5 things professional chefs check before they start cooking
Are you the impulsive-chef type? Nothing wrong with that, of course. But would you like to approach things a little more systematically in the kitchen? There are a few simple checks to make before you start cooking that can make a world of difference. Whether you want to make a top-notch tomato sauce or a drumload of cookies, these are five things professional chefs check before starting a recipe.
Check first, cook second
1. The temperature of the kitchen
The temperature in your kitchen affects the end result. If it’s too cold, your dough will rise more slowly and it will take longer to mix butter and sugar. If it’s too warm, ingredients will melt faster than you’d like. A pro chef pays attention to these details and adjusts the working environment, for example by bringing ingredients to the right temperature (by warming them up beforehand or cooling them in the fridge).
2. The oven at the right temperature
Did you know that your oven’s temperature is rarely exactly what you set it to? Do you really want to be sure? Then use an oven thermometer. This prevents half-baked cakes or burnt cookies. Small discrepancies in ovens can have major consequences.
3. The right kitchenware
Recipes often contain vague instructions such as “a large pan” or “a medium-sized bowl”. So first read carefully how many ingredients you need and how many people a recipe is based on before pulling that pan out of your drawer—it may be large to you, but a medium-sized model to the recipe writer in question.
4. The heat source
Not every stove is the same. A decent chef takes the differences between gas, induction and electric hobs into account. Cooking on gas, for example, is much easier to control than cooking on induction. Through experience, and a bit of experimentation, you’ll get the results you’re looking for.
5. The reliability of the recipe
Not every recipe is perfect. Some recipes are quickly thrown together without extensive testing, while others have been worked out down to the last detail. And believe me: the way ingredients are written down can also affect the quantity. “A tablespoon of almonds, finely chopped” is different from “a tablespoon of finely chopped almonds.” It doesn’t matter that much when you’re making a tagine, but it might for a precise little cake. To help you get started, we’ve already unraveled some recipe rules for you. It will save you a lot of frustration in the kitchen! And you’re really not missing out if you skip these recipe steps from now on.
Also read:
- We asked (star) chefs about the strangest requests they’ve ever received
- These forgotten ingredients (star) chefs would love to see back in the modern kitchen
- These are the favorite supermarket products of (star) chefs
Source: SeriousEats
