After 32+ years of working with food, I have definitely learned a thing or two. A professional Cook tends to work long hours, with few chances to rest and very little margin for error. To execute food properly, a cook must follow strict instructions and time the completion of the food perfectly while multitasking several components at the same time.
There’s a lot that goes into it! But cooking isn’t just about talent. I’m my experience, talent comprises less than 10% of what is required to cook well. Most of what you’ll need is a matter of attention to detail and consistency. You’d probably be amazed at how most of the delicious food out there is made by simply not making mistakes!
Don’t get new wrong! I definitely make mistakes and a lot of them! I’ve probably made every mistake in the book and invented a few! But if mistakes are how we learn then that means that I’ve learned a whole heck of a lot. Which means that I can now help you avoid them.
My experience has coalesced into a set of rules that I follow while cooking and I teach these rules to anyone that I’m training. There are currently 20 rules that, when used together, can turn anyone into a great cook or a great cook into an awesome cook.
Today I’m just going to share the first 5.
- Don’t kill your guests! – This should be obvious but it’s really apparent that I need to. Food safety is a real thing! And it must be practiced at all times. There have been times when I’ve had to be “that guy” when I see a cook pick his/her nose and keep cooking. Gross!!! You know we can see you right??!! 90% of food hazards are avoided by just washing your hands and wearing gloves. Wash your hands and change gloves after touching anything before touching anything else. Sound expensive? Betcha it’s cheaper than a lawsuit! And there are a TON of other ways to compromise food safety. I suggest taking a food handlers course and getting a certification if you plan to work with food. Most places will require it before you can work anyway so it’s best to have one already. Click here to take a course and get yours from home. (insert ace affiliate link) Let’s face it. Even if your only cook at home, no one will want to come over for dinner if they got food poisoning the last time they were there!
- Don’t kill yourself! – Also should be obvious but it’s important to stress this. Kitchens are dangerous! You must assume that everything you will touch is either hot or sharp. It’s always the things that you don’t expect that cause you injury or worse. I usually work with either a towel in one hand and a pair of tongs in the other or with two utinsils in each hand. You can read my article on knife work for further safety techniques. It’s never a good idea to cook for people when you’re bleeding all over the food! See #1!! You have to protect yourself so that you can protect your guests! Be cautious at all times and don’t push your luck.
- Taste your food! – “Did I do it right?” That’s the question that goes through every cooks mind….. constantly! The answer, of course, is right in front of you. Try your food and you’ll know. You have to understand the food you are making in order to get the results you want and you’ll only know what you need to change by trying your own food. Don’t stick your finger in it! #1 that’s nasty! #2 it might burn you! See a pattern? I suggest getting two spoons. One to taste with and one to dip with.
- Be Conservative! – No I don’t mean politically! I’ve found that being judicious when adding ingredients and/or cooking the food is the best practice. It’s nearly impossible to unseason a dish after you’ve added too much salt. And it’s completely impossible to uncook food that is overcooked. You must monitor the progression of your dish constantly to insure that you’re adding the right amount. “How do I do that?” See #3. Measuring implements and timers are your best friends for this! I use my Amazon echo show as my timer at home for the hands off approach. “Alexa, set a timer for 5 minutes” and I’m done! Click here if you want one, they are super cool! https://amzn.to/3lG4mdV
- Love your food! – There is no other quality in a cook that is more important than this! And Love is the number 1 ingredient in every great dish ever made. Not to brag (much) but I get compliments all the time at work that the food from the kitchen is “just better” when I’m cooking. Why? I’m using all the same ingredients and cooking with the same equipment. It’s because other folks cook because it’s their job and I happen to have a job that I get to cook at! Cooking is not my job, it’s what I do, who I am and how I express myself! Food is Life and Love made solid for me. I obsess daily on how to make every execution of every dish I make better than it was before and I NEVER stop. I understand that not everyone nerds out on food like I do but I want to give you a reference point for why it’s so important. Your love of your food WILL show up in your food!
To sum up.
The more you love your food, the better your technique will be because you will care enough to improve it. You will want to taste your food to make sure you are getting the desired results in the right combinations and proportions. And your food and your ability to execute it will be more delicious and safe for you and your guests!
If you’re new to cooking then I suggest starting with other people’s recipes and they don’t have to be mine. Once you’ve mastered a recipe, try changing a few things to make it your own. You’ll get a ton of ideas while you’re cooking. Write them down! Happy cooking!
Be on the lookout for more of Ricepaddy’s Rules!
A great place to start off the easy way is through box subscriptions like this one. I’ve used it myself and I was impressed!
What a fun and useful blog! I’m going to enjoy following this!