10 Steps to Improve Yourself as a Cook

By Walter Trupp > Train your Taste. One of the most important keys to being a successful cook is to understand and learn when something tastes right.

At the beginning of your journey with food and its preparation, almost everything new to you will taste amazing. Learning about food is easy, and the process can be sped up by paying attention to the food you consume every day and by asking as many questions as possible. Go out and try different types and styles of food at markets, food festivals, cooking schools, exhibitions and restaurants. Experiment at home via the Internet, books and magazines. Cooking at home, in my opinion, is the most exiting adventure; as your inner alchemist can explore countless new cooking methods and techniques, flavour combinations, textures and presentation styles.

During my career, I went through stages where I would favour particular ingredients or cooking techniques. Often with a single ingredient, I would try countless methods of preparation and cooking, as well as flavour combinations.

I naturally gained knowledge and confidence by exploring markets and talking to people in the food industry like producers, processors, farmers and importers. To this day I still explore, ask and (most importantly) listen when it comes to food. I also constantly train my taste memories through conscious tasting and chewing (almost similar to wine tasting), where I explore the differences between the elements in a dish and also ask myself questions such as:

Are the textures and flavours in harmony, or do they disturb one another?

Does the dish work as the perfect ‘all together’, or do the ingredients not marry with each other all that well?

Is there something missing, or is there too much of a certain ingredient that overpowers the other flavours? Is the dish incomplete, half-finished or overworked?

And if you’re pairing wine or beer, does your choice compliment your dish in its textures and flavour?

By: Walter Trupp, Chef | A Reblog | Read More and follow his blog at: http://trupp.net/2012/02/21/10-steps-to-improve-yourself-as-a-cook/

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