It's true that not everything learned in culinary school is something that applies to a life beyond culinary school but when it comes to the basics, there are many things that go in a professional atmosphere that can improve a home cook's game. Some of those culinary tips can really go far when it comes to cooking a simple meal and it's incredible what a slight change in a dice or an extra step can do for a dinner dish. Studies have shown that all the at-home cooking everyone has been doing isn't for nothing and now, you have a chance to bump things up a notch.

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You might even be doing some of these already but if you're not, then what are you waiting for? It's time to make like Iron Chef and turn up the heat!

Mise En Place Is Everything

One of the first things you learn as a culinary student is the art of mise en place. This means 'everything in place' and is a cardinal rule of prep; it's the one thing that takes place before any cooking even happens. In theory, by setting up everything a cook needs right in front of them - as everything is in place - the actual cooking process will be simpler and faster. Speed and efficiency are two parts of the equation when it comes to a professional meal so this is a fairly crucial step.

mise en place
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For example, if you're making a shrimp scampi dish with linguine, mise en place would involve de-veining and cleaning the shrimp and setting them aside so that they're ready to cook, measuring out the pasta, cutting the lemons, having seasonings out and ready, and gathering any necessary tools such as a pairing knife or a strainer, along with setting up a pot of salted boiling water.

Sharpening Knives Is The First Thing You Learn

For those who aren't completely comfortable with a full-sized chef knife yet, it might feel a little counterintuitive (and slightly dangerous) to sharpen your knives before almost every use. However, it's actually safer because the force needed to slice through something with a freshly sharpened knife as opposed to a dull one is far, far less.

sharpening a knife
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It's better to slice through a carrot like it's butter than to put tons of pressure behind a dull knife and risk slipping or misdirecting the direction of the knife. There are plenty of knife sharpeners out there that are easy to use and some kitchen stores will even sharpen them for you at a low price.

Meat Can Be Dried First to Ensure Maximum Crust

Moisture and heat don't often mesh well unless the intent of a cook is to steam something. Therefore, when handling a piece of meat such as steak, or a piece of fish, it's best to dry it off before pan-frying it.

pan-fried fish
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This way, steam won't get trapped between the meat and the pan which will allow for the heat to do what it does naturally: create a crust. This is also a great way to keep the meat from sticking which is the second step to securing a great crusty exterior.

Vegetables Will Cook Evenly If They're Cut Equally

Many a culinary student has emitted a groan when they're instructed to practice (even more) dicing. There's a perfectly good reason for this, however, and it has involves even cooking, which should always be a goal.

diced vegetables
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If a recipe calls for a medium dice on vegetables, it's a good idea to attempt getting them all diced as evenly-sized as possible, and there are even rulers and cutting boards with built-in diagrams to help with this. Evenly-sized pieces will ensure that every vegetable cooks at the same time, which means the same texture and flavors throughout.

Bench Scrapers Are An Easy Way To Be Super Efficient

In fact, many bench scrapers are part of the first kit that culinary students are required to get for their classes.

using a bench scraper to make bread
via Shutterstock
using a bench scraper to make bread

These scrapers are incredibly helpful when it comes to getting a bunch of vegetables to a pan, clearing away scraps from a prep space, or when cleaning a butcher block or marble slab after baking. It's essentially a big, extra helping hand and it's very useful for the home kitchen as well as a professional one.

Salt, And Then Salt Some More... And If You Oversalt, Try This Hack

Under-salting is something that everyone has been guilty of. The reason food tastes so good at restaurants is due to the fact that it's salted and seasoned very well which is something you shouldn't be afraid to do at home.

salting food
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Salt brings out the flavor in everything and you'd be surprised at how much most dishes actually require. If you do end up oversalting, the solution is pretty simple - add a little acid, such as citrus or vinegar.

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