How to Be a Good Cook

We all have that friend who uses no recipe and only the ingredients already in the kitchen to whip up a delicious dish on a whim. What we do not always realize, however, is how much effort was previously put into mastering that talent. Whether cooking comes naturally to you or not, here are some tips to take you from amateur status to the friend mentioned above.

Source: WikiHow

Photos @WikiHow

Steps

1
Accept that you are currently not that good a cook, and need some practice and outside help. Just as a beginning artist must duplicate other masterpieces to learn the techniques, you will some recipes to play with, whether they come from a cookbook or an online cooking site you like.
2
Plan for your experiments with recipes to fall on nights when you don't have to entertain anyone. If you mess up, who's to know? Just relax and let yourself have fun. Most importantly, do not be afraid!
3
Work your way through a good, classic cookbook. Commit to cooking several times a week with a recipe. You will start to see what works well with what, and learn the basics of cooking various foods and dishes.
4
Buy a couple of kitchen gadgets. Get a mortar and pestle, or seafood scissors. Check out those more advanced cookbooks and read tips for chefs. Or, start buying higher quality ingredients or fresh herbs. These items will help you cook to your best potential, and the tasty results will boost your confidence.
5
Play with your food! Start embellishing your favorite dishes. Add a spice here or there, and substitute ingredients. Generally speaking, if it smells good together, it will taste good together. Try to replicate good dishes you've seen or eaten, and challenge yourself in other ways.
Source: WikiHow

Photos @WikiHow