I have to admit that those first few weeks of newborn life were a bit of a blur. It was also a time of survival, which meant our evening meals were…questionable. Nowadays though, and with a little 16 month old in tow, I’ve found myself wanting to get a bit more experimental in the kitchen, trialing out new recipes and not leaning so much on the subscription food delivery boxes that we get every week.
Thankfully, the online world is a hub of knowledge and full of experienced UK chefs, whether professional or amateur, from whom to take inspiration. With that in mind, if you’re looking to get inspired in the kitchen like I have, here are some helpful tips to get you started.
*This is a collaborative post.
*This is a collaborative post.Take recipe ideas from UK Chefs
First and foremost, there is a wealth of knowledge online, much of it from the professionals that many of us have known and loved for many years. From Jamie Oliver to Delia Smith, you’ve got a varied selection of chefs with different cooking styles and approaches.
When it comes to cooking, it’s very much an artform and something that is unique from one chef to the next. As I try to transition from subscription food boxes, I’m hopefully going to take some inspiration from chefs and their books or website blogs for guidance on what to try next. Square Meal is a great site when it comes to delving into the world of cuisine and finding the next recipe idea for you to try
Embrace new flavours and cuisines
As with anything in life, it’s always good to try new things, even if you don’t feel like you’re going to be good at it to begin with. Every chef has to start somewhere and a lot of it is embracing new flavours and cuisines. Up until now, you might have had some trustworthy favourites and cuisines that you relied on for your weekly meals.
However, there’s so much more out there and you owe it to yourself to embrace new ones that you’ve not tried before. It could be something as simple as adding a few more herbs to your basket while food shopping. Find a recipe that uses that new herb and you’ll hopefully discover something new and exciting in your next dish.
Set yourself cooking challenges
Cooking challenges are certainly something to add to your to-do list and if you have plenty of time to spare, then you could certainly look at what type of goals you’d like to achieve with your time in the kitchen this year. Whether it’s perfecting a bake recipe or trying a different meal each week, to your usual picks.
There are plenty of challenges that you could take advantage of, for the purpose of getting better with your cooking this year. Set goals and get excited about checking these off as you go.
Experiment with techniques
Experimenting with techniques is a brilliant way to get creative in the kitchen. Every professional chef and every chef who specialises in certain cuisines will have their own take on how to prep and cook certain ingredients.
With that being said, look at what various techniques are available when it comes to cooking and try something you’ve not done before.
Take time in the details
Details are important, especially in the more complex bakes and recipes that you challenge yourself with. Perhaps one of the most valuable bits of information I can pass on when it comes to cooking is to always follow the recipe and make sure you’ve double checked and triple-checked measurements and steps involved.
This is important because if you’re not getting the details right, then it’s likely to result in the dish going wrong and that soils the experience as a result.
Don’t be afraid to fail
It’s important to remember that even the best chefs will fail or make mistakes. As a rookie chef or one who’s looking to step up to a professional level beyond their own kitchen, don’t be afraid to fail. There are lessons in failure that can help you succeed next time around.
What experiences do you have with cooking? Let me know in the comments below.
*Disclaimer – This is a collaborative post with SquareMeal. All words are my own.
