Kitchen Fundamentals, Volume 2: Cooking Eggs

Eggs are the quiet workhorses of the kitchen — humble, inexpensive, endlessly versatile, and brutally honest. They tell the truth about your technique. They expose your impatience. They reward your attention. And in every professional kitchen, from a diner to a Michelin-star brigades, how you cook an egg says everything about the kind of cook you are.

Welcome to Kitchen Fundamentals, Volume 2, where we crack open the science, technique, and craft behind cooking eggs with confidence and consistency.

Eggs are foundational because they teach control — heat control, timing, seasoning, and touch. Mastering eggs builds instincts that translate to every other station on the line. When you can cook eggs well, you’re not just following steps; you’re learning to feel the food.

 The Big Three: Scrambled, Fried, and Poached

1. Scrambled Eggs — Soft, Silky, and Simple

Scrambled eggs are often the first test of a cook’s discipline. The secret is low heat and patience.

Key fundamentals:

• Whisk thoroughly to incorporate air
• Start with a cold pan or low heat
• Stir constantly with a rubber spatula
• Pull them before they look done — carryover heat finishes the job
• Season at the end to avoid drawing out moisture

The goal is creamy, custard-like curds that melt on the tongue.

2. Fried Eggs — Control the Edges, Control the Center

A fried egg is all about contrast: crisp edges, tender whites, and a yolk that hits the plate like liquid gold.

Technique notes:

• For crispy edges: medium-high heat + oil
• For soft, delicate edges: low heat + butter
• For sunny side up: cover the pan briefly to set the whites
• For over-easy/medium/hard: flip gently and cook to preference

A perfect fried egg should look intentional, not accidental.

3. Poached Eggs — The Line cook’s Flex

Poaching is where cooks separate themselves. It’s technique-forward and unforgiving, but once you get it, you’ll never lose it.

The fundamentals:

• Use fresh eggs — older whites spread
• Simmer, don’t boil
• Add a splash of vinegar to help the whites set
• Create a gentle vortex for cleaner shape
• Cook 2½–4 minutes depending on yolk preference

A good poached egg should be smooth, tight, and tender — no ragged whites, no chalky yolk.

🧪 The Science Behind the Shell

Eggs are mostly protein and water. When heated, those proteins coagulate — too fast and they seize too slowly and they weep. Understanding this helps you avoid rubbery whites or dry yolks.

Temperature guide:

• Whites set around 144–149°F
• Yolks set around 149–158°F
• Custards thicken around 170–180°F

This is why gentle heat is your best friend.

🧂 Seasoning: The Smallest Detail That Changes Everything

Salt early for fried eggs.

Salt late for scrambled eggs.

Salt lightly for poached eggs.

Pepper is optional — but freshly cracked always wins.

🔪 Pro Tips from the Line

• Crack eggs on a flat surface, not the bowl edge
• Use a nonstick pan you treat like cast iron
• Butter gives flavor; oil gives control
• Eggs continue cooking after they leave the heat
• Wipe the pan between batches for consistency

These are the habits that separate home cooks from professionals.

Eggs are more than breakfast. They’re a benchmark. They teach finesse, timing, and respect for ingredients. If you can master eggs, you can master heat — and if you can master heat, you can cook anything.

The core mission of The Line cook’s Table is to foster expertise, self-assurance, and mastery, developing each essential skill systematically.