Taste: The $10,000 Breadmaker

You know that $300 Cuisinart sitting dormant on your kitchen counter? That’s nothing. Take a look at the over-the-top toys of some local chefs

The toy: Wood Stone Tandoor Oven
What it does: The 40,000 BTU gas-fired ceramic interior heats to a toasty 700 degrees Fahrenheit, perfect for cooking tandoori Indian foods.
The cost: $10,000
Who needs it: Executive

The toy: Wood Stone Tandoor Oven
What it does: The 40,000 BTU gas-fired ceramic interior heats to a toasty 700 degrees Fahrenheit, perfect for cooking tandoori Indian foods.
The cost: $10,000
Who needs it: Executive chef Biraj Patel at the Borgata’s brand-new Sea Blue.
Why: Because that’s how he makes the cooked-to-order naan in each table’s bread basket.

The toy: Pacojet 16000 Frozen Food Processor
What it does: Purees and blends deep-frozen foods without the need for thawing.
The cost: $3,450
Who needs it: Chef Clark Gilbert at Taquet in Wayne.
Why: In a busy kitchen, the ability to whip up a portion of roasted-beet/balsamic or cucumber/mint sorbet in 20 seconds (other machines take at least 30 minutes) is priceless.

The toy: La Marzocco Custom GB/5 Espresso Machine
What it does: Uh, makes espresso.
The cost: $14,000 (La Colombe’s cost half that)
Who needs it: Barista David George at Mullica Hill’s Crescent Moon café.
Why: He points to the GB/5’s heat stabilization system, which “keeps the temperature constant, always. That’s how you make the best espresso.”

The toy: Jade KC-36 Chitwood Smoke Grill
What it does: Smokes food with real wood, without actually burning the wood … it’s complicated.
The cost: $3,820
Who needs it: Tangerine’s Todd Fuller.
Why: Because really burning wood in a historic city building presents a litany of issues. Fuller uses the KC-36 to inject applewood flavor into his grilled salmon without antagonizing L&I.