Geoffrey Zakarian says mastering this meal is a great way to learn to cook, interview
From food television to online videos, people are hungry to learn the next cooking secret, hack, or tip. Celebrated chef and restaurateur Geoffrey Zakarian is always willing to share his best food advice. For the person who wants to level up their skills, Chef Zakarian suggests starting with this particular meal.
While professional chefs make almost any meal look easy, that effortless flip of the pan took years of experience. Those many triumphs happened only because there were countless mishaps. Mistakes are vital to honing those cooking techniques.
During a recent conversation with Chef Zakarian, he shared his suggestion on the meal that every cook should master, even choose it as the first meal to try cooking. While many people call breakfast the most important meal of the day, the celebrated chef believes it is also the meal that can help anyone become a better cook.
Chef Zakarian said, “I always tell people if you really want to start learning how to cook, you start at breakfast. There are a millions egg recipes. From learning how to fry an egg, poach an egg, scramble an egg, make an omelet, make French toast, make pancakes, or make bacon.”
Specifically, Chef Zakarian emphasized the importance of egg cookery. “Cookery of eggs will show you how to use heat, how to moderate it, how to speed it up, cook slow or fast, and how to use oil and butter in the pan.”
“Once you really learn how to cook eggs, you can use them in all different ways. Breakfast is a very full basket of techniques.”
While mastering those cooking techniques is vital, it is equally important to have the right tools. Pans, knives, and other kitchen items are the foundation for those cooking techniques. A warped pan or dull knife can set the whole process down the wrong track.
What are Geoffrey Zakarian's must have kitchen essentials?
Since he suggested cooks start by mastering some egg dishes at breakfast, Chef Zakarian suggested that a versatile cast iron pan would be a good investment. In his Zakarian by Dash Dash line, there are non-stick cast iron options in various sizes.
Chef Zakarian recommends his cast iron pans because “they are non-stick, you do not have to season them, and they are easy to use. Unlike Grandma’s pans, which can be a pain because you cannot put water or acid in them, the non-stick coating makes it easier for the average consumer.”
As chef explained, “I try to simplify great stuff. With this version of cast iron, there are no rules. You can sauté with it, make sauce, you could even boil pasta with it. You can do everything in this pan.”
Additionally, the non-stick cast iron pan from Dash is about giving a quality product to the consumer and also making it easy to use. It is at an affordable price point, and it has the durability to become the “always” pan in the home cook’s repertoire. Just like that favorite knife that can make quick work of a chop, dice, or chiffonade, a great pan is the workhorse in the kitchen.
While Chef Zakarian encourages home cooks to invest in a versatile item, like his Dash non-stick cast iron pan, he believes that the home cook does not need a cabinet full of single use products.
He explained, “I would say that half of the stuff that people have purchased is on impulse and they may have only used it once. The amateur cook really only needs a few things. A great set of knives, a really good non-stick cast iron, a set of non-stick stainless steel, and a good digital thermometer is what a home cook needs. I think that the average person needs to focus on the basics, not all the superfluous stuff.”
Even though the home cook needs to have a strong kitchen essentials foundation, it does not guarantee that she will not make a mistake. Actually, making mistakes is a good thing.
As many chefs have said time and again, the mistake is part of the learning process. Understanding what happened, why, and how not to do it again is vital. Beyond that concept, Chef Zakarian believes that it is vital to “unlearn” bad techniques.
Chef Zakarian explained, “you’re not going to get that steak cooked right the first time, especially if you have never done it properly. The majority of people are full of misinformation about food, cooking, seasoning and more. They have been misinformed and confused. They have bad habits to unlearn. Once they are dedicated to learning the proper techniques, they are on their way to being a better cook."
What is the biggest takeaway that can be learned from this conversation with Chef Geoffrey Zakarian? Invest in a Dash non-stick cast iron pan, buy a couple dozen eggs, and get cooking. Even if you watch hours of videos, you cannot learn to cook without breaking a few eggs. Practice may not bring perfection, but it will make for many tasty meals.