Some people think that because I’m a chef I’m always making complicated dinners at home, but honestly? Cooking every day has actually taught me the complete opposite. When you cook for a living, you learn real fast that the best food isn’t the fancy stuff—it’s the food you can make again tomorrow.
Over the years I’ve figured out a few things that make everyday cooking faster, easier, healthier, and honestly more enjoyable. These are the five habits I use in my own kitchen every single week, no matter how busy or tired I am.
I used to wait until after dinner to clean up, and by that point it felt like a full-time job all over again. Now I clean as I go—rinse the cutting board while the chicken sears, wipe the counter while the veggies roast. Ten tiny clean-ups always beat a giant one at the end of the night. And honestly, cooking feels more relaxing when the kitchen isn’t yelling at me with a mess.
Most home cooks don’t season until the very end, and that’s why food tastes flat. Salt early and taste often! It builds flavor in layers instead of dumping it all on top. When I’m cooking chicken or vegetables, I season before, during, and after. It’s a little change that makes a massive difference in everyday dinners.
I don’t make “extra food,” I plan for tomorrow. I call it purposeful leftovers. Cook a couple extra pieces of chicken tonight and Monday’s salad or wrap is already halfway done. I love a dinner that keeps on giving, especially when life gets busy—and it always does.
Listen, I love a good restaurant dish as much as anybody—but at home? Keep it simple. The best dinners are the ones you can make again tomorrow. A good piece of protein, a veggie, a seasoning blend, and you’re done. Simple doesn’t mean boring. Simple means repeatable, and that’s how you stay consistent with eating well.
As a chef, I cook mostly by feeling—and some nights, that means throwing things in a pan and trusting myself. Learn flavor combos, learn what you love, and stop stressing about cooking “perfectly.” Some of my best meals weren’t recipes, they were moments. And honestly, those are the ones people ask me to make again.
Try one of these this week and tag me if you do. And if you want a dinner that checks all these boxes? Here’s one we literally eat every single week—chicken, sweet potatoes, and asparagus. Easy, healthy, repeatable. Exactly how everyday cooking should be.
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