Easy to Cook Like a Gourmet Chef

You don't have to go to cooking school to cook like a gourmet chef. Use some of their ideas and associate them into your cooking to spice up your dinner table without professional restaurant experience. It's easier than you might think.

Instructions

• Shop from 3 separate lists, just like a gourmet chef: a pantry list with the must-haves frequently used in many recipes, a freezer list for your cooking add-ins, and a refrigerator list with your perishable necessities. Keep the lists ongoing, even on non-shopping days so they stay current.
• Experiment with more spices in your meals. Combine them into rubs and marinades, or try a new mixture when cooking meat
• Practice making sauces that turn out perfectly. The right texture and thickness can make any meal seem gourmet-like compared to its ill-prepared counterpart. You can serve the same type of meat every night for a week and it will taste like new if you add a different sauce to it each time.
• Buy dependable and versatile cooking gear such as a saute pan with a cast-iron handle and a stainless core. Choose items that cut down on your cooking time but still look good to present your gourmet meals in. Invest in an 8-inch chef's knife with a wide blade and a center tip.
• Polish your gourmet meals before serving. Try lemon-pressed olive oil or smoked sea salt as a finishing touch.
• Ask your waiter how an impressive dish at your favorite gourmet restaurant was prepared. You can try mimicking it at home, even if they only give you minimal details.