15 Chef-Approved Tips to Avoid Kitchen Disasters

Posted on February 17, 2020 by Amber Dowling

You can chop like it’s nobody’s business, and you definitely know your way around a stove. But now you’re ready to take your skills to that next level, kind of like the home cooks facing “The Wall” on Food Network Canada’s latest series, Wall of Chefs. So what are some tried-and-true cooking methods the show’s pro chefs not only swear by, but that may also help you to avoid future kitchen disasters? Read on to find out.

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Get Organized in the Kitchen

It doesn’t matter what you’re making; if you’re disorganized or you don’t have your ingredients ready to go, your chances of burning, undercooking, or forgetting an ingredient increase exponentially. “Learn how to properly mise en place,” Todd Perrin advices. “Do what you can do in advance, so at service time you are not rushed or stressed. Calm, happy cooks make much better dishes.” Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/eden-grinshpans-ratatouille/18242/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Eden Grinshpan's Ratatouille</a>
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Cook Fish Skin-Side Down

 “A great <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/kitchen-basics/photos/cooking-mistakes-ruin-fish/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">technique for cooking fish</a> is to do it with the skin/fat side down and keep it there almost the entire time under medium heat,” reveals <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/iron-chef-canada/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Iron Chef Canada</a>'s Rob Feenie. “Flip only for the last minute to flesh side down, finishing with lemon herbs and butter.” Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/grilled-tilapia-with-lemon-butter-capers-and-orzo/15880/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bobby Flay's Grilled Tilapia with Lemon Butter, Capers and Orzo</a>
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Stop Overcooking Pasta

 “When it comes to cooking <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/everyday-cooking/photos/best-ever-pasta-recipes/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">pasta</a>, some home cooks don’t take the time to allow the pasta to finish within the sauce or add a little pasta water, but this makes such a difference when it comes to flavour,” says Rob Gentile. “Boil the pasta for a little less time, save a bit of pasta water before straining, then finish the pasta in the sauce over heat for a little bit, add a little bit of pasta water and really let the noodles absorb the flavours of the sauce.” Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/comfort-food/blog/easy-vegan-spaghetti-bolognese/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese</a>
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Take Time to Plate

If you’ve put good time, thought, and energy into creating the perfect dish, don’t you want it to look as beautiful as it tastes? That’s why Corinna Mozo suggests putting equal thought into what your plate will look like before serving. “Decide on some beautiful garnishes and have them prepared ahead of time so you are not scrambling at the last minute,” she says. Learn how to make this <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/entertaining/blog/holiday-fondue-board-entertaining/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Fondue Board</a>
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Always Rest Your Meat

The next time you pull that <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/everyday-cooking/photos/best-roast-chicken-recipes/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">roast chicken</a>, pork or beef from the oven, be sure to rest it for 10-20 minutes before cutting into it so that the juices can redistribute into the meat and they won’t just dribble out. “Make sure to rest your meat; take it out or stop cooking it a few degrees before the doneness and let it rest,” says Renée Lavallée. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/garlic-and-thyme-prime-rib-with-roasted-vegetables/15320/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Garlic & Thyme Prime Rib with Roasted Vegetables</a>
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Taste As you Go Along

 “This is a mistake chefs make,” says Guy Rawlings. “Try the dish as a whole. The first rendition is rarely the best. Taste it all together to see what’s missing and adjust accordingly. Sometimes it takes the sixth version to nail it. Or at that point you realize it may have been a fun idea, but isn’t that good in reality and you need to go in a different direction.” Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/the-perfect-vegan-lasagna/15189/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Perfect Vegan Lasagna</a>
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Use Parchment Paper

Parchment paper is a great way to stop food from sticking to a sheet pan in the oven, but why stop there? Susur Lee reveals that a roll of the stuff is one of his go-tos when making fish. “When roasting fish, skin down, in a pan, I put parchment paper under it so it doesn’t stick,” he says. Want something a bit less hands-on? There’s always using parchment paper to cook fish en papillote, too. Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/black-cod-ratatouille-en-papillote/11600/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Black Cod Ratatouille en Papillote</a>
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Add the Right Amount of Fat

