Albert Einstein said: “The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know.” This definitely applies to the kitchen! As I learn new recipes and gain more experience, I realize more and more just how much I still have to learn in the kitchen! While making lots of recipes is definitely one of the best ways to learn, there are a few other simple things you can do to start bettering your skills in the kitchen and becoming the amazing chef you want to be!

1. Invest in a good knife! Such a small thing, but being able to cut things up quickly and smoothly will help make your dishes come to fruition quicker, and with a better presentation (picture smoothly cut slices of onion instead of ones that have been hacked!)

2. Use the best ingredients, when you can. It's not always feasible financially, or maybe you don't always have time to make everything from scratch, but whenever you can swing it, this simple tip can make all the difference in your cooking! (For example, have you ever compared a dish made with imitation vanilla extract vs. one made with real, Mexican vanilla? There's no comparison!)

3. Ignore the timer. Most recipes will give you a time, as well as something to look for, such as “til golden browned”, or “til lightly bubbling”. You want to pay more attention to these clues than to the actual time. It helps to get familiar with your stove and oven to know if they tend to run on the warmer side, or if your recipes usually take longer to make!

4. Don't overcrowd food. Whether you're sauteeing veggies on the stove, or baking french fries in the oven, a good rule of thumb is to avoid crowding to allow things to really cook and get tastefully brown. I know I'm guilty of this at times when I'm trying to avoid having extra dishes to clean, but sometimes that extra dish is just worth it!

5. Get organized and well-stocked! Having a functional kitchen will make your cooking time much smoother, allowing for more flexibility and less hassle when trying to prep things! Make sure you have high quality pans, knives, etc, and keep them organized in a way that fits the flow of your cooking style. It's also smart to keep your panty well stocked with a few basic essentials, such as real vanilla extract. Being organized also comes in handy when trying to plan out the different steps in preparing a meal. If you know which step is going to take the longest, you can start on that first, and prepare everything else accordingly so that you can time all your dishes to be finished at the same time!

6. Read through the recipe- but don't be afraid to experiment! One of the most common mistakes people make is starting a recipe before really reading it through all the way, and you might miss a crucial step, such as needing to let dough rise for 2 hours, or maybe there's a particular ingredient called for that you don't have on hand. However, sometimes great things come from the need to adapt a recipe, so don't be afraid to experiment and tweak recipes to make it your own!

7. Have all your ingredients set out. Chef's call it “mise en place”, or having everything in place. You'll have a much easier time cooking when everything is set out and pre-measured or chopped. You can spend more time eyeing that steak to get it perfectly seared instead of rushing to chop veggies before it burns!

8. Add vinegar. If you really want to get fancy, try adding a dash of vinegar or citrus to your savory dish. It will give it just a hint of flavor, and can easily take your dish from “blah” to “wow”! Experiment with different acid enhancers- lemon zest, lime juice, balsamic vinegar, etc.

9. Don't wait ‘til the end to season your dishes. Season your dishes several times throughout the cooking process to get the most flavor! They'll have more time to absorb flavors, you can catch mistakes earlier (like adding too much salt, or not enough basil), and it really will take your dishes to the next level!

Simple things, but these tips really can help take your cooking from mediocre to show-stopping!

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