I agree with the knives suggested by Brinda A, But in place of a food processor, think perhaps about a decent-sized cutting board. Wood, not bamboo which tends to dull knives. Give yourself a chance to learn some comfortable knife skills first. I'd also add a skillet and saucepan in which to cook your lovely vegetables in different ways. Fancy equipment won't make you a better cook.
Experience will make you a better cook. Learn to use a knife, but also learn about different cooking methods, such as sautéing, braising, roasting, stir-frying. If you are interested in baking, try making yeast breads and muffins, and cakes and/or pastries. Think about what you want to learn to cook and then make it repeatedly until the process feels natural to you. Start out with easy recipes and work you way up towards more complex dishes once you get comfortable. No one piece of equipment nor one technique will make you a good cook - cooking, messing up and learning why and trying again will make you a better cook. Good luck.
Just to add to this wonderful comment, I have found that learning some of the science behind cooking has helped me become a better, more confident cook. I know what works and why, which means k can improvise with confidence. Cooks Illustrated got me started, as did Alton Brown and Good Eats, Serious Eats, and Harold McGee.
Hi Irina! Thanks for this question—I'm looking forward to reading the many differing answers. For me, I'm a real minimalist: I think a sharp chef's knife, a smaller paring knife, a Y-peeler, and a regular food processor are pretty much the only tools you need. With these tools, you can do just about anything: with the knives, you can cut up any kind of fruit or veg; with the peeler, you can obviously peel, but can also make lovely ribbons of zucchini, winter squash, or sweet potatoes; with the food processor, you can make up a big batch of pesto, a really thick/chunky vegetable soup, or frozen banana ice cream, for starters. Sky's the limit!
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