How to Improve Your Confidence in the Kitchen
Being comfortable in the kitchen doesn’t come effortlessly. It takes years of practice and skill to hone great cooking skills, and it’s easy to get discouraged along the way, but all successful home cooks have one thing in common—they learned by making mistakes.
The first step is always the hardest, but if you’re ready to improve your confidence in the kitchen, here are a few indispensable tips to help you get started.
Don’t be Afraid to Try
Some of the best things in life were discovered by accident, so don’t be surprised if today’s bakery blunder turns into tomorrow’s family favorite. Just because you made a mistake doesn’t mean that it can’t be fixed. Experiment to see how you can make it better. The best cooks know that kitchen skills grow exponentially with each mistake. Expect a few flops, but think of them as experience, not failures.
Get Organized
Organizing the kitchen won’t have you making perfect Beef Wellington in a weekend, but it will make it easier to focus on following recipes and learning new techniques without the distraction and frustration of not having equipment and ingredients handy. Pantry shelving and organized food storage are essential for an efficient, stress-free cooking space.
Ask for Help
Not even the great Julia Child was born knowing how to cook. It may come easier to some than others, but it’s also a skill that anyone can learn. Start out small and simple before trying to do complicated things. Let go of false expectations, and if you’re not sure what the difference is between a Dutch oven and saucepan, ask for help.
Seek out the best cooks among your family and friends to share their homemaking prowess or find someone to give you cooking lessons in your area. Once skills are learned, they become talents to be shared. Everyone was new to the kitchen once, and those who’ve succeeded the hard way are usually happy to lend a hand.
Accept Feedback with a Smile
No one likes critics, but feedback, good or bad, is critical for improving results. It feels terrible to spend a long day baking and then only hear negative comments, critical comparisons and well-meaning suggestions for improvement. When your family has high praise for your culinary efforts, accept it with a smile. When they have complaints, do the same.
Confidence in the kitchen can’t be bought or sold, but it can be grown and nurtured. Success is just around the corner.