The world of television has opened up the opportunity for the world to learn about every occupation from boat captain to restaurant chef. With the influx of reality television, particularly in the realm of competitive cooking, award-winning chefs are doling out free advice weekly on a variety of shows. From brief appearances on morning news shows to elaborate competitions spanning the nation in a matter of weeks, there are limitless opportunities for respected chefs to share insight into their profession.
Whether a fan of television or not, there are many great lessons to be learned from these seasoned chefs if you keep your ears open. Motivational tips and cooking hacks offered through media outlets can help in the daily lives of home cooks and professional chefs alike.
Reality shows suggest a depiction of real-world scenarios, but we all know at this point that the magic of television is still infused. Despite the false advertising, these shows do have good insight to offer:
- Everyone makes mistakes, even the best chefs.
- Running a smooth dinner service is a team effort.
- Innovative recipe development is not a prerequisite for the job.
- Seasoning as you go is a must along with adding acidity to enhance almost any dish.
Individual chefs can use television as a means to share tips and tricks they have learned along the way. Why reinvent the wheel when someone else is willing to share all the secrets?
- Paula Deen shares that prepping ahead, just as the production teams do on cooking shows, can take away some of the stress of preparing a meal for a crowd.
- Marcus Samuelsson warns against trying a new recipe and new ingredient at the same time as it can result in a dinner disaster of epic proportions.
- Ina Garten’s best baking tip is to leave butter and eggs out at room temperature overnight for the best end result.
- Mario Batali shares one secret of Italian cooking: cook pasta for 1 minute less than the package directions and finish it in the sauce you plan to use.
Next time you’re looking for a little inspiration or a few new tricks to make service simpler, you might consider turning on the T.V.