Ever wonder why restaurant food tastes so much better than what you make at home? The secret doesn’t lie with equipment and expensive ingredients; it’s about knowledge. Professional chefs understand the principles that most home cooks never learn. With this, they know that small details make a difference when it comes to creating different dishes. Today, we’ll be revealing the 10 secrets that chefs want you to know in cooking.
10. Fat is Flavor
A chef’s professional kitchen uses way more fat than you think. Yup, we’re talking about butter, oil, and other fats. Note that the key is using good fats and balancing them in your dishes. Fat conducts heat more effectively than water, helping create better browning and preventing sticking. It also carries fat-soluble vitamins and flavor compounds that water simply can’t.
9. Learn to Control Heat
High heat doesn’t automatically mean gourmet food. With this, professional chefs adjust their heat as they cook. Remember that high heat is reserved for searing, while the medium is for sautéing. Understanding when and how to adjust the heat is crucial for proper cooking techniques. Think of heat as another ingredient you control.
8. Your Oven Temperature is Probably Wrong
Most home ovens run hot or cold, and many home cooks never check their actual oven temperature. Invest in an oven thermometer and adjust accordingly. Baking especially requires precise temperatures, and even roasting and braising benefit from accurate heat control. Ovens can be off by 25-50 degrees or more, which explains why your cookies burn or your roasts take forever to cook.
7. Tasting
Professional chefs taste constantly throughout the cooking process. They adjust seasoning, acidity, and balance as they go. Many home cooks prepare an entire dish and taste it only at the end, when it’s too late to make meaningful adjustments. Taste early, taste often, and adjust accordingly. Keep a stack of small spoons nearby for tasting and never use the same spoon twice or put it back in the food.
6. Don’t Overcrowd Your Pan
Admit it; you’re also guilty of the same mistake. Yes, we’re talking about overcrowding your food. When you crowd a pan, food steams instead of browning. This is why your home-cooked vegetables are often soggy and your meat lacks that caramelized crust that you want. As a solution, cook in batches if necessary, and give your ingredients room to breathe. In this way, you’ll improve the taste of your dish.
5. Mise en Place Will Change Your Life
“Mise en place” simply means everything in its place. It’s usually used by chefs as it’s not only restaurant jargon, but a definition of the preparedness of everything you need for a dish. Before anything else, chop your vegetables, measure your spices, and have everything ready to go. This prevents panic cooking and ensures nothing gets overcooked while you’re chopping onions.
4. Your Knives Are Probably Dull
A sharp knife is safer than a dull one and makes cooking exponentially more enjoyable. You don’t need expensive knives, but you do need to keep them sharp. Professional chefs sharpen their knives regularly, some even daily. Invest in a good sharpening system or find a local knife sharpening service. A dull knife requires more pressure, which leads to slipping and accidents.
3. Always Opt For Quality Ingredients
In cooking, it’s best to get all good quality ingredients, and you’ll notice that your cooking will improve. This doesn’t mean everything needs to be expensive, but it does mean being selective. Good olive oil, fresh herbs, quality proteins, and seasonal produce make a massive difference. Learn to shop like a chef: smell your ingredients, check for freshness, and understand what peak quality looks like.
2. Resting Meat Isn’t Optional
When you pull meat off the heat, let it rest. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the protein, resulting in more tender, juicy meat. This applies to everything from steaks to whole chickens to roasts. During cooking, muscle fibers contract and push juices toward the center of the meat. A good rule: rest for half the cooking time, with a minimum of 5 minutes for steaks and up to 30 minutes for large roasts.
1. Simplicity Often Wins
Restaurant-style doesn’t mean that you have to overly complicate dishes. The best dishes often have just a few high-quality ingredients that complement each other. Don’t try to put every spice in your cabinet into one dish. Master simple techniques with good ingredients, and you’ll cook better than most people who are trying to be fancy with mediocre execution.