101 Tips and Techniques for Cooking like a Chef

General Cooking Tips

1. Add a little zest. When a recipe calls for a “zest” of a citrus fruit, it’s

referring to the colorful outer part of the skin, not the inner white part, which

is known as the pith. The zest contains all of the aromatic citrus oils and

provides a hint of citrus tang to the recipe. A simple method of obtaining a

fine zest is by rubbing the fruit against the smallest holes of a cheese grater.

2. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Good cooks are never afraid to deviate

from a recipe and add their own flair. Whenever you make a substitution or

addition be sure to make a note on the recipe so you remember next time

whether you liked the change or not.