Note to the housewife: cool life hacks from a professional kitchen

The kitchen of any restaurant is designed in such a way that work in it is as efficient and safe as possible. Surely you have seen how life is in full swing there, but no one pushes each other, there is order everywhere, and even such a hectic environment does not prevent the cooks from doing their job masterfully.

What if you take some professional techniques home and use them in your kitchen, because they are quite easy, and repeating them is as easy as shelling pears!

Enough space around the work area

An important principle of restaurant cuisine is that there are no obstacles in the way of the prepared dish from one chef to another. It is for this purpose that the tabletop is designed. The work area should not cause discomfort or interfere with free movement - this helps to avoid awkward collisions when a person is carrying something boiling, burning, heavy or sharp.

At home, it is also very important to have as much free time around the countertop as possible, especially if the family tends to cook together. The width of the usable space should be about 90 cm (more if possible), and the optimal option is 1.5 m.

If your kitchen absolutely cannot boast of extra meters that could be used for a work area, then make the section between the stove and the sink as long as possible, because it is usually in this area that food is processed.

Open shelves

In professional kitchens you rarely see closed drawers or shelves. These are mainly open spaces, which provide quick access to the necessary spices, products, dishes, and appliances. In addition, when the cook is in a hurry, he will not think about rinsing his hands from grease or food residues, because speed is a very important point in restaurants.

In order not to be distracted once again by opening/closing doors and drawers, think about an open storage system, at least for those things that you use very often: oil, spices, ladle and spatulas.

Tabletop made of quality material

Usually in restaurants the tabletop is made of metal. And there is a reasonable explanation for this, because this is not just a whim of the owner - hot kitchen utensils can harm more delicate materials that are unstable to high temperatures, and metal surfaces will survive such treatment with a bang.

By the way, it’s also more convenient to roll out the dough on a steel tabletop, but it’s better not to cut directly on it - this can damage the knives themselves.

Of course, in a home environment such a countertop will look somehow out of place and even a little strange, but you can consider an option made of composite material. It can withstand high temperatures, does not absorb chemicals, washes well, you can cut on it, place hot pots on it, and even leave notes on some of them (which are then, of course, easily erased).

Convenient mixer

In professional kitchens there is one mega-cool thing - a tall mixer with a flexible hose. Water enters it under pressure, and thanks to the retractable hose, you can wash both the sink and even the work area. In addition, using the same hose, it is easy to fill any capacious container with water - you just need to pull it out.

Easy access to trash can

To make the work easier for cooks, very often holes are made in the countertops, under which a trash can is placed. In this way, it is possible to sweep the waste directly into the bucket with one movement of the hand, and the person does not need to open/close the door of the cabinet where the bucket is located (and also get his hands dirty). The solution is not only practical, but also reasonable in terms of sterility.

Well, let’s say you’re unlikely to be able to pull off such a trick in your kitchen, but purchasing special holders for garbage bags that hang on furniture is easy! During the cooking process, be sure to appreciate all the advantages of this idea.

Lots of cutting boards

In restaurants, you will never see a chef using the same board for different foods. Everything here is clear and rational: for vegetables - one, for garlic and onions - another, for fruits - a third, for fish - definitely separate, and so on.

If you don’t want the taste of avocado to mix with the smell of meat that you previously cut on a board, it’s better to make sure there are enough boards in your kitchen. Optimally, at least five for different products. If you don’t want to get confused, you can put markings on them, and there are ready-made boards with the corresponding drawings.

High quality kitchen utensils

In a restaurant, the speed of preparing dishes is always important, and therefore chefs attach great importance to the utensils with which they work. Firstly, these are fireproof handles. Secondly, a good selection of pots and pans in different shapes and sizes is what really matters. Often in a professional kitchen, preference is given to cast iron or thickened aluminum.

Professional chefs have a special love for copper cookware. It really has good characteristics.

If your dishes have long been outdated, both physically and morally, then try not to save on buying new ones. Whatever one may say, we always buy such important things not for a week or even for a year. The same applies to kitchen accessories that you use while cooking. No need to buy spatulas and spoons made of cheap plastic. Remember that the miser pays twice.

Silicone potholders

The days of fabric products are a little behind us, since silicone options have long conquered the market. For example, in a professional kitchen, a cook may not even think that the handle of the frying pan is extremely hot, and a knitted or fabric potholder (even in several layers) will not always protect against burns. Either it's silicone... it will definitely prevent such injuries. By the way, chefs don’t even use models that are worn exclusively on the fingers - they have entire mittens with long bells.

Silicone potholders are much more convenient to use.

Professional equipment

Well, what does a woman need to be happy, especially when it comes to the kitchen? Of course, these are practical and multifunctional appliances that help in cooking and save time: blender, meat grinder, multicooker, toaster, and so on. But usually, for high-quality equipment, you either feel sorry for the money, or simply don’t have it.And cheap devices with plastic parts usually not only “live” very little, but also turn out to be completely unproductive.

Of course, there is a way out. If you love homemade noodles, then it makes sense to purchase a special rolling machine. And if you don’t really like toast, then you don’t need a toaster. Don’t be afraid to give up what you don’t need, saving money for something really useful for yourself.

Comfortable shoes

In general, in any institution where it is customary to deal with cooking (school/institute canteen, in-flight catering shops, confectionery factories, etc.), it is not just accepted, but established by contract, that the cook is required to wear closed-toed shoes. In fact, this is also not a whim of the employer, but safety rules, failure to comply with which will result in a fine or even dismissal.

Restaurant chefs are no exception. Comfortable shoes with closed toes are a guarantee that boiling water will not be spilled on your feet or a knife will not fall (and this generally threatens God knows what!).

Enjoy the benefits of this solution in your kitchen, especially if you spend a long time there. Firstly, comfortable shoes support the instep of the foot, and a lot depends on this: a healthy spine, the absence of headaches and aching lower back, and generally comfortable movement around the room. Secondly, usually such shoes are made on a thicker platform, that is, they add a little height, and this will help you more easily reach the necessary products or dishes from the upper shelves.

Cleanliness is the key to health

Cooking is a very tactile activity, and therefore leftover food on your hands can easily cause the spread of germs throughout the restaurant kitchen.It is for this reason that any self-respecting chef will always use gloves and change them as often as necessary. Also, in a restaurant, it is very important to wash your hands thoroughly and constantly, especially when it comes to raw meat or fish.

To take care of cleanliness in your home kitchen, it is important to place not only soap, but also napkins with an antibacterial effect.

When cooking, be sure to remove rings and bracelets, since food debris stuck in the links will definitely ruin the jewelry over time. By the way, the safety of jewelry is not the only reason. In the process, you can get caught on something not only with a ring, but even with a chain, so this rule also applies to safety.