Do you ever wish you could cook like a professional chef without having to be one?

Maybe you will cook more like a professional chef if you wear an apron and a fancy hat!

Haha.  No, no this article is not about those kind of tips!  (Although, you can do that too)

These are the kind of simple professional chef tips that will give you the culinary know-how to run the kitchen “like a boss” without having to go to culinary school or wear fancy clothes.

Simple tips that make you look like a Professional Chef

1) Spend time in the kitchen

You know the saying “You can’t rush perfection” or “Rome wasn’t built in a day”? Well, it applies in the kitchen too.

• You need practice to get good at anything – if you aren’t good at it, it might be that you haven’t given it a big enough chance!!!
• Good food takes time to cook. Give it the time it needs.
• Try not to multi-task too much when learning to cook. Things can burn fast if you’re not paying attention to them, making you feel like you are a “bad cook” – even when that’s not true at all. You’re only bad at paying attention. 😉

2) Know your tools

• Get decent tools – cooking is so much more fun when you don’t have to fight everything in your kitchen!
• Know what’s essential and what’s not
• Know how to use what you have

3) Know your spices (Freebie)

• For example, Pepper isn’t a freebie ingredient! It is a spice on it’s own. So, don’t just put it in everything that calls for salt! Use it very intentionally – like on a steak or a beautiful pepper sausage gravy – but, you don’t need it on everything. Hence, I hardly ever put it on pork (besides peppered bacon), chicken, or scrambled eggs.
• Keep it simple
• Try different things to know what you like

4) Master seasoning “to taste”

• You should never have to salt food at the table
• Salt in “Layers” (General rule of thumb – 1 pinch (just under 1/4 tsp) per 1 c. food
• Salt balances out sweetness – use in sweet dishes to add an addictive, “country rustic” quality – think chocolate dipped pretzels or nuts and caramel, sea salt anything!
• Salt should not be something you should be able to taste (if you can taste actual “saltyness” it is too salty!) but your dishes should be bright and flavorful

Advanced: Use (small amounts of) different types of sugar in savory dishes to make them addictively delicious (ie. Salad dressings, spice mixes, tomato sauce, etc)

5) Make your own _________

• Many common foods are super easy to make but people think they are hard – for example, croutons, salad dressing, sour cream, pasta, ice cream, yogurt, etc.  They are soooo much better homemade and totally impressive when you show off your skillzzz. 🙂
• Only one thing at a time. If you are a beginner, don’t try to make a bunch of new things all at once. (You will only end up feeling like you can’t cook.) Only try something new after you master old concepts.

Biggest TIP of all

Try to enjoy what you are doing!

• Get excited about what you are trying.
• Keep it simple!
• Believe in yourself – Do things intentionally and confidently.  If you believe in yourself you are far more likely to succeed.
• If you make a mistake, try to laugh it off and learn what not to do next time. You might need some practice to get there but you can totally do it.

Remember, anyone can cook!

Share below: What do you want to learn in the kitchen??

#LessisMore #Beginning Simply