Can You Cook Or Would Ramsay Make You Cry? Take The Test!

Bon Appetit, Top Chef, Cook's Illustrated, and others will tell aspiring young cooks that the key to making delicious food is practice and curiosity. However, some tools and tips really do help. That's why when you're investing time in your kitchen it also helps to flip through some recipes or switch on Gordon Ramsay just to get your creative juices flowing and to watch how good chefs carry themselves around a kitchen. What techniques do they use? What spices do they mix? How are they so efficient?

There is a definite learning curve to surmount when you first start out cooking, so buckle your seat belts and get ready to throw out at least a meal or two along the way. Knowing how to cook well is probably one of the most rewarding skill sets you can have. You can invite guests over and impress them with your gastronomic creations and you're also entirely self-sustainable. When you gain confidence in your cooking you will jump into other cuisines and even emulate some of your favourite restaurant choices. All you need are the ingredients and an organized kitchen.

So, do you have the skills it takes? Do you think you're a good cook?

Question 1

Which is the better brand?

Cookware matters. This sounds like a snobby question but some of the materials in your pots and pans could be toxic. It's best to stay away from Teflon and Aluminum. Instead, go for stainless steel, enamel coated, or cast iron. Odds are the latter materials look more pro anyways. It might be pricey but your health is worth it.

Question 2

Where should you keep your vegetables?

Even if you're a total carnivore much of our required vitamins and nutrients come from veggies. Plus they add a splash of flavor and are way cheaper than buying meat all the time. When you're prepping for veggie dishes where do you keep your veggies in the meantime?

Question 3

What is lengua?

This dish can be made into tacos or served sauced with boiled/roasted vegetables. It goes especially well with mushroom sauce. It has a pretty interesting consistency and you might have to go to your local meat mart to find it instead of some huge superstore. Worth trying at least once.

Question 4

What sort of bowl should you whisk eggs in?

Certain cooking steps require specific materials. Well, they don't require them but if you're an experienced cook you will insist they are done this way. Both whipping cream and whisking eggs requires a certain type of bowl so the fat particles don't get into the scratches or dents in the bowl. Most of us don't think twice about this.

Question 5

What is the most important thing in cooking?

When you're cooking it's important to have a vision. You need to ensure you have all of the things you need before you start. Also having a rough idea of how to put things together doesn't hurt. However there is one thing that has the ability to make or ruin your meal. What is it you need to pay the most attention to?

Question 6

When do you do your dishes?

It's best to have an uncluttered cooking space when you're putting together different parts of the meal. Obviously you wouldn't want to wash things before you use them again, unless you are using the utensil for two completely different things. Like onions and pie. The key to an efficient kitchen is to keep things moving.

Question 7

What is the most important thing when you bake?

Baking is a chemical procedure, so you need to make sure you have a good recipe telling you exactly when to mix and add things. If you read teaspoon as tablespoon you will definitely see a difference. Plus it's really gross to have to throw out fudged up cake batter. (Where do you put it?)

Question 8

Where are you when you're cooking?

Unless you are marinating things there is only one answer to this question. For both safety and gastronomic reasons. First of all, who walks away from a lit stove? An oven I can understand but generally things on the stove need to be tended to. Pro tip: do not try to put out grease/oil fire with water! Cover it with a metal baking sheet to stop the oxygen flow.

Question 9

What can you add to savory meals to make them better?

On cooking shows and in gourmet magazines chefs often talk about adding seemingly bizarre flavours to give their meals more depth. This mixing of flavors works well in stews and sauces. In the same vein, adding a little salt to your sweet dishes will take your desserts to the next level.

Question 10

How do you get ready for eating?

This tip is more for dinner parties. When people are over and the food is just about ready what is the last thing you do before eating? Some people don't like to drink while eating, others need to make sure there's a glass of water available. As a chef you'll always ask someone to set the table, but what's something else that will up the quality of your chow?

Question 11

What is your go-to pan?

