COOKING BASICS | The FIRST thing you need to learn

Summary

In this instructional video, Lauren Michael Peters shares essential cooking tips for beginners. She emphasizes the importance of owning a good chef's knife, selecting one that feels comfortable in hand, and maintaining its sharpness. Lauren demonstrates basic knife skills, starting with bell peppers, and teaches how to slice, dice, and chop vegetables uniformly for even cooking. She also advises practicing the 'claw' technique for safety and encourages viewers to subscribe for more cooking lessons and recipes.

Takeaways

• 🔪 Investing in a good chef's knife is essential for home cooking.
• 💰 You don't need to spend a fortune on a chef's knife, but a moderate investment is recommended for longevity.
• 🤚 The handle of the knife should feel comfortable in your hand, regardless of its size.
• ✋ Holding the knife correctly is crucial for control and safety; avoid gripping too tightly or loosely.
• 🔥 Start with basic knife skills like the rocking motion before moving on to more complex tasks.
• 🥒 Practice on a cutting board without a vegetable to get comfortable with the knife's motion.
• 🫑 The first vegetable to learn cutting is a bell pepper, which teaches valuable knife handling techniques.
• 👐 The 'claw' technique keeps your fingers safe from the knife while chopping.
• 🥗 Uniformity in cutting vegetables ensures even cooking.
• 📈 As you practice, you'll improve in speed and accuracy with your knife skills.

Q & A

What is the first thing Lauren recommends you must have in your kitchen to start cooking?

A chef's knife is the first thing Lauren recommends you must have in your kitchen to start cooking.

Why is investing in a good chef's knife important according to Lauren?

Investing in a good chef's knife is important because it can last for years and helps significantly with skill development due to its sharpness.

How much should one spend on a chef's knife according to Lauren?

Lauren suggests not spending hundreds of dollars on a chef's knife, but making a slight investment since it's something that could last for years.

What advice does Lauren give for choosing the right handle for a chef's knife?

Lauren advises getting a knife that feels good in your hand, considering the size of the handle relative to the size of your hand, and personal comfort.

What is the 'rocking motion' Lauren teaches for using a chef's knife?

The 'rocking motion' is a technique Lauren teaches where the tip of the knife is pointed down and you push down and up, creating a rocking motion on the cutting board without chopping anything.

Why is it important to start slow when learning to cook according to Lauren?

Starting slow is important because it allows for the development of speed and accuracy over time, which comes with practice.

What was the first vegetable Lauren learned to properly cut, dice, and slice?

The first vegetable Lauren learned to properly cut, dice, and slice was a bell pepper.

What technique does Lauren use to prepare a bell pepper for cutting?

Lauren uses a technique called 'flattening out a bell pepper' where she slices off the ends, removes the stem, and presses the pepper flat before slicing.

Why is the 'claw technique' important when holding vegetables while chopping?

The 'claw technique' is important because it keeps your fingertips safe from accidentally getting sliced by the knife, which is especially crucial when using a sharp knife.

What does Lauren mean by 'julienne' when cutting vegetables?

A 'julienne' refers to cutting vegetables into little matchstick-like pieces, which is a specific knife skill Lauren demonstrates with bell peppers.

What is the significance of making uniform cuts and dices when cooking?

Making uniform cuts and dices is significant because it ensures that all the pieces of vegetables cook evenly.