Use Pre-Grated Cheese
Many chefs admit they skip hand-grating when convenience matters. The tiny extra bit of flavor loss is offset by the time and cleanup you save.
This might come as a shock to purists who insist on grating everything fresh, but professional kitchens understand priorities. When you’re juggling multiple dishes or racing against the clock, that extra five minutes spent grating cheese could be better used elsewhere.
Skip Sifting Unless Absolutely Necessary
Rather than laboriously sifting flour, a good whisking often works just as well. Chefs say it’s fine for most everyday baking – save sifting for delicate cakes.
The ritual of sifting flour has been passed down through generations of bakers, but modern chefs are questioning whether it’s always necessary. For everyday cookies, muffins, and breads, a thorough whisking can break up clumps and incorporate air just fine. Your grandmother might disagree, but your schedule will thank you.
Rely On Frozen Puff Pastry
Ready-made puff pastry saves huge effort. Chefs appreciate that it works well for both savory and sweet dishes without needing complex lamination.
Making puff pastry from scratch is an art form that requires hours of folding, chilling, and rolling. Even professional pastry chefs often reach for the frozen stuff when they need reliable results fast. The lamination process is so labor-intensive that using store-bought versions makes perfect sense for home cooks.
Buy Pre-Sliced Mushrooms
Mushrooms take effort to prep, and many chefs say slicing them beforehand is an easy shortcut – just rinse or wipe before use and you’re good to go.
Anyone who’s ever prepped mushrooms knows the tedious process of cleaning, trimming, and slicing each one individually. Pre-sliced mushrooms eliminate this step entirely, though a quick rinse helps remove any packaging residue. For stir-fries, pasta dishes, or pizza toppings, this shortcut can shave precious minutes off your prep time.
Keep Good Quality Stock Or Broth on Hand
Instead of making stock from scratch every time, many chefs keep canned or boxed stock. They’ll boost it with herbs, aromatics, or reductions when more character is needed.
Homemade stock is undeniably superior, but it also requires hours of simmering and planning ahead. Smart chefs stock their pantries with high-quality commercial versions that can be enhanced on the fly. A splash of wine, some fresh herbs, or a quick sauté of aromatics can transform decent boxed stock into something that tastes homemade.
Purchase Pre-Cut Veggies For Weeknight Meals
Chopping vegetables is time consuming. Chefs often keep pre-cut varieties (sweet potatoes, stir-fry mixes, etc.) for nights when speed is essential.
The produce section’s pre-cut vegetables might cost more per pound, but they can be worth their weight in gold on busy weeknights. Professional chefs understand that sometimes paying a premium for convenience is actually the more economical choice when you factor in time and sanity. Sweet potato cubes, stir-fry medleys, and chopped onions can be lifesavers.
Start With Jarred Sauces, Then Doctor Them Up
Chefs say using a decent jarred tomato or pesto sauce as a base saves time. From there, you can enhance it with fresh herbs, olive oil, garlic, or reductions to make it taste homemade.
The secret isn’t avoiding jarred sauces entirely – it’s knowing how to improve them. A quality marinara becomes restaurant-worthy with a splash of good olive oil, some fresh basil, or a hint of red pepper flakes. Even professional kitchens use this technique when they need to produce large quantities quickly.
Stock Versatile “Base” Items That Work Double Duty
Chefs love keeping multipurpose staples – like quinoa, canned beans, or aromatics (onion, garlic, ginger). These can be the backbone of many dishes, so when you’re short on time, you can combine them in new ways.
The most efficient chefs think in terms of building blocks rather than single-use ingredients. Items like canned beans can become soup, salad, or side dishes depending on what you pair them with. Quinoa transforms from breakfast porridge to dinner grain bowl with just a change of seasonings. This approach means fewer shopping trips and more creative possibilities in your kitchen.
