Lessons From The Food Industry
There’s not a home cook out there who doesn’t dream of chef standards. Wowing people with restaurant quality food is the goal, right? After all, it’s got to be good if they’d be willing to pay for it! Sadly, most of us fall short of this goal. It’s no surprise when you consider that we have no professional training. We’re making it up as we go along! But, we’re going to look at a few things the food industry could teach you. These points should make your food tastier, and help you in the production too.
EQUIPMENT
First, let’s take a look at the equipment used in professional kitchens. From industrial sized mixers, to salmon processing equipment, they’ve got it all. Of course, it’s unlikely you need or would want equipment to the same standard and size. But, you can still learn from what the big guns use. For one, consider the type of mixers used. You don’t see chefs using hand mixers, do you? Though there is an argument for the amount of food they’re making, that’s not the only reason. Most chefs use stand alone mixers with a large bowl and a variety of settings. Overall, this is a much more thorough way to ensure your food is mixed. When doing it by hand, you can’t be sure you aren’t missing corners! The good news is, there are more modest versions available. And, what about those salmon processors? These make preparing your fish easier. You may not be able to get this service all in one machine. But, if you take the time to consider what they do, you can find alternatives for each job. You may need to settle for a variety of different devices, but it’ll be worth the effort.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Health and safety standards in professional kitchens are also worth following. Few of us think about these things when cooking at home. We wash our hands when we start, but that’s about it. Otherwise, we chop a whole meal on the same board, with the same knife. The majority of us wouldn’t dream of wearing gloves while we cut our meats. In professional kitchens, however, they keep everything separate. Veg is prepared on one board; meat on another. And, the chef puts gloves on each time he touches meat. These rules aren’t in place for fun. It might be worth implementing some of them in your cooking.
FLAVORS
Now we’re onto the stuff you’ve been waiting for. It’s often flavoring that sets restaurant-standard food apart. Professional kitchens have every flavor you could think of. And, the chefs take the time to try each one and develop recipes that work. Your first step should be to develop a spice rack to rival your kitchen hero’s. Once you’ve stocked up, develop your palette. Think hard about which flavors would complement each other. Arrange them in groups according to your findings Then; you won’t have to think twice when it comes to jazzing up your meals.