15 Simple Yet Effective Everyday Cooking Hacks From Top Chefs

True cooking mastery isn’t just about following recipes—it’s about discovering the little tricks that make a huge difference. Chef Sara Hauman, a two-time James Beard Award nominee, and Chef Ian Thurwachter, a culinary mastermind known for elevating rustic flavors, share techniques that make meals effortlessly delicious. Keep reading to discover their expert-approved hacks that will reshape your kitchen techniques.

Mashed Potatoes

Creamy mashed potatoes begin with a simple swap: boil them in salted milk instead of water. After thorough draining, Chef Sara Hauman suggests adding soft butter for a luxuriously smooth texture. Incorporate sour cream or cream cheese for ultimate creaminess without any greasiness.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Mayo trumps butter when it comes to flawless grilled cheese. According to Chef Hauman, spreading mayonnaise on the outer bread surfaces prevents burning thanks to its higher smoke point. The added richness enhances the flavor, and the medium heat ensures that Instagram-worthy cheese pulls.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Superior cookies demand quality ingredients. “Use couverture chocolate,” pastry chef Krystal Craig recommends, for its higher cocoa butter content and exceptional flavor profile. Whether you prefer milk or dark varieties, this simple upgrade turns ordinary cookies into bakery-worthy treats your friends will rave about.

Blanched Vegetables

Proper seasoning is the secret to vibrant, crisp vegetables. Chef Hauman advises salting both the blanching water and the ice bath. This dual approach ensures seasonings remain intact during the shocking process, which results in brilliantly colored, flawlessly seasoned vegetables with a satisfying crunch.

Pie Crust

Freezing butter before grating it with a cheese grater eliminates the struggle of cutting it into flour. Chef Hauman’s unexpected trick? A teaspoon of vodka or gin in the dough slows gluten formation, creating maximum flakiness. This simple addition revolutionizes homemade pie crusts.

Roast Chicken

Season your chicken for at least an hour before cooking for maximum flavor penetration. “Separate the skin from breast meat by carefully sliding your finger between them,” suggests Chef Ian Thurwachter. Tucking butter underneath keeps the meat moist while ensuring perfectly crispy, golden skin.

Brown Butter

Chef Hauman insists that constant whisking is a must when making brown butter. Keep those caramelizing milk solids in motion to ensure they spread evenly. The payoff? A rich, nutty butter that transforms everything it touches—whether it’s pasta, baked goods, or anything in between!

Pasta

Before you drain pasta, reserve some starchy cooking water—this liquid gold creates magic. Chef Hauman recommends this simple step to convert ordinary sauces into silky emulsions that cling perfectly to pasta. Particularly effective with olive oil-based sauces, this technique delivers authentic restaurant-quality results.

Crepes

For perfect crepes, you require a special ingredient: patience. Making batter a day in advance allows air bubbles to settle completely, explains Chef Hauman. It eliminates frustrating holes and tears when cooking, with refrigerated batter lasting a week for both sweet and savory meals.

Roasted Vegetables

With Chef Hauman’s clever technique, soggy vegetables are a thing of the past. Preheat your baking sheet for 10 to 15 minutes before adding vegetables. This immediate searing creates optimal caramelization while maintaining interior moisture, always resulting in restaurant-quality roasted vegetables.

Omelets

According to Chef Hauman, a pinch of salt in beaten eggs makes all the difference. This simple addition quickly denatures proteins and creates an exceptionally fluffy texture. Cooking the omelets on low-to-medium heat until almost set, followed by 30 seconds under the broiler, will deliver professional-quality omelets every morning.

Salad Dressing

Those leftover herb stems deserve a second life. Chef Thurwachter’s brilliant solution? Soak them in vinegar for at least 24 hours to create flavor-infused bases for homemade vinaigrettes. This zero-waste approach turns ordinary salads while outshining any store-bought dressing available.

Rice

Chef Hauman’s cardinal rule is to stir rice only once when adding cooking water. For fluffy grains every time, place a kitchen towel between the pot and lid to capture the condensation. After cooking, let the rice rest covered for 10 minutes to complete the absorption process.

Cakes

One essential recommendation from Chef Craig revolutionizes home baking: invest in a kitchen scale. Measuring ingredients by weight rather than volume guarantees consistent results that rival professional bakeries. This small investment dramatically improves all your baking projects, not just cakes.

Pesto

The vibrant green color disappears when pesto meets heat. To maintain that appetizing emerald hue, Chef Hauman recommends cold preparation methods only. Add parsley alongside traditional basil to provide color insurance, as it’s less heat-sensitive while exquisitely complementing the classic flavor profile.