You have no doubt have heard of and have been affected by the coronavirus lockdowns that have swept the nation. While it is tough for all of us to stay indoors and maintain proper social distancing, it’s for the best. The only question is, what can we do in the meantime? Why, let’s work on our cooking skills! Did you know that before the shutdowns, chef Winston was giving 1 on 1 personal cooking lessons? Brush up on your basics so you can hit the ground running when things resume as normal!

1 – Chop an Onion

That’s it? This simple task is one that every well practiced cook should know how to do with ease. Onions are used in such a wide variety of dishes that you will find yourself chopping them up all of the time, whether they’re sweet Vidalia onions, red, or white onions, being able to quickly, efficiently, and evenly cut an onion will save you a lot of time in the kitchen. Cutting evenly is especially important, as the pungent flavor of the onion should be as evenly spread as possible. You don’t want to take a spoon of a meal and be treated to a huge chunk of an onion!

2 – Master Your Knife

A chef’s knife is like an extension of their hand, you should become so comfortable with this tool that you don’t even think twice about when you’re using it. Cooking is a wonderful science of ingredients to create impressive flavors for others and yourself to enjoy, but it’s also a physical art that relies on presentation and textures.

To achieve that end, you must learn to use a knife properly—not just for the sake of our first point, but for all things that will require some extra finesse such as shearing, fine slicing, or scoring meat.

Apart from knife techniques, you should have a good grasp on knife safety fundamentals such as maintaining a claw shape in your off hand to save your fingers in case the knife slips. Learning how to grip a knife for the proper power and control is also important not just for safety but also technique. There are many online resources that can show you the basics in a variety of ways, find what you’re comfortable with!

3 – Learn How to Cook Rice

Rice gets a bad rap from those of us who are trying to keep the pounds off and the carbs away. However, it truly is a phenomenal and affordable food that not only keeps many people alive across the globe, but is the perfect flavorful sidekick to many dishes. This is proven by the fact that most cultures in the modern era have a rice dish somewhere in the mix.

Rice can be made and flavored in so many different ways, the way it is prepared in Asian dishes varies from Caribbean to Indian to Spanish to Mexican!

A professional chef like Chef Winston can teach you the magic of how to flavor something and give it a punch, but something you can work on by yourself is cooking the rice to the proper texture! Rice is a dish that is easy to cook but hard to master. Getting the right texture is a matter of using the right water to rice ratio, finding the perfect cooking time depending on the type of rice, and lastly understanding the quirks of the equipment you are using.

This brings us to our next and final point.

4 – Know Thy Equipment

After cooking enough meals, a chef becomes very attached to the quirks and unique properties of the equipment he is using. He knows the power output of the grill he uses, she knows how fast the stovetop achieves its peak temperature, he is comfortable with his knife and the speed and force which is required to cut.

Knowing your equipment will let you hone in on perfection in your kitchen. This is something that can’t be taught but must be learned through experience. It is for this reason that Catering CC brings our equipment wherever we go, and we never charge you equipment fees! Why? Because for us, it is a pleasure and benefit to cook using our own tools that we have grown attached to.

This intimacy is what allows us to bring you the very best flavors when you choose to cater with us. Of course, we know how to use all equipment we’re offered and we are very adaptable, but there’s nothing like home field advantage, right?

South Florida Catering Company

Catering CC is your go to for all of your catering needs in South Florida. Whether you require catering services for your personal event, corporate luncheon, or city events such as concerts, we’ve done it all!

Chef Winston offers his own personal cooking lessons to parties interested in learning how to mimic his delicious recipes or want to get a good cooking foundation to make their own!

Contact us today if you have any questions about our services, we’d love to hear from you!