Periscope

During a New York City shopping expedition at Williams-Sonoma, she's surrounded by top-of-the-line luxury. But asked to pick the most important tools for any chef, she bypasses the KitchenAids in favor of a $10 whisk (a larger version of the flat one she always carries in her purse) and a $16 microplane grater. "Anything else, I can make do without," Lawson insists. Then she asks if the store will ship a new powder blue five-quart mixer over to London. Like a second piece of pie, just because you can live without it doesn't mean you should.

Katherine Stroup