Published: 2 August 2023
It’s mind-blowing to think about the amount of information that has become readily available to people from all walks of life with the simple click of a button. Pretty awesome, right?
That being said, there has also been a significant shift in the way we interact with information. Has information become more readily available? Yes! But is all published information trustworthy? Far from it…
As a result, we pretty much switched from a role of seeking out and collecting information to that of sorting and fact-checking, which honestly can be pretty daunting.
Luckily for us, food content has become very well-established in social networking sites. And this growing trend has ultimately led several well-known personalities to join in on the online conversations. And who better to learn from than those who have dedicated their lives to the hustle and bustle of the food world?
Craving new food hacks? You’ve come to the right place! Let’s take a quick masterclass in food tips and culinary tricks from some of the most renowned cooks and chefs in the world.
# 20- Nigella Lawson’s Painless Poached Eggs
Never been able to properly poach an egg? Well now might finally be your time to shine!
TV host and food writer Nigella Lawson might not be a trained chef, but she has perfected the art of poaching eggs. And, believe it or not, her method does not require the dreaded whirlpool! So what’s her secret? Lemon juice!
In an episode of Nigella: At My Table, Lawson walks us through the three golden rules of egg poaching, starting with cold eggs.
“Rule 1: Fridge cold. It just keeps its shape better. Rule 2: Crack the egg into a tea strainer and let the watery bit of white drip off underneath. Rule 3: Gently transfer the egg to a cup or a ramekin. Add, I suppose about a teaspoon of lemon juice just directly onto the egg white.”
The lemon juice acts as a stabiliser, helping the egg whites to hold their shape better.
Finally, Lawson recommends gently slipping the egg into the hot water and turning the heat down.
“I don’t want to see any movement in the water. And now, gently lift the egg out. And there we are. Perfect!”
# 19- Masaharu Morimoto’s Umami Dashi Stock
Iron chef Masaharu Morimoto puts his heart and soul into his cooking. So who better to teach us how to make one of the most essential umami elements of Japanese cuisine?
Dashi is essentially a very savoury soup stock that is prepared using kombu (dried kelp seaweed), katsuobushi (bonito fish flakes) and water. Morimoto insists on the importance of water temperature to achieve a perfectly balanced dashi broth.
“Be vigilant: dashi takes very little time and effort, but do remember to keep an eye on the water to make sure it never fully simmers, let alone boils,” writes Morimoto in his book ‘Mastering the Art of Japanese Home Cooking‘. “This will give your dashi a sour or bitter flavor.”
Morimoto also recommends measuring the ingredients as precisely as possible and resisting the urge to squeeze the katsuobushi once the stock has finished cooking.
“When you strain the stock during the final step of dashi making, resist the temptation to wring the katsuobushi to extract every last bit of liquid. A light press with a wooden spoon is sufficient – squeeze and you’ll end up with sour dashi.”
# 18- Alton Brown’s Perfect Stovetop Popcorn
Planning a movie night at home? Why not attempt Alton Brown’s hack for evenly cooked stovetop popcorn?
Start by grabbing yourself a large stainless steel bowl and adding some corn kernels, peanut oil and salt. Then cover the top with foil and punch a few holes in it to allow the steam to escape. “Believe it or not, it’ll make a huge difference,” says Brown in an episode of “Good Eats”. Then, place your bowl directly over a medium flame and consistently shake it using a pair of tongs. After 45 seconds to a minute, you will finally start to hear the first kernels pop.
The science that operates inside the stainless steel bowl is pretty straightforward. “The oil and unpopped kernels pool at the bottom where the heat is the greatest while popped kernels rise up the side away from the heat so that they don’t burn,” explains the Food Network star.
Once the popping sounds starts to slow down, make sure to shake briskly for a few seconds to avoid burning your air-popped corn. Top with some melted butter and extra seasoning and enjoy!
# 17- Julia Child’s Dairy-Free Creamy Soup
When “The French Chef” first premiered back in 1963, chef and television personality Julia Child made it her goal to democratize gourmet French cooking.
Child shared thousands of tips and tricks with her viewers, one of which involved a creamy chicken soup prepared without any milk or cream. The trick was as simple as blending together some chicken stock and 3 cups of cooked rice.
