7 Genius Cooking Hacks Professional Chefs Swear By

Everyone says it takes about 10,000 hours to become an expert in something and, somewhere along the way from novice to know-it-all, you start to pick up some pro tips. Don’t believe us? Just chat with the chef at your favorite restaurant. 

While most of us cook a few meals a week—and dine out or order takeout the rest of the week—professional chefs have dedicated their lives to crafting a truly scrumptious dish. And after years of slicing, dicing, and sautéeing, they’ve found tried-and-true hacks that are overlooked by most home cooks. 

Well, until now, that is. Below, several West Coast chefs are sharing the savory secrets they swear by.

Annabelle Breakey

Spruce Up Your Sauces

Want to make that store-bought bottle of marinara taste even better? Chef Alex Jackson of RUBYS, an emerging veggie-forward eatery in Pike Place Market, always adds red miso to tomato sauces. “I’ve found that these two really have an affinity for each other,” he says. “I drop a whisper of red miso in my tomato sauce and it makes my pizzas sing!” Chef Jackson also adds this classic Japanese ingredient to tomato soup for the “best grilled cheese combo out there.” “The opportunities are endless,” he notes. 

Mustard Marvel

If you want to create a deliciously crusted steak, simply add mustard. “I love to rub mustard on the meat before seasoning,” reveals John Carlos Kuramoto, executive sous chef at Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach. “It allows the seasoning to stick to the meat and form a better crust.” A crispy, flavorful finish—our mouths are watering just thinking about it! 

Super Salt

Most people think salt is only required to add some more zip to a bland dish, but chefs agree it can be the secret to elevating your meal’s natural flavors. When Marco Arreguin, executive chef of Maleza Costa Mesa, makes ceviche, he always adds about a half-tablespoon of salt for very cup of lime juice.

“This small technique has really helped set our ceviches apart from most others and will be standard going forward for anyone who tries it,” Chef Arreguin explains. “This technique works with anything you are curing with citrus:  It’s the same idea as a traditional brine you would use with chicken before cooking.”

Meanwhile, Lucky Duck’s Chef Kari Shaughnessy uses salt, sherry vinegar, olive oil, and garlic to zhuzh up her tomato salad. “I don’t stick to a specific recipe because the ratios are truly dependent on the specific tomatoes I have access to,” says the Carlton, Oregon-based chef. “Adjust to your taste, dress your salad, finish with lots of crunchy salt, and boom: Extra tomato-y tomato salad.”

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New (Spice) Heights

Distance makes the heart grow fonder, but it can also make a tastier dish. Chef Victor Garrido—executive chef at Zadún Los Cabos, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve—seasons his steaks, fish, or poultry, he sprinkles his spices about four to six inches above his protein. 

“This distance allows the salt flakes and ground pepper to disperse more evenly, creating a gentle, uniform shower across the entire surface,” he explains. “It is a small technique that produces a more balanced seasoning and a better final result in every bite.”

Give it a Rest

Speaking of meats, they should never go from the fridge to a blazing hot pan. “Allow it to rest long enough to approach room temperature,” says Chef Garrido. “Doing so reduces the time required over intense heat, minimizes dry or overcooked areas, and promotes a more even cooking process.” The result: A better consistency, improved texture, and a perfectly-executed rare or medium-rare doneness. 

Chef Garrido uses his own forearm to suss out room temperature. “Once the protein feels close to that warmth, it is ready to cook,” he explains.

A similar sentiment applies once you’ve cooked your dish. “Make sure to rest your meat before cutting it,” says Chef Marc Johnson, Santa Lucia Preserve in Carmel. “ This allows the muscle fibers to relax and the internal juices to redistribute throughout.”

Thomas J. Story

Easy Eggs

Hard-boiled eggs might be delicious, but making (and peeling!) a batch isn’t for the faint of heart. Fortunately, Chef Tyler Dyal of ELWAY’s at the Ritz-Carlton Denver has a smart solution. “Remove the eggs from the fridge before starting the water so they can warm up a little and won’t crack when dropping them into the boiling water,” he recommends. 

Chef Dyal typically places his eggs in a pot of boiling water for 12 minutes—or longer if you want a well-done set. The finishing touch? Dousing them in an ice bath for the same amount of time they were in boiling water. “They’ll peel very easily,” he says. 

Get a Grip on Your Ginger 

Fresh spices can zhuzh up a dish, but they have to be handled with care. Chef Nicholas Escobar of Marriott Irvine Spectrum, for example, peels ginger with a spoon because it removes the skin without wasting too much flesh. (If you want to copy this trick at home, use the curved part of your spoon to scrape the peel in a downward motion.)

When it comes to mincing ginger, Chef Escobar always chooses a knife over microplane. “I find this helps preserve its natural juices, resulting in a more pronounced flavor, especially paired with alliums,” he says. “It may require more elbow grease, but the results are worth it.”