeler and dice with the santoku. 'Microplane Grater/Zester' is the best for grating hard cheese, chocolate, etc. And get a large wooden cutting board, at least 16x20...I like them with little legs on them so I can leave them on the countertop.

And you need a steel. Safe & proper steel technique involves resting the steel absolutely vertically with the handle above while pressing it down into the cutting board wood (you might have a little dimple on your cutting board from this, all the better) and running both sides of the knife down along the entire edge at a 20-degree angle, light enough for the knife to "sing". Steel before each use of the knife, and clean the knife and steel diligently. 'Wüsthof Classic 10-Inch Steel' is what I have; maybe the new "diamond steels" are better, or maybe they take off too much metal. Store your knives in a block or with a magnet bar, depending on your layout.

Your cutting board will permanently stink of garlic, so for pastry work, you will need a 'Roul'Pat Pastry Mat', which is stunning, and another wooden board designated for pastry only, so you can cut butter into flour with a pastry scraper such as 'KitchenAid All Purpose Scraper, Black'. Don't waste money on "pastry blenders."

Avoid Appliances

As for appliances, you'll want a stick blender such as 'Braun MR5550MBC-HC Multiquick Professional Hand Blender' which has everything you'll need really unless you have a fondness for frosty ice drinks which will need a better blender. Juicers just combine a blender with a sieve, and unless you juice daily are a waste of time. Stand mixers are useful only once in a while, I mostly grind meat with mine, but occasionally am lazy and use it to knead dough that would come out better done by hand. Your knife will do much better than a full-out cuisinart for most things with far less dishes, and with practice, far less time overall. Make solid knife skills a priority.

Weights, not Measures!

Measuring cups and spoons etc. are an utter waste as well. Borrow someone's until you learn by eye what the various quantities look like, and then do everything by eye, or much more accurately, by taste. For baking, where the proportions are a little more important, no professional baker uses them either: everything is done by weight. The fact American cookbooks provide only volumes for things such as flour keeps us dumb and bakers in business as we suffer a kind of learned helplessness until we realize that a cup of flour varies by 25% or more depending on how you scoop it, and there's no telling how the author scooped it. Furthermore, all those measuring cups are just more junk to clean, more fiddlyness. Learn how to use a digital strain-gauge scale, IN GRAMS, and memorize the basic conversions (e.g. a cup of all-purpose flour is about 130g or so). Baking is literally as easy as pie when you realize you just put the bowl on the scale, tare, add one ingredient, tare, add the next, and so on, and that is all you have to do. I use 'Polder 3-in-1 Kitchen Tool' which also has a thermometer you can use for candy, frying, roasts, etc.

This list isn't completely comprehensive, as you will need a variety of bowls, strainers/chinois, a few odds & ends that I'm not going to make specific recommendations on. E.g. 'OXO Good Grips 28581 12-Inch Stainless-Steel Locking Tongs', 'LamsonSharp Stainless Steel Chef's Slotted Turner', etc.

Cookware

Now, for cookware, where the bulk of your money will end up. It is hard to minimize cookware expense, because a broad "batterie du cuisine" is relevant to good cooking. Each surface and material has its own advantages, and you will want to collect a bunch. A little-known secret in buying cookware is each manufacturer puts a few of their pieces out at deep discount. They will hate me for letting you in on this, but the pieces they put on discount ARE USUALLY THE BEST things they offer! Why? Simple: they are trying to sell you on the brand, and so they get you to try the only things that really demonstrate the value of their product.

If they get word I've let you in on this, they will be in general disarray, but will probably respond by invalidating all the items I've recommended on this list. So grab them now before it's too late, or you'll be stuck paying $750 for a 10 piece set of mediocrity that looks all matching and so on but shines in only a few applications. Get over the fact your cookware won't match: I feel this is the ultimate in showing your savvy off, as you know the best values available in each line.

OK, in rapid succession:
'Lodge Original Finish 12-Inch Cast Iron Skillet'
'Calphalon Commercial Hard-Anodized 12-Inch Everyday Pan with Lid'
'Calphalon Commercial Nonstick 12-Inch Omelet Pan'
'All-Clad Stainless 10-1/2-Inch Flambe/Shallow Sauté Pan'
'Anolon Titanium 8-Inch Open French Skillet'
'Calphalon Commercial Hard-Anodized 8-1/2-Quart Saucier with Lid'
'Calphalon Commercial Hard Anodized 3-1/2-Qt Windsor Pan with Lid'
'Calphalon Commercial Nonstick Collector's Edition 2-1/2-Quart Saucepot with Lid & Steamer Insert'
'All-Clad Stainless 1-Quart Saucier Pan'
'All-Clad Stainless 1-Quart Saucepan'
'Calphalon Classic Hard-Anodized Deep Roaster with Rack and Bonus Lifters and Baster'
'Lodge Original Finish Pro Grid/Iron Griddle'
'Joyce Chen 14-Inch Unseasoned Carbon Steel Round Bottom Wok with Wood Handles'

That should get you started. Compare the package price with one of your matched set options, and know that I'm recommending the best value tools for each job. Store them all in a big Enclume pot rack.

Sure I am recommending Calphalon. Yes I know food sticks to the hard-anodized surface (read my review of the 'Calphalon Commercial Hard-Anodized 12-Inch Everyday Pan with Lid' to see why this is a good thing) and you won't be able to dishwasher them. You will only be able to dishwasher All-clad stainless, who just so happens to have dishwashably-sized sauce pans cheap enough. Use 'OXO Soap Dispensing Kitchen Brush' and get the one they make for glasses too. And please, make life easy on yourself: only clean the insides of your pots with any effort; the stained outsides will show everyone your experience and authenticity as a cook.

Check my cookbook guide & list to learn how to use all this stuff, relax, and enjoy!

PS

OK I'll break down and admit I'm fond of one gizmo: the 'Stir Chef Hands Free Electric Saucepan Stirrer'. It's great for risotto, polenta, and french-style slow-scrambled eggs...with some periodic assistance. But this is purely a lazy indulgence! Get thee wooden spoon out and stir, you fools! =)