“(…) I’m going to purée and that’s going to thicken the soup”, explains Child in her 1985 video book “The Way to Cook: Soups, Salads & Bread”. “It goes back into my chicken soup and there you have cream of chicken soup, but there’s not a smidgen of cream in it.”
Child also encouraged people to have fun experimenting in the kitchen. With Child, everything could be fixed, including an over-salted soup. Her trick? Simply adding peeled and cut potatoes to the soup and letting them soak up the extra salt for a few more minutes before removing them with a slotted spoon.
# 16- Jacques Pépin’s Pomegranate Trick
Seeding a pomegranate is easy when you’ve got Pépin!
Widely known as the co-host of the 1999 PBS series “Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home”, chef and culinary educator Jacques Pépin is all about efficiency when it comes to seeding a pomegranate. All you need for this trick is a fork, a wooden spoon and a bowl filled halfway up with water.
“The first thing I use is a fork like that to open it,” explains Pépin in a YouTube video. “Then you can break it inside, let’s say in two pieces like this.”
Pépin then empties each piece of pomegranate by smacking the outer flesh with a wooden spoon over a bowl of water. Once all the seeds are released, he simply fishes out the white inner parts of the pomegranate that are floating on the surface of the water and collects the delicious red seeds sinking at the bottom of the water.
# 15- Ina Garten’s Double Crust Fried Chicken
Craving fried chicken? Ina Garten’s got you covered with her four steps to perfectly crispy chicken! And the trick is as simple as double dipping!
Step 1: Start by preparing a flavourful marinade using two cups of buttermilk, one sliced shallot, two smashed garlic cloves, one halved jalapeño pepper, 2 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of pepper. For optimal results, your tenderized chicken breasts should marinate for 8 hours in the fridge.
Step 2: Combine baking powder, all-purpose flour, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, celery salt, salt, and pepper to make the flavourful coating mix for the chicken.
Step 3: Time to coat the chicken in a double crust using the coating mix! This method ensures that the chicken gets extra crispy.
“I removed each piece of chicken from the marinade, dipped it in the flour, back into the marinade and then back into the flour and I promise this makes all the difference in the world,” explains Garten in an episode of “Barefoot Contessa”.
Step 4: Last but not least, fry the chicken, three pieces at a time, in 2 inches of canola oil heated to 350 degrees.
“I cook them for 5 minutes, flipping them halfway through,” says Garten. “Then, when they were deliciously crispy, I put them on a rack over a sheet pan and kept them warm in a 250 degree oven while I fried the second batch. I did exactly the same with the last three pieces. I took the fried chicken out of the oil, put it on the rack, sprinkled on some salt and kept all the chicken warm in the oven.”
# 14- Jamie Oliver’s Everlasting Chillies
British chef and campaigner Jamie Oliver is all about saving time and reducing waste…one hot pepper at a time. On Instagram, Oliver shares his super easy and effective trick to keep hot peppers from spoiling.
“A lot of you will have seen me share this nifty kitchen hack before but for those who haven’t….freezing your leftover chillies is a gamechanger!!” he writes. “Then when frozen, simply grate them directly onto your dishes and you get the most amazing chilli dust. Winner!! You can thank me later….!”
# 13- Rachael Ray’s Leftover Parmesan Rinds
Like any proud Italian, cook and television personality Rachael Ray loves her freshly-bought Parmigiano Reggiano! But don’t except her to throw away the rinds!
“The greatest trick in the world if you love to make a lot of soups, going into the fall and winter especially…save all your Parmigiano rinds”, explains Ray in an episode of The Rachael Ray Show.
“I keep it in a baggy in my freezer and I always throw some into my bowl of soup. Makes the whole soup tastes like Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Delicious trick.”
Moral of the story? Be kind to your rinds!
# 12- David Chang’s Next Level Mac & Cheese
Chef and founder of “Momofuku” David Chang is known for cooking mac & cheese in a wok. But have you heard about his secret ingredient?
“I’m sure I’m not the first one to use Worcestershire sauce in macaroni and cheese but I’m gonna just own it and say it’s mine,” writes Chang in an instagram post.
“Melty cheese with the umami tang of the sauce made me think it would be good with macaroni and cheese. And ever since that’s the only time I really use Worcestershire sauce which is basically umami water with influences from Roman garum because of the anchovies. (…) It makes melted cheese things taste much better.”
