Professional Cooking Hacks That Will Change Your Kitchen Game

Let’s face it: professional chefs are hiding some seriously useful tips and tricks.

Is it intentional? No. Is it to the detriment of humanity as a whole? Probably!

As the sole non-chef on Team Tiny Spoon (Katherine here!), I’ve come to pick up some seriously life-saving food-prep tips from everyday conversations with the team - and they’ve made my time in the kitchen seriously easier. So don’t despair - I’ve compiled some of my favorites, and I want to share them with you today. Get out your notepad and don’t tell your chef - you’re about to become a minor-league meal-prep whiz.

For those that lacking knife skills:

1. Wet paper towel under the cutting board = more grip

Gone are the days of dangerous, slip-slidey cutting boards. A damp paper towel underneath may seem counterintuitive, but it helps the board stay put that much better.

2. When cutting squash, place a dish towel over the top of the knife

When you apply pressure (because let’s be honest - winter squash are a beast to cut), the top of the blade won’t push into your hand and the tip won’t come up and pierce your palm. A win-win for your taste buds and fingertips.

For Bakery-Worthy Desserts:

3. Cookie scoops make 100% of the difference. Really.

That’s it. There’s no secret to bakery-pretty cookies other than a cookie scoop for precise measuring. Bonus: bake just what you need and freeze the rest on a sheet pan. You’ll always have a variety of perfectly round, fresh cookies in around 15 minutes.

4. Run that serving knife under hot water first

For perfect cuts on cakes and desserts, run the knife under hot water first. Your cuts will be sharp and clean, and you’ll get to show off all those awesome cake layers.

For Trouble With Fresh Ingredients:

5. Freeze those bay leaves

When in doubt, fresh packages of bay leaves can go straight in the freezer. They’ll be perfect any time, and they’ll have the same fresh flavor without going bad on you.

6. When life gives you lemons…pop them in the microwave

Not getting the most out of your juicer? If you roll a lemon/lime a bit and then microwave it for 10-15 seconds, it will juice like a dream.

7. Say goodbye to onion eyes

Holding an unlit match between your teeth or lighting a match right beforehand can seriously reduce the sting of cutting onions. This is apparently due in part to the sulfuric compounds released by the match, which bind to those in the onions.

Nothing like harnessing some elemental power to do your culinary bidding! (Which - little known fact - is the unofficial Tiny Spoon motto.)