I’m a trained chef. Here are 13 of my best tips for making foods everyone should know how to cook.

• As a trained chef, I know a few cooking techniques that will make common dishes better.
• Create croutons by hand and peel your celery before adding it to cold salads.
• Make sure to chill your cookie dough before baking and to add salt to sweet treats.

As a trained chef, I know that even the smallest tweak can make the largest difference on your final plate. 

Here are 13 tips for preparing the foods everyone should know how to make:

Cook roast chicken along with hearty veggies 

Turn your beautiful roast bird into a one-pan meal by scattering chopped carrots, onions, potatoes, and any other hearty vegetables around the chicken in the pan.

As the meat cooks, it will release delicious juices and flavor, and those ingredients will then soak it up. 

By the time your chicken is cooked through, you’ll have some of the most flavorful veggies to serve with it. 

Make the crispiest croutons by using your hands

Next time you make tuna or pasta salad, make sure to run a vegetable peeler along the length of each celery stalk.

You’ll remove a thin but highly fibrous outer layer that can make eating celery unpleasant and chewy. 

Keep puff pastry on standby

With a box of puff pastry in your freezer, you’ll be able to whip up an impressive appetizer, dinner, or dessert with minimal effort.

You can make a one-crust chicken pot pie (no one will miss the soggy bottom, I promise), elegant twisted cheese sticks, or a stunning tarte Tatin (a dessert baked with caramelized fruit) with just a few extra ingredients.  

Add some sweetness to your sandwiches

Slide a thin slice of apple or pear between the bread and cheese for an easy and gourmet way to upgrade your next grilled cheese.

The fruit releases natural pectins, or sugars, that infuse the sandwich with a subtle sweetness — the perfect complement to umami-rich cheese. 

Chill your cookie dough before baking

Whether you’re making crispy fries or fluffy mashed potatoes, soak your spuds after peeling or slicing them.

Potatoes oxidize quickly, so their white flesh will start to turn brown soon after it’s exposed to the air, but plunging them into a water bath prevents this from happening.

Cook chicken in water to make a delicious homemade broth 

Make the most soul-warming chicken-noodle soup by cooking the whole bird in a pot of simmering water to turn the mix into broth and cook the meat at the same time.

Then remove the chicken, add your veggies, and shred the meat. Stir everything together at the end with noodles for a homemade soup that’ll stop any cold in its tracks. 

Salt the sweet stuff

Add a sprinkle of flaky salt to cookies, brownies, cakes, and pies when they’re still warm and fresh out of the oven.

Salt naturally enhances flavors, including sweet ones. Plus it adds a nice textural component to your soft baked goods. 

This story was originally published in September 2021 and most recently updated on October 18, 2024.