A few simple concepts that will drastically improve your home cooking, from a chef.
1. Salt is the most important ingredient in cooking, by far. Learn how to use it.
1. Salt is the most important ingredient in cooking, by far. Learn how to use it.
2. No amount of technique will overcome bad ingredients. Focus on sourcing good ingredients and your food will taste better.
3. Shop at local farmer's markets, butcher shops, bakeries, and cheese shops before going to grocery chains.
3. Shop at local farmer's markets, butcher shops, bakeries, and cheese shops before going to grocery chains.
4. You need one chefโs knife, one paring knife, and one bread knife. Thatโs it.
5. A great cast iron or carbon steel skillet will last forever, improve with time, and be your most versatile piece of cookware.
6. Never buy cheap olive oil. It's probably rancid or fake.
5. A great cast iron or carbon steel skillet will last forever, improve with time, and be your most versatile piece of cookware.
6. Never buy cheap olive oil. It's probably rancid or fake.
7. Acidity is nearly as important as salt. It brightens up food, adds dimensionality, and cuts through fat.
8. Fresh herbs add a ton of flavor to a meal. Use them liberally.
9. Olive oil, beef tallow, butter, and ghee should be 90% of what you cook with.
8. Fresh herbs add a ton of flavor to a meal. Use them liberally.
9. Olive oil, beef tallow, butter, and ghee should be 90% of what you cook with.
10. Donโt be afraid of high heat. Thatโs how you get a lot of the best textures and flavors in food.
11. When it comes to grills, wood > charcoal > pellets > propane
12. Sweet, salt, sour, bitter, umami. Learn these 5 tastes and balance them.
11. When it comes to grills, wood > charcoal > pellets > propane
12. Sweet, salt, sour, bitter, umami. Learn these 5 tastes and balance them.
13. Fish sauce and soy sauce are secret weapons to add umami, even in a subtle way.
14. Salt your steaks 12-24 hours before you cook them.
15. The best dishes are really simple. Try eliminating something before you add more.
14. Salt your steaks 12-24 hours before you cook them.
15. The best dishes are really simple. Try eliminating something before you add more.
16. A quick clean-up of your kitchen before you start cooking will drastically alter the energy of the space for the better.
17. Mise en place is the most powerful concept home cooks can adopt from restaurant kitchens.
17. Mise en place is the most powerful concept home cooks can adopt from restaurant kitchens.
18. Vegetables taste WAY better when they're in-season. Shop locally and seasonally.
19. Textural contrast makes food more interesting. Try layering in different textures.
19. Textural contrast makes food more interesting. Try layering in different textures.
20. If you want to master a dish, you have to make it many times. Have at least one dish in your repertoire that you've made enough to cook it without a recipe, anywhere and any time.
21. Finally, and it's worth repeating, quality is everything when it comes to cooking.
The ingredients you cook with define the food you make. Opt for the very best ingredients you can afford, always.
The ingredients you cook with define the food you make. Opt for the very best ingredients you can afford, always.
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