I'm okay at cooking, and want to be better. what do i need

>>9238235
>what do I need to know to be able to cook like I know what I'm doing

How to cook?

>>9238248
well cooking isn't just knowing how to cook, it's knowing many skills that come together to make something and i guess I'm asking what you think the most useful skills are.

Learn how to make a perfect omelette every time.

That will impress anybody.

>>9238235
Some tips
When in doubt Mirepoix is a good base for almost any soups, roasts, braising, w/e and provides a foundation for many dishes to be built upon
Learn how to make all 5 French mother sauces and when and how to use them appropriately
Learn your meat temps and how to identify them by poking (don't do that poking your palm shit it's bs)
Learn how to make a basic pan sauce to accompany any meat you're cooking (use meat drippings, fat, and fond left in the pan and sautée garlic+onion before deglazing with the right wine and incorporating other herbs, liquids, spices, then reduce to desirable viscosity and add a tab of butter for richness)
Learn new flavor pairings, just by googling: it can come in handy when you think you have nothing left in your fridge or pantry to cook with
Learn to toss a pan of you don't already know how, hone your knife skills
Get a copy of The Joy of Cooking

>>9238321
any specific edition of the joy of cooking?
also would a probe thermometer be a good tool to have for meat temps?

>>9238321
This is just a bunch of random basic shit to build your skills in actually creating dishes off of, things I'd expect an amateur line cook to know how to do if I was hiring.

>>9238328
i don't know how much the editions differ by so maybe do some research before hand. There's probably actual culinary textbooks you can find cheap or torrent that may be just not if not more informative in building basic cooking skills. As for the thermometer it's an important kitchen tool that everyone should have. When it comes to temping meats it's useful for practicing to try familiarizing how a certain meat at a certain temp feels, but you shouldn't want to rely on it. Stabbing holes in your meat while its cooking can result in draining the juices from it and take away from the meat.

Just watch Chef John or based Jack and you'll be a pro (professional) in no time

>>9238369
cool, thanks. I only ask what edition because i heard some people swear by the old edition causes it teaches you how to skin small animals.

>>9238377
>you'll be a pro (professional)
thanks for clarifying,

haven't heard of based jack, i do watch binging with babish.

>>9238397
Classic Australian post with added Reddit spacing.
Utter abbo worshiping fag.

>>9238397
>haven't heard of based jack
You're missing out bro

https://m.youtube.com/user/jakatak69

>>9238446
this is why there is an obesity epidemic, chef john is better IMO

>>9238452
John is fat and Jack is fit. You're argument is invalid

>>9238468
>Jack is fit

Know your mother sauces. There are five of them. Bechamel, veloute, espangol, sauce tomato, and hollandaise.

They sound fancy, but it's not that hard. Once you can make those, you can make a million variations from them. That's why they're called the "mother sauces".

Practice your knife work. Vegetables get diced so that everything cooks evenly in the frying pan. Learn to slice, dice, and julienne your vegetables

Keep a clean kitchen. Learn what mis-en-place means (it means, having all your ingredients and tools in place and prepped, where you can grab them without thinking about it.

Work clean, try out different food, use herbs and spices, and learn what tastes good with what. Pro tip: basil and oregano is what basic Italian food tastes like. Cayenne and the Holy Trinity of celery, bell peppers, and carrots is what Cajun food tastes like. Cilantro and tumeric is what Mexican food tastes like.