Masterful Meals – How to Whip Up Dishes Worthy of a Master Chef

Masterful Meals – How to Whip Up Dishes Worthy of a Master Chef

Many feel inspired to cook after a session of cooking reality shows but, at the same time, feel intimidated at the thought of spending all that time in the kitchen. If you find yourself longing to make a meal for your loved ones but feeling scared to begin, remember:

Cooking talent, to a large extent, comes down to being able to follow a good system.

There is nothing wrong with you and your inability to crack an egg with one hand! Now, get into your kitchen and focus your energy on following these important but easy steps. 

1. Use the right tools

In the culinary arts, your cookware is your paintbrush. You can source the most beautiful ingredients but the results will wither if you don’t have the right tools. So make sure you go for top quality cookware sets when choosing your kitchen supplies. They are stronger, clean easier and will last longer than the budget varieties. If you’re still using cheap pots that are stained or scratched. Which were meant to be temporary or are missing certain items, then it’s time to upgrade.

2. Choose simple recipes

It is easier to perfect a simple recipe. What does this mean? Simple, in every sense of the word. Look at recipes that use less and easily sourced ingredients. Contain less jargon in the method and less specialty equipment and techniques needed to pull them off. Don’t buy your first blowtorch for a one-off meal – especially if you’ve never used one before! This way, there’s less chance of making mistakes or missing an important step. At the end of the day, it’s better to serve up a fantastic simple dish than a mediocre complex plate. 

3. Use the freshest available seasonings

Fresh herbs and seasonings are perhaps the simplest additions in cooking that will enhance any meal. Limit your use of dried or store-bought herbs and grow your own. You will notice a major difference in the amount of flavour. You don’t need to have a green thumb since herbs like parsley and mint are practically weeds. You might even find them sprouting in your yard already. You can just as easily grind your own peppercorn and salt as you need it. Add whole cinnamon sticks to prepare to enter a whole new realm of fragrance and flavour! 

4. Stay organised and clean as you go 

Besides the obvious reasons for a clean environment being preferable, not having to worry about excess mess, slips and spills will allow you to focus on your cooking, especially as you finish up and serve your dish. When you are cleaning as you go, you also don’t have to worry about mixing up ingredients or cross-contamination if they’re not all out in the open! Keep your food scraps bin and general bin next to you, wash your cookware after use and use any waiting time to tidy up your space! 

5. Taste as you go

This is the most important step in cooking that people skip! Whether you’re preparing a dessert, a Boeuf Bourguignon or a pasta dish, always taste your ingredients throughout the meal prep and cooking process so you can adjust your seasoning and flavours as needed. Following a recipe is important but adjusting flavours to suit you or your guests who will be eating the meal is a bigger priority.

Now that we’ve covered the not-so-secret steps behind flawless cooking, it’s time to invest in some quality cookware and some fresh whole herbs and get started on your next meal!