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Master mise en place

"Mise en place" is French for "everything in place." What it means to a chef? Before you cook, have everything measured, peeled, chopped, pans greased, etc. and within reach. This will keep you from running around looking for the dried basil while your sauce is on the brink of burning.

Don't overcrowd your pan

When roasting or browning anything, the tendency is to cram as much in the pan as possible — resist! Do it in smaller batches instead. Crowding the pan leads to steaming and lowers the temperature of the pan so you won't get the caramelization you're looking for — and that's where the flavor is.

We love Tongs

Walk into any restaurant kitchen and you'll see a set of tongs in almost every cook's hand — usually gripped low down on the handle for maximum control. Use it to flip meat, pull a pan out of the oven, stabilize a steak while slicing, the list goes on and on.