# 11- Anthony Bourdain’s Basic Rule of Stewing
Chef and culinary television star Anthony Bourdain is very meticulous when choosing the cuts for his meat stews.
“The basic rule of stewing: filet mignon, sirloin, more expensive is not always better”, explains Bourdain in an episode of No Reservations. “When you’re stewing in fact, the reverse is often true.”
“You want fatty. The ideal piece of meat for beef bourguignon would be the neck cause there’s a lot of fat in there.”
The “Parts Unknown” host also recommends shoulder cuts for stewing and insists on the difference between bad and good fat.
“The shiny stuff here, right? This rubbery stuff. This doesn’t break down. (turns the meat around) This is all good fat, that’s collagen. Maybe you’ve heard of it? It’s in all your favourite movie stars’ faces and that you can leave on. That’s all good fat.”
# 10- Wolfgang Puck’s Nut-Free Nutty Mashed Potatoes
Looking to spice up your mash? Austrian-American chef and restaurateur Wolfgang Puck has got just the trick for you!
In a video posted on his TikTok account, Puck reveals a special ingredient that he uses to give his mashed potatoes a unique caramelized and nutty flavor. And it’s completely nut-free!
“Wolfgang says to add brown butter to your mashed potatoes,” the TikTok video is captioned.
Rest assured, brown butter isn’t some expensive food item that you need to buy at a fancy store. It’s just regular butter that has been cooked until the milk solids turn brown. Pretty simple, huh?
By adding brown butter, your mashed potatoes will instantly taste richer with a hint of something special. This one is sure to leave your guests stumped!
# 9- Joël Robuchon’s Michelin Star-Winning Signature Mash
At this point, it would be criminal not to mention the Michelin star-winning signature dish of French chef Joël Robuchon! But, in order to successfully make Robuchon’s famous mashed potatoes, you will need to follow a few simple rules.
The first trick is to boil one kilogram of potatoes with the skins still on. “The skin protects the flesh of the potatoes,” explains Robuchon in his recipe video. “Thus, the potatoes absorb less water and the mash will be less watery.”
Once peeled and mashed, the potatoes are then flavoured with a very generous amount of cold butter and hot milk.
“We work the potato over low heat, gradually adding 250g of very cold butter, cut into pieces,” says Robuchon. “Then, all that remains is to add the milk to obtain the smoothness, that is to say the desired thickness. We always start with a spatula. As soon as it reaches a fairly flexible thickness, we finish with a whisk.”
Finally, Robuchon passes the mash through a tamis to get a silky smooth dish. And there you have it! Michelin food straight out of your kitchen!
Did you know? Late French chef and restaurateur Joël Robuchon received a total of 32 Michelin Stars over his career. He remains the chef with the highest number of Michelin stars in the world.
# 8- Alain Ducasse’s Chocolate Rule
French-born Monégasque chef Alain Ducasse is an expert in chocolate! In fact, his shop, “Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse,” was the first bean to bar chocolate shop to ever appear in Paris.
Experienced professionals like Ducasse never risk disrespecting the chocolate they work with. In fact, Ducasse stresses the importance of allowing the luxurious product to shine in any recipe that incorporates it. In other words, keep the refined sugars to a minimum!
“When baking with chocolate, the best you can do is add as little additional sugar as possible so the chocolate stands out,” reveals Ducasse in an interview with Canadian Living.
“Sugar is the enemy of chocolate! One of my favourite treats is chocolate brioche. I’ll make brioche and spread it out like I would a pizza and then top with chocolate shavings like you would mozzarella on a pizza. And then I bake it until the chocolate melts.”
# 7- Gordon Ramsay’s Crispy Roast Potatoes
Hell’s Kitchen is no place for pathetic, soggy potatoes! So, what’s the secret to getting those spuds crispy and delightful? Here’s how British chef and restaurateur Gordon Ramsay gets the best oven-baked potatoes:
“For crispy roast potatoes you can depend on, my tip is to parboil them, leave them to steam dry and sprinkle them with semolina or flour and give them a good roughing up,” explains Ramsay in a “cooking tips” video. “This ensures they go really crispy in the oven.”
