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The 16 Best Cooking Tricks I Learned In Culinary School

Culinary Cliffs Notes.

Hello world! I'm Jesse from BuzzFeed's food team and I have always loved to cook.

After working in restaurants all throughout high school, I decided to go to culinary school instead of traditional college.

But I understand that culinary school isn't for everyone, and that's OK because I'm here to share some of the best cooking tips I learned during my four-year program.

Here are 16 of the most valuable lessons I learned:

1. If your food tastes bland, it probably just needs salt...

2. And it might need sugar, too.

3. For glossy, restaurant-quality sauces, finish them with a pat of cold butter...

4. And always deglaze your pan.

5. Completely dry your meats before cooking them.

6. For maximum flavor, toast your nuts and spices.

7. If your food tastes flat, add a touch of acid.

8. Cooking for a crowd is all about keeping it simple.

9. Finish cooking your pasta in its sauce and always reserve some pasta water.

10. Cook your eggs over low heat to prevent them from becoming dry and rubbery.

11. For perfectly juicy meat, brine it.

12. Be patient and stop poking your meat....

13. And let it rest before cutting into it.

14. Hone your knife EVERY. TIME. YOU. COOK.

15. Have the right tools ― and keep them sharp!

16. Always have a side towel handy.

Let's get cooking!