My 25 Biggest Cooking Mistakes

I’ve failed countless times in over 20 years of being a chef, so I’ve narrowed down 25 of my best tips, tricks and hacks from working in restaurants to make your home cooking journey easier. Leave a comment if there’s a hack or trick you want to learn and maybe there’s room for a Part 2.

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Director, Chef and Host: Andy
Videographer, Editor: Mitch Henderson
Production Manager: Dazz Braeckmans
Editor: Caleb Dawkins

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Intro
00:17 1 - Prep
00:32 2
00:42 3
01:11 4
02:27 5 - Equipment
02:54 6
03:19 7
03:31 8
03:54 9
04:59 10
05:39 11
07:04 12 - Cooking Tips
07:38 13
08:56 14
09:23 15
10:05 16
10:34 17
11:14 18
11:39 19
12:25 20
12:47 21
13:30 22
14:27 23
15:12 24
15:58 25

[Hasdrewlahh]

I never make the same mistake twice I usually do it 5 or 6 times to really make sure

[LucidFox]

I completed my three-year, active training as a chef in Germany in 2013 and I have to say that - especially through social media - you can watch a lot of people cooking. What particularly strikes me is the fact that many people don't know the basics. No trace of kitchen organization or hygiene, always just fancy dishes or ingredients that are either really expensive or hyped. Andy shows us all what really matters: heart, experience and appropriate knowledge. I wish you all, regardless of spectators or Andy's team, a happy new year in 2025! We look forward to more videos. Maybe there will be one or two videos there about the basic skills in a kitchen. Thank you very much!

[yzzazz]

*Andy, thank you for confirming the critical importance of clicking your tongs twice each time you grab them*

[pablomartinez]

For Quick Reference:

1. (00:16) Stay organized: Have a rubbish bin handy to avoid running back and forth.
2. (00:34) Kitchen towels and cleaning tools: Keep towels, J cloths, and paper towels ready.
3. (00:42) Keep knives sharp: Regularly sharpen or hone your knives.
4. (01:13) Knife and cutting technique: Use a non-slip mat and practice the claw grip.
5. (02:02) Master basic onion cuts: Learn slice, fine dice, and large dice techniques.
6. (02:28) Use a rice cooker: Great for frequent rice cooking—easy and reliable.
7. (02:55) Use a thermometer: Ensure precision for steaks, chicken, cakes, etc.
8. (03:18) Avoid using knives to move food: Use a bench scraper instead.
9. (03:33) Use kitchen scales: Essential for baking and consistent recipes.
10. (03:55) Season cast iron/carbon steel pans: Build a non-stick surface through seasoning.
11. (04:59) Invest in a pressure cooker: Saves time on stews, rice, beans, and more.
12. (05:40) Bare essentials in a kitchen: Tongs, spatula, sieve, ladle, whisk, and more.
13. (07:10) Be open to different methods: Learn and adapt to other techniques.
14. (07:40) Understand the five tastes: Balance sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami.
15. (08:59) Season throughout cooking: Build flavors by salting at different stages.
16. (09:24) Taste as you cook: Adjust flavors to ensure balance.
17. (10:06) Crack eggs properly: Crack on a flat surface to avoid yolk or shell issues.
18. (10:37) Separate egg yolks efficiently: Use shells or hands based on quantity.
19. (11:17) Follow the recipe (first time): Read and follow instructions thoroughly.
20, (11:39) Use cornflour for thickening: Use a 1:1 cornflour-water mixture for sauces.
21. (12:28) Dress salads last minute: Avoid wilting by dressing right before serving.
22. (12:49) Avoid overcrowding the pan: Cook in small batches for better results.
23. (13:32) Pan-fry fish without sticking: Use a hot pan, oil, and press.
24. (14:27) Flip food often while cooking: Frequent flipping ensures even cooking.
25. (15:18) Control heat when butter basting: Keep butter golden and foamy, not burnt.

