5 TIPS FROM A CHEF
Better Homecooking Is Easy to Achieve
Cooking at home can be one of life’s great joys or a total mess. As a chef, a dad, and someone who cooks a lot at home, I’ve learned a few tricks that make the process easier, more efficient, and actually more fun. Here are five things I swear by:
1. Always Have a Rubbish Bin
It doesn’t have to be fancy. A bowl, a compost bin, a container, or my personal favorite… a paper grocery bag you just emptied. It keeps your counter clean, your cutting board clear, and most importantly, it saves you trips to the trash. If you’re cooking with young kids, it lets you stay put instead of walking away while they’re elbow-deep in flour or swinging a spatula like a sword.
2. Cut in the Order You Cook
Instead of prepping everything at once, learn to cut as you go. Start with what hits the pan first—onions and garlic—then move to celery and carrots while those are cooking. It saves time, reduces the number of containers you’ll need (and later have to wash), and keeps things flowing. The stove has a dial for a reason—turn down the heat if you need to catch up.
3. Leftovers Are a Gift
If you’re making chicken cutlets, make extra. You’ve already invested the time, dirtied the pan, the board, the knife. A few more cutlets means lunch tomorrow, a quick dinner the next night, or the building blocks of chicken parm. Cold cutlets are elite, just ask my friend Michael Solomonov, who grew up on them. Leftovers are a blessing for busy families. Lean in.
4. Closed Mouths Don’t Get Fed
Ask for help. Your kids, your partner, your roommates, everyone can pitch in. Set the table, clear the dishes, do a round of drying. You don’t get extra points for martyrdom, just extra dishes. Cooking should be collaborative. Don’t be afraid to delegate.
5. Every Chef Makes Stuff Up
Yes, recipes are helpful. Yes, there’s chemistry in baking. But for most cooking, you don’t need to follow things to the letter. Don’t have a full bunch of parsley? Use half. Making soup with random fridge scraps? Great. Want to riff on pasta? Go for it. The worst-case scenario is you learn something. Cooking is creative, treat it that way.
In the end, cooking should be satisfying, maybe even a little joyful. Clean as you go. Plan a little ahead. Ask for help. Make a little extra. Use what you’ve got. And above all, enjoy the process.
David