What Do You Need to Learn Basic Cooking?

You might worry that basic cooking will be too hard to learn. This guide will help you understand the best methods for learning basic cooking and what you should study first to make the learning process easier. This way, you’ll be successful however you choose to apply your new skills. 

What is Basic Cooking?

Basic cooking by definition is the preparation of food using heat. The heating of ingredients has the power to change their texture and create an overall more enjoyable eating experience. It is unclear at what point in history humans learned how to harness the power of fire, but with this tool, eating began to change. 

Prior to the Neolithic Period, cooking was mainly roasting meat on a spit over an open fire. But with the introduction of pottery, cooking vessels included more than just spits. People began to experiment with different techniques and introduce more creativity to their meals. Nowadays, there are many techniques to cook food, and chefs and gastronomists are still pushing the boundaries of culinary art.

Basic cooking includes knife skills, knowledge of kitchen equipment, and food preparation. Different foods can be roasted, baked, fried, and sauteed. And there are many different tools that can be used to achieve these techniques, like ovens, stovetops, and grills. Some cooking methods work better with specific ingredients. For instance, fresh vegetables like green beans and eggplant are well suited for sauteing, while many cuts of steak and scallops benefit from a good searing.

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In fact, basic cooking tends to look different depending on the culture of the cook. You’ll find that some of the ingredients, the flavors, and even the cooking implements are unfamiliar to you, but the basic cooking techniques are the same: boiling, roasting, grilling, etc. No matter where in the world you go, you’ll find that food plays a big role in the characterizing of a culture and that the passing on of basic cooking techniques is central to the proliferation of the culture. 

Benefits of Learning Basic Cooking?

This is an essential and practical life skill that can benefit both you and your family in a major way. Eating good food that tastes good and is good for you is the absolute benefit of learning to cook. People are drawn to a good cook because everyone wants to eat food that is appetizing, so learning basic cooking will likely have social implications as well. Your family will enjoy gathering together to share meals, friends will make special requests of you, and you’ll have the opportunity to share recipes as you progress in your learning and understanding of cooking. 

Those who know how to cook are also saving money every time they decide to cook instead of dine out. When you order out you’re paying for the food, the labor hours, the convenience, and a myriad of overhead costs for the business you’re patronizing. Going to the grocery store to buy fresh produce and pantry items allows you to select ingredients that are on sale and in season, saving you money on your monthly food budget. 

Gaining cooking skills can expand your social network. You may decide to take part in a culinary or food organization like Cooking Matters, which educates folks on how to shop for and cook healthy meals on a budget, or the North American Vegetarian Society, which is dedicated to supporting vegetarians, vegans, and those wanting to move into a plant-based lifestyle and educate others on the benefits of being plant-based. Joining a local supper club or a food justice organization are other food-related groups that you can socially leverage.

Is Basic Cooking Easy to Learn?

Yes, learning to cook is easy for some. And yes, learning basic cooking is challenging for others. Whichever end of the spectrum you find yourself in, you will definitely have to keep practicing to progress. Learning to cook takes a little patience and a willingness to mess up. But it’s a practical life skill that is well worth learning.

Some cooking techniques are more complicated than others, but determination and persistence will be a great help when learning those techniques. The type of learner that you are will likely play a role in how easy you find it to be to champion basic cooking. Guided learning is usually the preferred way to learn to cook, but if self-teaching is more your speed, that’s fine too. 

At Home Cooking New York, located in Manhattan, beginning home cooks can learn some foundational kitchen skills that can increase their confidence and knowledge in the kitchen with Six Basic Cooking Techniques. This two-hour class covers knife skills, pan-roasting chicken, crafting pan sauces, roasting, and blanching vegetables, and cooking leafy greens. In this small, hands-on class, participants will work with other students and an expert chef to create a delicious sit-down meal to enjoy at the end of the class. 

For novice cooks who are interested in a deeper learning experience, Home Cooking New York also offers a six-week Culinary Boot Camp: For Beginner Cooks. This course aims to increase confidence and comfort in the kitchen while giving students a strong foundation in cooking basics. The course objectives include vegetable cooking techniques, chicken and meat cookery, fish and shellfish techniques, and grains. Each class features several recipes that showcase and reinforce the particular skills covered in the session. 

What You Need to Know Before Learning Basic Cooking

You don’t need any prerequisite skills to learn basic cooking. It does help to know how to operate basic kitchen equipment like a stovetop, oven, and blender. If you’re taking an in-person class, oftentimes kitchen equipment is explained and demonstrated for you. There’s no need to know the difference between the types of knives or pans either, as much of this information becomes clear as you progress in your learning. 

Knife skills are a big help in the kitchen. You don’t need to have them to learn basic cooking, but they are extremely helpful. Understanding how to control a knife and which style of knife is best suited to the task at hand can help new cooks avoid cutting themselves and create more uniform and visually appealing dishes. 

One thing that new cooks often struggle with is seasoning food. Knowing how much salt is too much or too little is a common issue. And because many novice cooks don’t have a good idea of what flavors pair well together, they tend to add various seasonings and flavors that sound or look familiar. This lack of understanding and ability to edit usually leads to some pretty aggressive or bland food.

What You Need to Learn Basic Cooking

If you’re truly interested in learning basic cooking skills, there are some things that you’ll need to get on your way. The most important things you’ll need are patience and a willingness to listen and learn. These two skills will come in very handy when taking in-person cooking courses. You don’t need too much more than that, but things like quality ingredients and some cookware are also going to get you better results as you begin your culinary journey.

Quality Ingredients

Since you’re just getting started, you want quality ingredients, but not necessarily the high-end high-quality ingredients. The last thing you want to do is experiment on a $ 24-a-pound protein. But quality ingredients will give you a better chance at a better-tasting and more nutritious dish when handled properly. 

An Orderly Kitchen

A clean and organized kitchen makes it easier to create a good meal. You’ll have the cookware and utensils needed at the ready and you’ll be able to better concentrate on what you’re doing without obstacles in your way. If you’re taking a traditional cooking class at a restaurant or culinary studio you’ll likely be given access to an orderly kitchen and get an idea of what an orderly kitchen looks like if you need that visual.

Cookware

Typically, in-person classes provide cookware and kitchen utensils to their students. If you’ve ever stepped into the housewares section of a department store, then you know that there are a ton of kitchen tools. But to get started learning to cook, you need a frying pan, a saucepan, a stock pot, stirring spoons, tongs, and mixing bowls. Once you’ve gotten more comfortable in the kitchen, you may want to add more items to your kitchen.

Key Takeaways

• The benefits of learning to cook include saving money and broadening your social networks.
• Basic cooking skills include knife skills, knowledge of kitchen equipment, and food preparation, using techniques like boiling, baking, and sauteing.
• Learning basic cooking skills is a practical life skill that is worth your time and effort. There are no prerequisites required to learn how to cook. It may be challenging, but your persistence and practice will pay off.
• Quality ingredients, basic cookware, and an orderly kitchen make learning basic cooking skills a lot easier and help to set you up for success.
• If you’re interested in private cooking lessons, in-person or online classes, or even private group sessions, CourseHorse has you covered. Contact them today to find out what’s available in your area.