Ah, the humble grater—a kitchen tool that’s often overlooked, tucked away in a drawer and only brought out when cheese or a carrot needs to meet its shredded fate. But in the small confines of a galley, where space is as precious as gold and every item must earn its keep, the grater is not just for carrots and cheese — it’s a multitasking marvel, and dare I say, a chef’s best friend.
You can imagine my happy dance when I was interviewing Chef Sara, you can read her interview for our Show Me Your Galley Series here, and she confessed one of her favourite galley pieces of equipment was a grater. In such a beautifully designed and well-equipped galley like Superyacht MY Rock, Sara gave praise to the humble, manual grater and rightly so in my opinion.
The Grater: More Than Just a Cheese Shredder
Let’s be honest, when most people think of a grater, their minds immediately jump to cheese. And yes, the grater is a maestro at transforming a block of cheddar into a fluffy mountain of deliciousness, ready to top your homemade pizza or sprinkle over a steaming bowl of delicious pasta. But the grater’s talents go far beyond the dairy aisle (or in the case of Small Vegan Kitchen, the non-dairy aisle).
When we first arrived in Spain back in 2011, we used to love going for breakfast at local cafés. The typical Spanish breakfast of Tostada con tomate (Toast with tomato, olive oil and salt) was quite literally an enigma as to how they kept the texture of the tomato without making it into a runny soup that didn´t make the bread soggy. The secret is out. They use a grater. They cut the tomato in half and grate away till the only thing that is left is the skin. They then add a generous pinch of salt, and olive oil. They toast the baguette and rub a clove of garlic over the bread then spread the delicious fresh and super healthy grated tomato over the baguette, top with a second drizzle of olive oil and voila. It is often the simplest things that give the best results.
We often have it on the boat sometimes as a light lunch with a few slices of avocado and a sprinkle of crushed black pepper (this is my personal favourite!).
Imagine this: You’ve decided to whip up a quick, nutrient-packed salad. You grab your grater, and in just a few minutes, you’ve transformed simple ingredients into something special. Perfectly grated carrots add crunch, a touch of grated ginger brings zing, and perhaps you’ve added grated apple for a hint of sweetness and cucumber for freshness. A bit of grated lemon or lime rind, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of raisins and seeds take your salad from ordinary to extraordinary with minimal effort.
And it doesn’t stop there. The grater can be your go-to for zesting citrus fruits, creating finely grated garlic or onion to add depth to your sauces, or even turning a potato into the perfect base for a crispy vegan hash.
It turns my tofu slab into a plant-based mince. When I am out of choc chips I grate a bloc of chocolate or if it is too hot to have the hob on whilst I meticulously mind my bain marie it makes melted chocolate for a ganache (see this month's recipe for chocolate cake with chocolate ganache and salted caramel drizzle).
The Grater: A Tool for the Times
In the world of plant-based cooking, texture is king. Without the traditional meat-based textures, creating contrast and variety in your dishes becomes even more important. The grater steps up to the plate here, offering a way to add that much-needed texture. Grated vegetables, fruits, and even nuts can bring life to your dishes in a way that slicing or chopping just can’t.
But here’s where the grater really shines in the galley: it’s compact. In a space where every square inch counts, the grater’s slim profile makes it easy to store. Whether you opt for a box grater, a flat grater, or even a microplane, you’ll find that it doesn’t hog precious drawer space. I have the (no paid promotion here just happy with the product) the ikea grater with a container and lid. It is perfect for the three of us but if you are cooking for a large crew it can be limiting.
And for those who love a bit of nostalgia, there’s something incredibly satisfying about using a grater. It’s an old-school tool that hasn’t really changed much over the years because, quite frankly, it doesn’t need to. It’s a testament to the idea that sometimes, the simplest tools are the best.
For those who embrace technological advances and count a food processor among your onboard galley equipment, you can sometimes find attachments that also perform the grating action making it even quicker and easier to grate.
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