Twist of Yohan

ABC by The Jackson 5

If you know this song, I know you were singing it in your head (or out loud, no shame in that kitchen karaoke game). Absolute classic from The Jackson 5, and a perfect segway into what we’re chatting about today: the ABCs and 123s of cooking.
Not the boring kind, promise. You won’t find me teaching you how to dice an onion here, we’ve got the entire internet for that.

But first: hi there! Welcome to my little flavorful corner of the web, where food is always center stage, and your taste buds are the real VIPs. I hope your day is going deliciously well and that whatever you cooked last made you do a little happy dance.

You see, the “basics” of cooking aren’t just knife skills or knowing how to sear a steak (though, yes, those matter too) and take a lot of practice to perfect them. But I’m talking about the other basics, the unsung heroes of the kitchen that make or break your cooking experience. The basics that give you your cooking skills consistency and the ability to up the ante in your creativity. Creativity without basics is just a mess, I know from personal experience. Basics without out creativity is just bland robotic cooking, let’s not let the machines take over, Terminator anyone? Everything you cook can be a “holy mackerel” moment for yourself, your friends and family if you know the basics. Cooking is passion, creativity and love you create with your hands, mind and soul but knowing the basics is a must. Michel Roux once said, “A recipe has no soul, you as the cook must bring the soul to the recipe”. And I live and breathe by that quote.

Let’s start with some ABC’s from what I have learned from all my years in the kitchen and that I want to share with you to not let you make the mistakes myself and others have done before.

A is for: Awareness, know what you’re doing!

Sounds obvious, right? But you’d be surprised how many times this part gets skipped, by beginners, pros, and yes… even yours truly.
Before you even touch a spatula, take a moment. Read the recipe. Understand what you need to do. This is even taught at my Culinary school and on your practical exam you were giving time to do this. Mentally walk through the steps. Most kitchen chaos starts with diving in without actually knowing what the heck is going on. Don’t be that person. Trust me, I’ve been that person.

B is for: Be patient, take your time!

This is a big one. I get it! You’re hungry, the vibes are good, your favorite playlist is on but rushing the process never ends well.
Especially when making something for the first time, take your sweet time. Read the step, do the step. Don’t jump ahead and skip to the next step in the recipe before you finished the step you are doing. The more often you make the recipe, the better you get to know the recipe, the faster you’ll get and before you know it, it’s muscle memory. That’s when cooking becomes yours. That’s when you start to freestyle and start making that personal flavored kitchen magic and hear all the ohhh and ahhh’s from your creations.

C is for: Chop, cut and create!

Ever heard of the saying: “A good chef is known by their prep”? It’s true. Prep is your safety net, the thing you can always fall back on if you start doubting yourself. Those moments of “Did I just added that ingredient or not?” You won’t have those moments anymore, just pure confidence in what you are doing!
When everything is chopped, measured, and ready to go, you’re not scrambling mid-recipe trying to remember if you already added the salt.
Be your own sous chef. Set up your station like a boss. Because future-you, halfway through a risotto, will thank past-you.

D is for: Discovery. Taste, try, and tweak!

Taste as you go. ALWAYS. Why? Because you are in charge of the flavor.
Recipes are like maps, helpful, but sometimes you want to take a scenic detour. Don’t be afraid to toss in your favorite spice, swap ingredients, or try something a little bold. Sometimes it’ll be amazing. Sometimes… well, it won’t. That’s okay. Fails are just flavor experiments in disguise. And if you didn’t try, you will never find out if you struck gold!

E is for: Enjoy the ride!

Honestly? This might be the most important one. Cooking should be fun. It’s therapy with better snacks. Do what makes you comfortable, be relaxed, and think already of that deliciously made food you are going to treat your taste buds to.
Put on your favorite music. Do a little dance while stirring. Sip something tasty, not too much though if you know what I mean. Smile while you stir, sing on top of your lungs to the music playing, don’t worry about hitting that perfect note. Whether you’re cooking for yourself, your family, or your friends, that joy you have shows up in the food.
And if nothing else, you’ll have fun making a mess and learning something new.

A quick 123 recap, in case your pan was sizzling too loud to catch it all:

• A – Awareness, understand what you’re doing. No blindfolded kitchen missions.
• B – Be patient, take your time. Especially when it’s new.
• C – Chop, cut, create and prep like a pro, no chaos, just confidence.
• D – Discovery, taste and experiment. Sometimes you hit gold, sometimes you hit garlic. Both are useful.
• E – Enjoy it! Smile. Dance. Eat. Repeat.

So, there you have it. My little love letter to the behind-the-scenes basics of cooking. Not flashy. Not trendy. But 100% essential.

Until next time, keep it flavorful and fun.
ABC, it’s easy as 123…
You know the rest.

With good vibes and full bellies,

Yohan