Fool all your guests into thinking your culinary expertise spans beyond bingeing Master Chef.
There’s learning your way around a kitchen, and then there’s dedicating yourself to the culinary craft.
Culinary students put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into mastering the art and science that is cooking. That’s why u/J_mo0d knew they were the perfect ones to ask what tips everyone should know to use in their own kitchens.
1.
“Don’t get cocky with the mandolin.”
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There are some seriously gnarly stories about people losing bits of their fingers with these things. One commenter spoke about the horror stories they heard about mandolin slicers as a healthcare worker.
“If you take a slice off your fingertip, we cannot stitch that because there is no skin to be stitched,” u/Pinglenook explained.
“It will bleed like hell, and there are too many exposed blood vessels for your body to stop the bleeding quickly. You’ll be holding your hand over your shoulder with a thick pressure bandage on your finger for a full day.”
2.
“A falling knife has no handle.” —u/2drums1cymbal
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In other words, DON’T try to catch it!
3.
“It sounds basic, but always make sure your bowl is bigger than you think you need,” u/musicmunchkin warned.
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“It’s a pain in the bum trying to mix ingredients when they’re spilling over the edge because you thought they would fit in there.”
5.
“Mise en place is everything.”
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This culinary student says doing the prep work beforehand can save you from making unnecessary mistakes due to bad timing.
“This is taught, but no one respects it until you work through services in a professional kitchen,” u/ReceptionLivid noted.
“The actual cooking is oftentimes just 20% of cuisine. Most of cooking is organizing, both physically and mentally as well as cleaning in between. I know it sounds boring, but it’s what separates the greats.”
8.
“A dull knife is a dangerous knife.”
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“Get a good 8″ or 9” chef’s knife. Learn to use it. Learn to hone it. Learn the difference between honing and sharpening,” advised u/ChefSuffolk.
“Get it sharpened professionally at least twice a year. Nearly every town has a professional knife sharpener. Ask any local hairdresser where they send their scissors.”
9.
“Don’t overcrowd the pan.”
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“Hot pan, hot oil,” instructed u/Stingy_Jack.
“Don’t toss the pan too much; it cools it down.”
11.
“If something could be hot, assume it’s hot.” u/Shilverow advised.
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“Grab pans and stuff with a dry towel.”
12.
“Never use glass/marble/etc. cutting boards for any reason,” leveled u/diverareyouok. “Ever.”
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“Stick with wood (end grain is best) or plastic (if you don’t have wood).”
13.
“Heat control on your pan. There’s a reason why industrial hood vents are a thing in kitchens.”
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“Having a properly preheated pan will make everything nine times better,” u/freshfood123 noted.
“You don’t always want intense heat, but when you’re cooking pork, beef, scallops, tofu, it is very important so you don’t ‘steam’ your product. If your fire alarm goes off while searing a steak, it’s not the worst thing.”
14.
“Every time I beat eggs, I think of one of the chefs who said we were ‘chasing them around the bowl’ if we beat them in a circular motion instead of back and forth.” — u/HelpImOverthinking
15.
“Learn how to properly season food,” u/i_ata_starfish-twice suggested.
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“I train all my cooks now to salt enough to where they think it’s right and then add another pinch.”
16.
“Use a bread knife to cut tomatoes,” u/rockdog85 shared.
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“A non-serrated knife will work if it’s very sharp, but otherwise you’ll just be pressing into it instead of actually cutting anything.”
17.
“Keep a small ‘peels and ends’ container on your workspace when you’re prepping.” —u/spellellellogram
18.
“Add lots of salt when sautéing vegetables,” suggested u/ancientent. “It draws out the water.”
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“Add water back to onions to caramelize them.”
19.
“Gotta click your tongs twice whenever you pick them up; it’s how you know they work,” joked u/frostedRoots.
Do you have any culinary tips that have changed the game for you? Culinary student or not, share your secrets.
