Let's Start With The Practical

There's the practical skills, the ones you should be putting into practice every time you step into the kitchen.

Slice Slice Slice

Sharpen. Your. Knives.

jeff_the_nurse

Recently bought some sharpening stones. The difference is immediately apparent

1987mark

Make Them Smaller. Duh.

Cut potatoes into pieces before boiling them, I know it sounds obvious but you wouldn't believe how many people I've met who always put the entire thing in water only to complain about how long it took to cook

Raito_Urekawa

MORE. Not Less. MORE.

Add more garlic.

Also the difference between an average cook and a good cook is often adding more butter and/or seasoning.

Squiggles87

If a recipe calls for one clove of garlic, always use at least two cloves. Even if the recipe is "How to cook one clove of garlic"... use two.

EidolonMom

Use Anything Else

Never use glass or bamboo cutting boards. The glass is harder than your knife edge and will ruin the edge quickly. Bamboo, while having a relatively low average hardness, has localised areas that are tougher than steel. These are often sold as an environmentally responsible alternative to wood, but, like glass, these will destroy your knife edge.

DrunkenGolfer

No Oil Flakes On It

If you are oven cooking something like chips or pizza, instead of putting tinfoil on the baking tray, use baking paper instead.

It still keeps the baking tray clean, the food cooks just as well, and you don't have to worry about the foil sticking to your food and tearing when you dish up. Nothing ruins a pizza like having little flakes of foil on it

first_i_of_infinity

The Lesser Known Tips And Tricks Of The Trade

​Then there's the lesser known tips, the ones you probably haven't hear of, even in passing, but should keep in your chef's tool belt.

Pair Oil With The Base. Simple.

Pasta sauces hack my aunt thought me when I was just beginning to cook, it's pretty obvi but beginners may like it: if you are frying something, always "pair" the oil type to sauce base.

Making chicken alfredo? Sauce is based on cheese and milk, so fry your chicken on butter. Bolognese? You'll be using tomato sauce as base, so fry the meat on olive oil.
Carbonara? No oil, just use bacon's natural fat.
Red wine sauce? Make your veggies on butter.
Pesto? Olive oil, etc.

non_american_idiot

No One Wants To Clean Up That Mess

Lay chopsticks across the top of the bowl to prevent rice from boiling over in the microwave. (No more setting the bowl on a large plate to catch the spillover! \o/ )

bongokapiguana

Feel Like There's A Painful Story Here...

Never use wet oven gloves. NEVER.

xReyjinx

Imagine flash steaming your fingers at 450 degrees.

oksono

Don't Wait Too Long

If your cookies look all the way done when you pull them out they are already burned

hjkkjhkllhj

Yes! Instead take them out when the bottom edges just start to brown. Leave them on the pan for 5 minutes so the bottom and edges crispen up. Remove from pan, set on plate or cooling rack for 5 minutes. Eat.

Perfectly light crispy outside, gooey warm inside. Heaven on Earth.

mah_astral_body

Never Boiled Again

My dad is a chef, so growing up with him has taught me a lot about cooking. I've seen some good tips here already (season your food, season as you go, use sharp knives, preheat the oven etc.) but a really good tip especially for people who are not that fond of vegetables: oven roast them!

[Roasted] veggies are the best, just give them a little oil and seasoning (I usually do salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder) and give them 20-30 minutes depending on how big the veggie pieces are. If there's a type of vegetable you usually don't like because you've only tried it boiled to oblivion, try oven roasting it. I hate boiled Brussels sprouts, but oven roasted they're my favourite.

rmp2020

SALT. All The Salt.

Bread dough and pasta dough need extra salt.

Not [enough] salt makes for a bland flavorless product.

NaturalEmployee8814

The Obvious Standards To Hit

Then there's these skills, the ones you've probably never even considered, but to ascend to the level of great cook must be a standard to achieve.

Takes Off The Coating

No metal spoon/spatula should touch nonstick pans/pots..

Mr9Jokervis

You Are The Master And The Commander

This is the advise I give all my new cooks I'm training:

You are stronger and smarter than everything in the kitchen. If it needs to be hotter, turn it up. Knife is dull? Sharpen it. Recipe says to bake for 20 mins but you think it needs 30? Give it 30. Don't let the food rule you. You're in charge.

Also, clean while you cook. You'll be amazed how many dishes can be done in two free minutes.

Sirnando138

Two Different Philosophies On The Same Coin

Unless you're baking go by taste rather than the exact measurements of a recipe

XoX_K_XoX

And if you are baking follow the ingredients and amounts exactly.

GozerDGozerian

For Those In The Back:

WASH YOUR HANDS BEFORE COOKING

InCONTROLfreak

and if you've been working with peppers WASH YOUR HANDS AFTER COOKING

hungrylens

Keep an open mind, keep your ego in check, know you always have something to learn, and you'll be slicing and dicing with the best of them.

And spices. Always, always use more spices and seasoning.

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