Put me in a kitchen and I’m happy. I love to cook. But I do understand that not everyone feels the same way. So, can’t cook? Don’t cook? Won’t cook? Or could it be mageirocophobia (a genuine fear of cooking) that’s keeping you from a more intimate relationship with your oven?
In these foodie times it’s easy to feel our cooking skills are inadequate if we haven’t home-smoked a duck breast or brewed a batch of Kombucha before breakfast. Not to mention banging out on-point plates on a daily basis to share on Instagram.
Some people love to cook and are incredibly confident in the kitchen. For others, the thought of just switching on the oven has them trembling with terror. Then, of course, there are those males of the species who presume we ladies come factory-set with the ability to whip up a five-course feast in the time it takes them to pop outside for a smoke.
The truth is, cooking is a skill that needs to be learned – just like anything else. Yes, it’s not for everyone. But if it’s just a few nerves keeping you out of the kitchen, why not try stepping back in?
A few key tips, a little culinary know-how and some killer recipes can take the anxious cook a long way. The best way to start is to get started. Here’s how…
Chop chop
Nearly all cooking begins with some chopping, so you’ll need a couple of decent kitchen knives; a large chef’s knife and a smaller paring blade will do for starters. Most important, though, is learning to use knives properly and safely. Chopping can be a long, laborious task when you’re not doing it effectively, and can put you off wanting to cook at all. Develop good knife skills (it’s much easier than you think) and faster, more efficient food preparation will be yours. Find a local cookery class that offers tuition; alternatively, there are stacks of online tutorials out there. Let Jamie show you how: His friendly, reassuring ‘knife skills’ demo is one of the best.
Photographed by Alexandra Gavillet.
Pan up
Invest in one large saucepan with lid, one medium-sized saucepan and a frying pan, and you’re good to go. A quick poll of some cooking pals (thank you Georgia, Melanie and Karen) reveals other really useful utensils include a decent chopping board (we say wooden), speedy Y vegetable peeler (Oxo Good Grips is my recommended buy), a couple of wooden spoons, a box grater, a whisk and a rubber spatula. Measuring spoons could come in handy, too, in the more exacting early days. Fancier items like a sauté pan, steamer, blender, salad spinner et al you can add down the line.
Photographed by Alexandra Gavillet.
So what to cook?
Let’s keep things simple. Really. Simple. Think homemade tomato sauce, a fragrant soup or a quick, spice-rich curry. All fairly basic, true, but delicious, quick and so easy to make. When it comes to the recipes themselves, it’s all about finding what and who works best for you. For some, hand-holding cookbooks (try Delia Smith’s Complete Cookery Course, or Good Housekeeping 's Step-by-Step) are the best and easiest way to start. Many of Jamie Oliver’s 15-minute meals (buy the book or look them up on his website) are good for beginners and more experienced cooks alike, and the tips he throws in along the way are invaluable. Lots of recipe sites – BBC Good Food and delicious magazine among them – rate recipes in order of technical difficulty so it’s simple to pick the ones you feel most comfortable trying out.
Photographed by Alexandra Gavillet.
Get organised
Before you start to cook, tidy your work surface and gather everything you’ll need to hand. Weigh out dry ingredients into separate bowls and get yourself another large bowl to put any peelings or food waste in. Make sure you read the recipe right through to the end, at least twice. Always give yourself enough time to prepare and cook your recipe. If you know time will be in short supply, choose something you can make quickly (salad, soup, omelette) or that you can leave in the oven while you do something else (bakes or stews).
Photographed by Alexandra Gavillet.
Dinner for one
When you’re an anxious cook, making food just for yourself is a brilliant way to practise dishes, discover your culinary strengths and find out what you really like making and eating. It may be that Indian food is your preferred cuisine, that you do veggie dishes best or that sweet bakes are your thing. Once you’ve got a bit of a recipe repertoire going, try a few dishes out on someone you trust. Keep it small – one or two people is fine – while you gather confidence, feedback and (hopefully) a bit of praise for your food.
Photographed by Alexandra Gavillet.
Feeding a crowd
When more than a few friends come over, don’t feel intimidated by the numbers. The secret to feeding lots of people is, again, keeping it simple. Cook only one dish, maybe assemble a salad and supplement with good shop-bought bread, cheeses and a pudding. As your confidence grows, you can increase the number of things you cook or just pimp up your ready-to-eat buys. For example, toss olives in chilli, lemon and oil before serving with drinks, or crush some pistachios and sprinkle over a tub of good-quality vanilla ice cream to add crunch and flavour.
Photographed by Alexandra Gavillet.
Going forward
Keep it simple. Read chefs and food writers as much as you can, in print and online. They can inspire, give you wise advice and help you feel more confident about the food you cook. Nigel Slater, Yotam Ottolenghi, Felicity Cloake, Rick Stein, Anna Jones and Claudia Roden shine among my favourites. I also adore blogs. Try My New Roots, Green Kitchen Stories, Supergolden Bakes, The Tiniest Thai and Greek Vegetarian – just a few I check in with regularly; you'll find your own. Last but not least, make time to enjoy food with the people you love. They’re who I cook for. Always.
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