[PositivelyNice]

I am really growing fonder of this channel by the day. Andy is still trying to educate and inspire people among the multitude of commercial spokesperson disguised as Foodtubers nowadays.

This video is very well put together. 🎉

For the “normal” people like myself, the thermometer and measuring scale are game changers.

I originally bought them for my coffee hobby but I begin grabbing them for cooking!

Same like Andy, I even measure my morning oats and milk just because I have the scale lying on the counter all the time since I do coffee daily.

[pistol]

@1:20 The ultimate flex: A small wooden cutting board, on top of a larger wooden cutting board, on top of a cutting board table top. This is the matryoshka doll for cutting boards.

[stevef]

Sometimes it’s the smallest things .. “get a waste bowl ready and stop the to and fro’ing to the other room” .. so simple, so effective!! Thanks !!

[marydauby]

My life changed when I got a rice cooker at Walmart for $5.00. on a Black Friday Sale. I didn’t even use it for several months. No bells or whistles just a basic rice cooker. I could never cook rice correctly but this little marvel made me love rice. Dump the rice and water. Turn on and when it is done it switches to warm. That’s all I needed. I had it for 10 years and it died so I bought another one just like it. The best $5.00 I ever spent.

[BatSignalJammer]

5:19 Actually other way around. Pressure increases the boiling point hence allowing the temperature to go over 100 C which cooks the food faster

[BeleniYara-owzq]

This is not just a video it's a culinary school short course
I learned a lot within 16 minutes 41 seconds thank you chef Andy you're the best 🌟💯👌

[glenhehir]

Mate. Been watching your channel for a long time now. And this is some of the best tips I’ve seen from some so called chefs. There is an opening here for you to expand on some of them and make full instructional videos. It’s so good when a chef doesn’t forget learning the basics and can still show us in steps, how to do things in the kitchen. Thanks Andy. Keep it happening.

[iainbannerman]

I like to consider myself a fairly confident amateur cook, but that video was one of the more informative how to's that I have ever watched.I have learned stuff that I never knew I didn't know. To me that is why I love cooking. I just keep learning. Thanks Andy.

[jordanwalsh]

It seems like a small thing, but I started keeping the small "waste bin" on the counter during preparation a few months ago, and it really helps me keep my cutting board clear. Huge improvement, and it's free!

[neothaka]

I love this channel. You're one of the most down to earths chefs out there that just delivers cooking skills and recipes in a way that's digestible for your average home cook. Thanks for the tips!

[zildog]

I have successfully mastered all 25 steps! Took me like 30 years and a bunch of asian and Italian restaurant jobs growing up... but hey, you'll also get there eventually LOL.

If there was a 26th, for me it would be: "CLEAN AS YOU COOK". I love being organized in the kitchen before doing anything but as I cook, I'm multi-tasking by throwing away scraps, wiping surfaces down, cleaning utensils and dishes or prepping for the next stage. Most people you know have a sink full of crap and a pile of dishes to clean BEFORE they even get to enjoy what they just cooked.

And then after they've eaten they complain about having to do the dishes!!

[nickaguado]

As soon as he said to flip steaks often and move them around the pan and flip every 45 seconds, I knew this chef was up to date with the times and I can trust his content. Subscribed. It’s insane how very few chefs preach that.

[rajsagar]

The King - such a great communication style, and so seamlessly alternates between big picture ideas and the detail and nuance required to make it real in the kitchen. Superfan in Colombia. Thanks, dude.

[villvis]

"I've made every kitchen mistake." The fact that you have all of your fingers tells a different story.

[marilynscott-waters]

It's 12/30 and this is the best cooking video that I've seen all year. Thanks, Andy!

[luis]

Thank you Chef, it's so refreshing seeing an honest and down to earth chef, not the modern "I'm perfect never do a mistake" chef.
I've been 13 years a cook, still have a lot to learn from good people like you.