It’s natural to assume that cooking an exquisite dish requires years spent in culinary school or working in fancy restaurants. But in reality, all you need are a few simple hacks to make you come off as a pro in the kitchen and earn massive brownie points from the people around you.

Thankfully, we have valuable resources like Reddit to provide these lesser-known tips. We’re talking about sprucing up regular mashed potatoes, making delectable stock, and game-changing ingredients that have been at your disposal all along.

Enjoy reading and feel free to take some notes while you’re at it.

Learn basic sauces. Béchamel, roux, beurre blanc, hollandaise, Ragouts, marinaras. Learn the mother sauces if you want. Remember to pat dry all proteins if you’re trying to get a sear or caramelization on

See Full Page