I'm bemused as to why this is aimed at "founders", but whatever. I would like to say, though, that if I'd made a list of essential kit, I would have included a sauté pan; it's like a frying pan, but deeper and with vertical sides and usually with a (transparent) lid. You can cook great meals in a sauté pan - do your onions/spices/garlic etc, then add meat (if that's your thing), then stock, pasatta (or whatever) and then the bulking stuff - pasta etc - and all on the hob, rather than in an oven. Really versatile bit of kit.