Fat adds lots of flavour to a dish, so home cooks shouldn’t shy away from it, says Meeru Dhalwala. But, by that same token too much fat can take away from the dish you’re trying to create. “Complement your cooking with either butter, full cream, or <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/kitchen-basics/photos/coconut-milk-hacks/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">coconut milk</a> to give it an added richness. Don’t drown it,” she advises. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/laura-calders-compound-butters/9072/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Compound Butters</a>
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Deglaze Your Pan

 “No matter what you are cooking, in a pan or a pot, at the end add some sort of liquid—stock, wine, tomato juice, cream, cooking wine, a squeeze of citrus, or even water—and deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping up any crispy bits,” says Christa Bruneau-Guenther. “This will form its own sauce and will add a ton of flavour.” Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/grilled-chicken-breasts-with-spicy-peach-glaze/15977/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bobby Flay's Grilled Chicken Breasts With Spicy Peach Glaze</a>
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Make Your Own Stock

If you want to develop dishes with deeper flavours then stop spending money on store-bought stock and start making your own. “It’s super easy to do, it prevents waste, and it tastes just so much better than commercial bases,” says Nick Hodge. “For extra points, be sure to roast bones first; then don’t be shy to reduce the liquid for more concentrated flavours.” Get the recipe for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/michael-smiths-chicken-broth-2/21302/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Michael Smith’s Chicken Broth</a>
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When In Doubt, Add Anchovies

Whether you’re a fan of the tiny fish or not, anchovies are a great way to add extra flavour to basic sauces or savoury dishes. Mark McEwan does it all the time. “Good quality anchovies really elevate dishes,” he says. “When in doubt, use anchovy! It’s a perfect way to add umami to a vinaigrette or sauce. When incorporated properly, it’s not an ingredient you can really detect on its own, but it adds an incredible level of flavour to a dish.” Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/linguine-with-anchovy-and-walnuts/16845/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Linguine with Anchovy and Walnuts</a>
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Find a Delicious Salt Substitute

Salt is a universal way to draw out sweet, sour, and umami flavours in a dish, but sometimes it’s worth upping your salt game with a whole new level of salty flavour. “When seasoning protein I use fish sauce instead of salt,” says Nick Liu. “Then instead of searing it in a pan I shallow fry it in a wok to seal the umami in.” Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/fish-wings/12896/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Fish Wings</a>
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Chiffonade Your Herbs

Nothing transforms a regular old meal into something special like <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/in-season/photos/genius-recipes-fresh-herbs/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">fresh herbs</a>. That’s why Christie Peters recommends that all home cooks learn how to properly chiffonade their leafy greens and herbs (slice them into long, thin strips). “Learn how to properly chiffonade parsley and chives because the addition of beautifully cut herbs can turn a simple dish into a professional plate,” she says. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/king-crab-cakes-with-lemon-aioli-and-herb-salad/17943/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">King Crab Cakes with Lemon Aioli and Herb Salad</a>
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Reverse Sear Your Next Steak

 “When <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/the-pioneer-woman/photos/best-steak-recipes/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">grilling steak</a>s on charcoal, consider reverse searing,” says Alex Chen. “Cook steak with the lowest amount of heat, such as indirect heat, so you achieve a very even and slow coagulation of protein. Brown the steak directly onto the coal at the end to get a nice char; allow steak to rest before slicing.” Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/rib-eye-steak-with-onion-blue-cheese-sauce/19357/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rib Eye Steak with Onion Blue Cheese Sauce</a>
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Toast Your Spices

If you want to maximize flavours in any dish, Jesse Vergen and Marysol Foucault agree that the simplest way to do so is to toast your spices ahead of time to create more depth. “Use a dry pan, a bit of heat, and you’re kicking some flavour back into those spices that have been sitting around for months,” says Vergen. Get the recipe for <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/easy-peasy-spice-rub/15333/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Easy Peasy Spice Rub</a>
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