3 “Secrets” to Steal From Professional Chefs

3 “Secrets” to Steal From Professional Chefs

In the intro of his 1999 TV series “The Naked Chef”, Jamie Oliver shared a secret with the viewers: that he doesn’t cook in the same way at home as he does at work. At the time, he was working as a sous-chef at The River Café, a well-known London restaurant serving Italian food. This was, of course, before he earned his place among the best-known celebrity chefs.

Indeed, cooking in a professional setting is very different from what we do at home. For one, the quantities prepared are much larger – after all, a restaurant often feeds dozens of patrons at the same time. There are, in turn, quite a few “secrets” to cooking in a professional setting that even the most entrant home cook can – nay, should – adapt.

Safety first

One of the most important things in a professional kitchen is the safety of the personnel. On one hand, the professional kitchen has to work like a Swiss watch – losing a cog to a cut finger or something more serious is not an option. On the other… it’s just not OK to sacrifice your fingers for even the most amazing dish. In short, one of the most important things to learn from a professional kitchen is that you must always keep yourself safe.

One of the most important tips for home cooks is to keep your knives super sharp. Surprising as it may sound, the sharper the knife, the safer it is to use. One of the most important tips for home cooks is to keep your knives super sharp. Even if you are using one of the best kitchen knives in the UK, it begs to be honed regularly. Then, be extra careful when handling hot liquids – boiling water or soup, hot oil, and their likes can cause nasty burns. Finally, never leave your food unattended on the stove – this can cause a fire.

Mise en place

One of the best practices of a professional kitchen is that every ingredient has to be prepared within the reach of the chef before the actual cooking begins. This is best expressed by the French culinary phrase “mise en place” that translates to “putting everything in its place”. It is a standard procedure in a professional kitchen that works surprisingly well when used at home.

In short, prepare everything before you begin to cook. Cut the meats, mince the vegetables, place the herbs and spices within your reach – and when the time comes, all you’ll have to do is throw the ingredients into the pot in the right order, at the right time, and you’re done.

Always use quality ingredients

Finally, the secret to delicious foods: always use high-quality ingredients. Using canned and processed ingredients, pre-made spice mixes, and such might work when you are very hungry (as in you don’t care what you eat, just eat). But don’t forget: eating is an experience as much as it is nutrition, and you’ll want to make it the best possible experience for you and your friends or family.

One of the best examples for this would be the wine used for cooking: according to many chefs, you should not cook with wine you wouldn’t drink on its own.