The #1 Way to Become a Better Cook

Do you want to take your cooking skill from mediocre or even good to.. great? Read this one major tip to take your culinary prowess to the next level almost instantly.

I’ve been cooking for years, but I’ve noticed that in the last year, my skill has made a marked improvement. Marked.

What changed? I’m still a bit out there, wild, but a true Frenchy at heart. What changed was that I got busy, and I started cooking every single night. Gone were the days of bizarre one-timer recipes, and I said hello to simple no-recipe recipes.

What happened was remarkable. When I went back to the basics, it was like going to culinary school. My brain grasped the basic concepts and began to apply them to everything I cooked.

So what’s the #1 way to become a better cook?

1. Get back to the basics.

Read an article on perfectly searing a chicken break, perfect your pan sauce recipe. These are principles that are common throughout the entire culinary science and can be applied to myriad other dishes, courses, types of cuisine.

I’m including a list of my favorite basics articles and recipes. Work your way through these, but really pay attention when you do so. Try to understand what works and why. From there, with a greater understanding of the food science with the context of your standing experience, you can grow beyond good to great.

How to Cook Moist Tender Chicken Breasts Every Time

A Pan Sauce for All Seasons

Actually Perfect Roast Turkey and Gravy

Pan Seared Chicken Thighs (finish off with the above pan sauce, over orzo–to die for! Simple dinner)

Beurre Blanc

How to Turn Cheap Choice Steaks into Gucci Prime Steak

How to Cook the Perfect Filet Mignon