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Are you new to the kitchen, or a professional Chef all decked out in his or her elegant Chef whites? Well, if you are a newbie to the commercial kitchen and just starting out in the industry, then you need to ensure that you don’t make these common rookie mistakes when it comes to cooking.
- Always keep your knives sharp – Keeping your knives well maintained and sharp all the time, not only make your work easy in terms of cutting and chopping but also minimizes accidents in the kitchen.
- Frozen meat – Never cook meat straight out of the freezer, because although it may seem to be cooked on the outside, it can still be frozen and raw on the inside. Before making a meat dish, take your meat out of the freezer and leave it out to thaw at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before cooking.
- Salt – Salt is a very tricky ingredient, too little means your dish will be tasteless and bland, and too much means your dish is uneatable. So how much is the right amount of salt? The best is to stick to your recipes, and sprinkle in the salt at the start. If you think there is not enough, you can always sprinkle a little more when tasting.
- Boiling eggs – Can’t go wrong with eggs, right? Wrong! There is such a thing as overcooking an egg. The perfect boiled egg should be boiled in a pot or pan, and it is best not to crowd the pan with too many eggs at a time. Once they have boiled for 10-12 minutes, lift them out. Add some salt and vinegar to the water while boiling to make it easier to shell them after boiling.
- Overcrowding the pan – Never cook a large quantity of meat or vegetables in a pan at once no matter how hurried you are, because they will take a long time to cook and will end up being soggy. The best method is to cook them in small batches, which allows them to cook faster and cook well, and dry out any excess water or fluids.
- Always taste – One of the biggest rookie mistakes made is not tasting the food before it goes out. Always keep tasting your dishes, sauces, or whatever you make, so that you are 100% sure that it tastes great and there is no room for a complaint.
Rookies, take heed of these common mistakes and how to fix them, and do your Chef whites proud as you take the journey to become a professional Chef!
