Seven Simple Tips for the Beginning Home Chef

How First-Time Cooks Can Make Healthy and Money-Saving Meals

© Luke Arnott

Feb 7, 2009

For many people, preparing a meal more complicated than spaghetti with canned tomato sauce can be a challenge. If that's you, relax – nobody expects a novice chef to be a pro. They only need to be good cooks, and it's not too hard. All that's required is a willingness to learn and follow a few, simple tips for the beginning home chef.

Tips to Think About Before Beginning Cooking

• Follow directions at first. Beginning cooks should start with recipes from a good cookbook, and until you get the knack, instructions should be followed to the letter. This also holds true for preparing packaged foods. Soon you'll be able to eyeball measurements without ruining the dish, and to tell when it's done without being a slave to the timer on your stove.
• Practice beforehand. Dishes become easier the more you prepare them, and if you're cooking for company, it's better to make something you've tried before. On the other hand, don't be afraid to try a new recipe on a forgiving friend. You'll get valuable feedback, and maybe even some help cleaning up.

Tips to Be a Versatile Home Chef

• In a pinch, improvise. This goes both for ingredients and utensils: pour a little salsa on that meatloaf before you throw it in the oven, or drizzle a some pasta sauce on those nachos. Why not? And if you're short on frying pans, you can cook those pork chops just as well on the bottom of a large pot, even if it does make you feel a bit silly.
• Make it yourself. Just about any food can be made at home from scratch, so don't feel obligated to prepare canned soups or ready-made entrées all the time. Adventurous types who make more things themselves are rewarded with meals that are healthier, better-tasting, and often less expensive. Not only that, home cooks score extra bonus points with dinner guests: "You baked this bread? Wow..."

More Tips That Work for Any Home Cook

• Be efficient. When you're cooking, use your time as well as you can. While you wait for the main dish to cook in the oven, prepare a side dish on the stovetop, or tidy up the mess you left on the counter. This saves time while you're cooking and cuts down on cleaning afterward. If you need to add more ingredients later, get them ready in advance – just like they do on cooking shows. Managing your time makes complicated recipes easier, and makes you feel like a pro.
• Vigilance is vital. Any cook knows there is no substitute for attentiveness. Leaving your cooking alone for too long makes for a mediocre meal at best, and can be disastrous when timing is crucial to a dish. And don't just keep an eye on the food, but taste it regularly, if possible – it'll help you catch mistakes in seasoning before it's too late to do anything about them.
• Presentation counts. Not only does a little extra effort help food look appetizing, but appearance can make or break an otherwise well-cooked meal. Arrange the food neatly on the plate. Or try layering: serve meats or stews over rice, for example. Pour on a sauce, or add a garnish if you're so inclined. Beginning home chefs will be amazed at how much better that leftover potato salad looks if it's spooned over a fresh lettuce leaf.

First-time Cooks Can Still Be Successful

In short, the secret to good cooking is forethought, attention, and practice. With a dollop of perseverance and a dash of imagination, you'll be able to whip up just about anything.

Cook for yourself following these seven tips for the beginning home chef, and you'll save money and eat healthier; cook for someone else, and she'll be even more impressed than if you took her out. And you won't have to invite her back to your place – you'll already be there.

First-time Cooks Can Be at Ease in the Kitchen

Even Beginning Home Chefs Can Cook Tasty Dishes

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