Tear-jerker set in the kitchen (5)
I believe the answer is:
onion
'tear-jerker' is the definition.
(cutting onions can make you cry)
I cannot understand how the rest of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for onion that I've seen before include "Aromatic flavourful versatile vegetable" , "Type of allium" , "associated with 26 [TRIPE] ?" , "one understood by expert" , "Eye-watering vegetable" .)