Most of the Chefs I know are great strategists who know how to improvise a recipe with seemingly no effort. Their solution is to always have certain items on hand which can be used in creating a quick dish. Here are some of the staples I keep in my pantry:

Italian Olive Oil
primarily produced in Spain, Italy, Turkey and Greece.

Vegetable Oil
for dressing and marinade.

Walnut Oil - for special vinaigrette, nothing like it !

Truffle Oil
this gold oil is now available almost anywhere, very pricy, try one made from White Truffles, either from France or Italy.

Wok Cilantro Oil
found in most large food stores, has a strong garlic and cilantro taste, I generally use it to marinate poultry and when sauté some vegetables.

Sesame Oil
for Asian food preparation, several kinds are in the market, I prefer the darker version which has a stronger flavor.

Flavored Oils known as infused oils
are made by infusing a small quantity of fresh herbs or spices with olive oil for a short time. Like a marinade, the flavors integrate with the liquid, which magnify taste. I like to prepare a curry version with a touch of ground and fresh ginger.

Hoisin Sauce
a thick, sweet , brownish red sauce made from soy beans, vinegar, sesame seeds, chili and garlic, often used in Chinese cuisine.

Basalmic Vinegar
very strong in flavor, I reduce it with sugar and cinammon and drizzle it on fresh made Caesar salad.

Red and Blackberry Vinegars
also available in most large super-markets, can be produced in your own home using fresh and old berries. Ask me for the recipe!

Tarragon or White Vinegar
for light vinaigrette, or used for reducing a beurre blanc!

Rice Vinegar
know as the weakest in flavor, strong in acidity, great to marinate Seafood and at building Japonese dressing.

Sherry, or other Sweet Wines
such as Sauterne and Riseling are also used in my repertoire when I want to confection a special fruit sauce reduction, marinate some wild meat, or simply make the base for an onion soup!

Mirin sweet Japanese cooking wine
produced very early in Japan's history, when not available use Sake mixed with sugar.

Soy Sauce
made from the soy bean, essential ingredient in Asian cuisine.

White and Black Whole Peppers
essential for your Peppermill, cannot work without it!

Saffron
from Spain or India, great for making Paella or Seafood Dishes.

Basil
One of the most scented of culinary herbs. Main ingredient in Pesto. Will turn brown quickly if kept in a very cold refrigerator.

Bay Leaf
A native of the Mediteraneen coast. Dried leaves are more intense than fresh, but will loose 80 % their flavor after 12 months. Should be used in small doses because of it's strong flavor. The Bay leaf tree can grow to 35 feet high!

Rosemary
Demonstrates its Mediteranean flair when combined with crushed garlic and olive oil. Its dry, bitter taste goes well with all meats, especially lamb.

Coriander or Cilantro
is always used fresh, very susceptible to heat, the leaves should be added at the end of the dish.

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