What are some skills in the kitchen?

We've put together a list of 25 key skills that every beginning cook should know to gain confidence in the kitchen. The cornerstone of many dishes, learning to chop an onion efficiently can endlessly speed up dinner preparation. Take a few minutes and learn to slice like a pro with our video on how to chop an onion below. We've also been discussing ways to keep tears at bay; apparently, sucking on a teaspoon while cutting will cause your eyes to dry out.

Using a “water bath” to melt chocolate may seem extravagant, but it's actually very simple and will ensure that you don't ruin your favorite candy by burning or breaking it. Our video explains how to melt chocolate properly. Choose a new cookbook worth up to 28€ when you subscribe to our magazine. Without a doubt, you need to know how to cook, but being a chef is more than putting food on a plate.

You also need to develop and master some key skills. We've worked with chefs to develop a list of the top 10 skills, which will help you prepare for a successful career as a chef. Take your time to tidy up as you go so you don't overwhelm yourself in your section, clean up the surfaces and put everything back in its place. Get organized to maintain control.

As you advance in your career, having excellent organizational skills will ensure you manage staff effectively and help you control all aspects of the kitchen, from workflow to plate. Victor highlights the importance of time management; he says that this skill has also been beneficial to him outside of the kitchen. Being able to think about everything at once and understand and know what each section of the kitchen works on is a skill that is very difficult to master. To cook at home or in a professional setting as a budding chef, you need to have some basic cooking skills in your arsenal.

It takes a variety of both hard and soft skills to be a great chef who can effectively run a kitchen.