Twist of Yohan

Drop it like its hot – Pharrell Williams & Snoop Dogg

Who doesn’t know this banger? If not, hit that link and treat your ears. It’s mandatory kitchen soundtrack material. Every time I hear it, I end up doing a little crip-walk through the kitchen (poorly, but proudly). And if it’s Michael Jackson instead? Yeah, I’ll moonwalk… badly.

You might be wondering what this has to do with cooking. Well, quite a bit actually. Because sometimes in the kitchen, when things get too hot to handle, you’ve got to take Snoop’s advice literally and drop it like it’s hot.

Kitchen safety might not sound sexy, but trust me, one bad burn or misplaced knife and suddenly you’re starring in your own horror show. I’ve seen it all: burns, cuts, tumbles, flying pots, and more near-death-by-frying-pan experiences than I care to count.

And yes, I’ve contributed to the chaos myself…

The Bloody Thumb Club

Picture this: it’s busy prep time. I’m juggling my own work while keeping an eye on student cooks doing theirs, multitasking like a champ (or so I thought). I’m cutting carrots for a ginger-carrot crème when I look up mid-sentence to answer a question. Next thing I know, slice! I’ve turned my thumb into modern art.

Cue the bleeding, the colorful language, and the trip to the ER.

I’m sitting in the waiting room with a giant thumb burrito of bandages when another chef walks in, same injury, same thumb. We look at each other and start laughing. We started chatting and five minutes later, a third guy joins us, also with a bandaged thumb. We both give him a “thumbs-up” (obviously) with a big smile on our faces. Turns out he worked at a hardware store. Different tools, same result.

Moral of the story: concentration saves skin. Literally. But there are some other things that will help avoid the unnecessary trip to the emergency room. Let me give you a couple of tips from my own personal experience so you don’t make them yourself.

Keep Your Kitchen Cool (Even When It’s Hot)

1. Focus like a hawk, your fingers will thank you.

The kitchen is a symphony of noise and chaos. Sizzling pans, shouting orders, plates clattering but your cutting board deserves your full attention. The moment you look up to chat, check your phone, or admire your reflection in the shiny oven door (we’ve all done it), that knife might just remind you who’s boss.
If someone talks to you mid-chop, pause. Look. Answer. Then cut. Your thumbs will thank you.

2. Dry towels only! Because steam burns don’t care about your ego.

Here’s a rule every chef learns the hard way: wet towels conduct heat faster than gossip spreads on a small island (this is a personal one). You grab that hot pan with a damp cloth, and within seconds, you’ll be doing the “hot potato” dance across your kitchen.
Always use a completely dry towel or a thick oven pad. Make sure there’s enough fabric between your hand and the metal. And if it’s still too hot to handle, let it go. Seriously. Drop it like it’s hot. A mess on the floor is better than second-degree burns on your palm.

3. Knives belong on the counter, not the floor (or your foot).

In the professional kitchen, I’ve seen more than one chef do the knife-foot tango. It’s not pretty. Always keep your knives well away from the counter edge because gravity will win.
And when you’re done using it? Clean it, dry it, and put it back in a safe spot. Never leave it lurking under a towel or in the sink like a horror movie prop. Treat your knives with respect!  They’re your tools, not your enemies.

4. Handles to the side because physics doesn’t care if you’re in a rush.

Every chef learns this one early (usually after a sizzling reminder). Always turn pan handles sideways, away from traffic, heat, and chaos. A handle sticking straight out is a disaster waiting to happen! One bump, and that pan becomes a projectile.
And here’s an extra old-school trick: always keep a towel on you. My old chef Hans van Triest used to say, “If you don’t have a towel, you’re not dressed.” Hanging one on your apron lets you grab hot handles safely and wipe surfaces quickly. Just, you know, not at the same time. He also had a rule for always have a metal spatula in your back pocket but that is for another time.

5. Respect the smoke, it’s your pan saying, ‘I’m done.’

If your pan’s smoking like a late-night jazz club, it’s already too hot for butter and maybe for oil, too. Adding fat to an overheated pan is one of the fastest ways to start a kitchen fire.
Different oils have different smoke points, so get to know them. Butter burns at a low temperature (around 175°C / 350°F), while oils like avocado or refined peanut can handle higher heat. When in doubt, let your pan cool for a few seconds before adding oil. Flames look dramatic on TV, but not so much when you’re holding the extinguisher.

Final Sprinkle

Hot and sharp aren’t just words for your spice rack, they describe your kitchen, too. Whether you’re a home cook or a pro, staying calm and focused is your best safety gear. Respect the tools, keep your head cool, and you’ll avoid turning your cooking session into an emergency-room field trip.

What are your kitchen safety tips? What did you learn the “hard” and will never forget? Share your wisdom and stories with us here in the comments and join the club.

Keep dancing, keep cooking, and keep creating.

Stay spicy

Yohan