There’s nothing quite like a relaxing evening of dining out at your favorite restaurant. Not only do you save yourself the time and effort of cooking, but you are almost assured to have a good meal.
However, this can often be quite an expensive dining experience. Wouldn’t it be great if you could make your favorite meals right from the comfort of your own home and have them taste just as good as the restaurant version?
If you take the right steps, you can!
Use Fresh Ingredients
It’s important to use the best ingredients to make restaurant-quality food. Skip the frozen veggies and buy fresh produce instead. If you’re trying to save time or you don’t have fresh veggies on hand, consider using a vegetable delivery service.
Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to make small changes to the veggies used in a recipe if it fits your taste. If you have a recipe calling for green peppers and onions, feel free to double up on the peppers and leave out the onions if you’re not a big fan.
The Right Tools for the Job
A chef is always going to make sure the right tool is being used for every job. If you’re cooking your favorite Denver Omelet, use a non-stick skillet. Conversely, if you’re trying to get a good sear on the perfect pork tenderloin, use a smoking hot stainless steel or cast-iron skillet.
Here’s a great guide to help determine what type of pan to use.
Pro Tip: It’s important to not overcrowd a pan or your food won’t cook evenly. That’s why you should keep a wide assortment of pan sizes on hand.
Keep a Well-Stocked Spice Rack
One of the secrets to cooking restaurant-quality food is proper seasoning. Don’t just rely on salt and pepper; you’ll need a wide array of spices at your disposal. Stock up on thyme, rosemary, cayenne pepper, and tarragon just for starters.
Pro Tip: Try to keep your spice rack organized and alphabetized.
Be Specific with Recipe Searches
When you search for recipes to try, be very specific. If you want to recreate a recipe from a restaurant that you enjoy, try looking up that exact recipe. If it’s a chain restaurant, chances are someone online has figured out the secret formula to share with the world.
For example, if you’re a big fan of Olive Garden’s Chicken Marsala, you can find that exact recipe. A great place to look for these recipes is CopyKat, where many popular restaurant recipe copies are shared.
Pro Tip: YouTube is your friend. If there is a particular method you struggle with, check for YouTube videos. For example, if you want to cook something with mushrooms in it, but you’re wondering how to cook mushrooms properly, search YouTube!
Taste, Taste, Taste
Any good chef should be tasting as he or she cooks. While it’s important to follow recipes, not everyone has the same sense of taste. Perhaps a teaspoon of salt is called for, but you like your food a bit less salty. This is where sampling food as you cook is important to help you get the balance of spices just right.
Pro Tip: If you’re cooking for a family, don’t forget to ask for taste tests from other family members. You want to make sure your creations taste good for everyone!
Final Thoughts on Kitchen Domination
Having high-quality ingredients and the proper tools for the job is essential for cooking restaurant-quality food. Never neglect your spice rack; it should always be stocked up and organized. Above all, make sure you taste that food as you go to get the flavors just right!
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Fallon Chan is a food and lifestyle photographer and blogger.