# 6- Paul Bocuse’s Solid Whipped Egg Whites
Named the “Pope of Gastronomy” by the Gault et Millau Guide in 1989, Paul Bocuse remains one of the brightest stars of French cuisine. But, despite his stature, this esteemed French chef always took delight in sharing his cooking techniques with the people around him. Speaking of which, have you heard about his trick for achieving flawlessly whipped egg whites?
“To make the whites rise better, add a pinch of salt,” explains Bocuse in a recipe video showcasing a chestnut pudding. “(…) and you know the salt in the pastry, it’s always very good.”
Bocuse also insists on using a grease-free copper/stainless steel bowl and beating the egg whites very gently at the beginning before picking up the pace to reach the desired consistency.
# 5- Guy Fiery’s Grilling No-No
Keep your taste buds ready and your flames burning, folks! It’s time to dive into the sizzling world of Flavortown!
Television presenter and American restaurateur Guy Fieri has a fiery passion for barbecuing. And you best believe he’ll let you know if something’s not burning right! But be warned, there is one major mistake that you should never make when it comes to grilling!
“(…) Using lighter fluid, I think, is the biggest mistake people make,” Fiery told Parade. “It’s nasty and you don’t want it in your food.”
Instead of using lighter fluid, which can alter the taste of your food, Fiery suggests using a chimney starter to ignite your charcoal.
“Get some real charcoal, something that’s got wood in it, and none of that self-lighting stuff. Then use a charcoal chimney starter. It’s the greatest thing ever. You load your paper in the bottom, put your favorite type of charcoal on the top, and light.”
# 4- Giada De Laurentiis’ Flaky Pumpkin Pie Crust
Worried that your pumpkin pie crust will turn out soggy? Here’s a pro tip from American-Italian chef Giada De Laurentiis. This trick comes straight from her experience in culinary school in Paris!
“This is a very French thing to do,” says De Laurentiis in a recipe video. “Apricot jam is like the glue and you just brush it like an artist at the bottom of the pie and what it does is it creates a little barrier. So, when you add the liquidy pumpkin purée, it doesn’t seep through the partially cooked pie crust so you get a nice flaky crust on the bottom and a great cheesecakey pumpkin filling.”
This hack is also great for people who suffer from egg allergies and are looking for alternatives to seal the bottom crust of their pumpkin pie.
“It tastes better and does the same job as egg,” adds De Laurentiis. “(It) doesn’t affect the flavour of the pie on the inside.”
# 3- Nobu Matsuhisa’s All-Purpose “Matsuhisa dressing”
Lacking inspiration for your next protein-rich meal? Here’s an easy, all-purpose dressing recipe courtesy of Japanese chef and restaurateur Nobu Matsuhisa.
To prepare the “Matsuhisa Dressing” sauce, all you need is onion, soy sauce, rice vinegar, water, sugar, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, powdered mustard, grapeseed oil, and sesame oil.
The sauce can be used to flavor all sorts of fish and meats, from raw fish slices (sashimi) to grilled steak. But if you want to enjoy it the Nobu way, simply spoon some of the mixture on top of chilled tofu. It’s really refreshing!
# 2- Bobby Flay’s Must-Have Pantry Ingredient
American chef Bobby Flay’s pantry is jam-packed with all sorts of culinary treasures. From a treasure trove of pasta to an impressive collection of red and green curry paste, Flay’s kitchen is like a mischievous playground for flavors. But there is one product in particular that he calls his “secret go-to”.
“I put anchovies in so many things and people don’t know it,” explains “Iron Chef Flay” in an Instagram video. “Especially when I’m cooking seafood, I crush up a bunch of anchovies, put it in the sauce. It just enhances it so much more.”
Any chance you’ve got some sneaky little anchovies hiding in your pantry?
# 1- Marco Pierre White’s Salt Throwing Technique
Meet Marco Pierre White, the youngest chef in history to be awarded three stars by the Michelin Guide. For this British chef, cooking is a philosophy and seasoning is an art form that must be mastered.
‘One of the most important aspects of cooking is seasoning, my salt,” asserts White in a BBC Maestro course.
White emphasizes the importance of throwing your salt to ensure that it is evenly distributed on the food that you are seasoning.
“So let me show you how most people season. Look at the heavy spots. That’s inconsistent and that’s why I throw it like so.” (You gotta watch the video to get the full effect of this one!)
So don’t forget to add some pizzazz next time you season your food!
