Port Phillip Arcade Cake Decorating

Kitchenware #1

The SuperChef Store on Smith Street, Fitzroy

Everyone is cooking up restaurant quality meals at home these days; the competitors on My Kitchen Rules, Jamie Oliver with his 30-minute dishes and even those little kids from MasterChef Junior, but does everyone know where to get quality kitchen equipment at affordable prices? Does everyone know where to get all the specialty gear needed to create all those amazing meals?

One of the city's best stores would have to be Cuisine World on Elizabeth Street. Their window is filled with things like bright, rubberised taco holders, Nordic Ware cake tins in the shapes of dragons, trains, and castles, novelty egg timers and some very serious Japanese blades. Inside, they have a whole section dedicated just to pasta making, another for drink mixing and bar equipment and a section with all kinds of things for cooking fish. They sell professional chef uniforms, cookie cutters, pots and pans and can advise you on all of your kitchen needs.

Another great supplier is hidden away in the Port Phillip Arcade. It's called Cake Deco and claims to be 'Australia's largest retailer of cake decorating equipment'. The store is gloriously cluttered with all kinds of baking paraphernalia like cookbooks, cupcake lace, doughnut pumps, saucepan separators and dog biscuit baking kits. They're open from 9:00am - 5:30pm weekdays and from 10:00am - 2:00pm Saturdays.

Kitchenware #2

Baking Trays from Cake Deco in the Port Phillip Arcade

Myer is still popular, particularly at sale time, for big ticket electrical items like Kenwood Mixers, Cuisine Art appliances and DeLonghi Coffee Machines. House has always got linens, crockery and kitchen accessories that are right on colour trend. Matchbox offers a good range and often great specials and some people swear by Harris Scarf for plates, bowls, cups and cutlery.

What about Superchef Warehouse? Have you been there? In their advertising they suggest that they might in fact have 'Australia's cheapest homewares'. They stock Alex Liddy, Marie Claire, Baccarat, Mayfair and Jackson, and Scanpan among other things.

They also offer the Chef's Club where members receive discounts, e-catalogue and special offers and invitations to cooking classes and other in store events.

Kitchenware #2

Pretty, little baking cups

Superchef Warehouse have outlets in the Cranbourne Homemaker Hub, Frankston Power Centre food court, Home HQ in Nunawading, D.F.O. @Southwharf, near Bunnings in Mentone and on Smith Street, Fitzroy.

Which of these kitchenware stores have you visited? Have you always been able to find what you were after or did you leave empty-handed? Are there more stores you know of, other than those I have listed? Where is Melbourne's best kitchenware store?

Kitchenware #4