How to Take Your Kitchen to the Next Level

There are few lifelong skills that are satisfying to learn and have relatively as high an ROI, as learning how to use your kitchen and cooking good food. Food is a staple part of the human experience and something that helps to define entire cultures. It shifts and changes in meaningful ways all over the globe, and it is a part of the makeup that defines cultures, peoples, families, and indvidiauls.

There’s something profoundly freeing about learning what a person likes and dislikes about food. In western cultures where the work hustle and productivity are idolized, concepts of food and culture can oftentimes get reduced to quick drive-throughs and take-out menus. While there is nothing wrong with doing what you have to do in the middle of a busy week, learning how to slow down and invest in a skill like cooking is something you will not regret.

Not only can cooking be a relaxing and satisfying skill to know, but it’s also one that you can continue to build and grow your entire life. It’s something that can enrich not only your own experience but those around you. Learning how to cook for friends and family can be a way of improving your community and bringing encouragement and love to the people you care about in a meaningful way.

With all of that being said, one of the biggest parts about learning how to cook and enjoy the process – is going to be the equipment that you use to do it. So whether you are a seasoned vet, wondering how you can improve one of your favorite hobbies, or you are just starting out – here is how you can take your kitchen to the next level!

Make Sure You Love Your Fundamentals

When it comes to cooking, there’s no end to the complexity, depth, and variety that can be achieved in the kitchen. That being said, even the most advanced chefs and the most avid hobbyist would agree – the most important aspect of cooking are the basic fundamentals. The most amazing dishes can oftentimes be simple ones.

Parental and grand-parental figures have proven this for generations with simple recipes that fed families in ways that nourished the soul. Whether that was a classic meatloaf or fried chicken recipe, or a fall soup that the entire family would look forward to throughout the year!

Fundamentals are such an important part of not only learning how to cook, but the experience of cooking, so start there. High-quality steel pans, a nice pot set, sharp knives, dependable things like cutting boards, or learning how your stove works are key parts of the cooking experience.

If you are new to the world of cooking, it may feel like the best move to go with a less expensive set of steel pans or kitchen knives – and while you do need to stick to your budget, there are a lot of benefits with choosing higher quality.

Even-Heat

One of the best ways to improve your overall kitchen experience is to use pots and pans that can produce even heat. Steel pans that can distribute heat evenly are well worth the investment because they can help you develop consistency in your cooking.

There’s no way around the fact that learning how to cook will involve experiences where you miss the mark. Whether that means you overcooked, undercooked or maybe just completely used the wrong spices, you’ll have experiences that you learn from. Where you can mitigate some of this, is by using equipment like high-quality steel pans that heat evenly and predictably. The better the quality of your kitchen equipment, the more consistent and predictable its performance.

Kitchen Knives

Another simple way that you can take your kitchen to the next level is by upgrading your knife set. A good knife in the kitchen is so hard to beat. There are several different types of knives for various jobs like slicing meat or prepping vegetables. If you have never really invested in a good quality knife, this simple upgrade will be monumental for your experience.

If you have good knives that you love, you may not need to upgrade them unless you are looking to improve certain factors like durability. The difference that a high-quality knife will make in your cooking experience is noticeable and is something that you will be so happy you committed to.

Conclusion

Taking your kitchen to the next level can be as complicated as getting an entirely new stove, or as simple as upgrading your steel pans or knife set. Sometimes you don’t need to switch out for a whole new appliance to take your kitchen experience to the next level. Simple upgrades can make a huge difference in how you cook and the joy that you get from it!