Some of the pans below don't actually need to be cleaned. Well, at least not with soap. While some of you might find that gross it's said to be the creme de la creme of cooking to have all of the leftover grease and fat accumulate and flavour your next dish. (As long as it's savoury) What kind of pans do you have in your kitchen?

Question 12

What kind of cheese do you like?

Ok, ok, while this doesn't translate directly to whether you'd be a good cook or not (because presumably you're not making the cheese) it does speak to whether you're open to trying new things. So, how down are you with the Gouda? Are you able to eat cheese raw? Are you open to trying new cheeses?

Question 13

What kind of oils do you have in your cabinet?

Different oils burn at different temperatures. Peanut and canola oil burn at higher temperatures so they're perfect for deep frying. (The former is definitely the healthier choice). Other oils are just there to add flavor to your soup or salad depending on the type of cuisine you're making.

Question 14

What is this tool for?

It's nice to have a fully equipped kitchen. However, some cookware brands take it too far and make a gadget for every little task you have to perform. Good luck finding it when you need it. Plus, a lot of good cooks will tell you you can succeed with a minimalist repertoire.

Question 15

Where do you store your grains and nuts?

If you cook a lot you'll know it's good to stock up on bulk foods that don't go bad. It makes trips to the grocery store easier because then you only have to buy fresh items. However, it matters where you keep your bulk foods. You don't want pests to be able to find them.

Question 16

What kind of mushrooms are these?

These mushrooms have a soft buttery flavour and they can be served on their own. I know I am not alone in finding this fungi extremely elegant and delicate. Mushrooms can sometimes replace meat in a meal because they have a similar chewy consistency. Yum.

Question 17

How do you make your couscous?

This amazing grain (ok, not technically a grain but you get the point) is inexpensive and extremely filling. Plus, if you know how to season it right you can enjoy it almost plain! Though the college version is just to put the kettle on and make it in a bowl it's actually worthwhile making this in a pot with some stock.

Question 18

How high do you turn the heat on your stove?

It's good to sauté some vegetables (like onions) slowly but otherwise you run the risk of letting the oil sit and making them too greasy. Go all out, as long as you're minding the stove things won't burn. Though make sure you're using an oil with a high burning point.

Question 19

How often do you clean your fridge?

If you're serious about food you need to be able to see what you're working with. A disorganized fridge is a nightmare, especially if there is no room to let things cool or rise in there. Plus it's not cool to let things go to waste-- you could have come up with a new recipe with the ingredients rotting away.

Question 20

What is this?

This piece of cotton is useful in the kitchen. It is used to strain broth or liquids in something finer than a sieve. It is handy for tea, turkeys, and cheese. It can also be used for dying, as a material to wear in hot weather, and as a material to test for fire hazards. Talk about versatile.

Question 21

What is the best way to defrost meat?

People often use frozen meat to help a bruise rise or to take the pain away from a recent injury. Has your mom ever texted you to get meat out of the fridge for dinner and you've forgotten? How do you get that meat defrosted fast? Aluminum conducts heat extremely well, so put the meat on a tray in room temperature.

Question 22

How do you make polenta?

Polenta is an extremely inexpensive meal. The grain is cheap and it expands so much. However be prepared to put in some elbow grease for your meal. You will have to stir it on the stove a lot. Moistening polenta before putting it in the boiling water eases this task a little.

Question 23

How do you make sure your greens won't wilt?

Wilted greens are gross and even worse is when you see that brown green slime all over your fridge's floor. There are a few ways to avoid this. For instance, it's obviously better to buy your greens the day of. But if you're lacking the time you can try the paper towel method given below.

Question 24

How do you prevent oil from splashing everywhere when you're frying?

Sometimes when you're pan frying something the oil is splashing everywhere. You almost want to wear goggles so it doesn't get in your eyes. You could put a cover over it. However, if you don't want your dish to steam there's a trick combo you can use. This works especially well with salmon.

Question 25

How do you get the eggshell that's in your egg whites?

Sometimes you'll be separating egg whites from yolks to make a meringue. Other times you could just be making scrambled eggs. In either instance it's a pain when you have some egg shell in your egg bowl. What's your technique for getting it out?

Question 26

Where are pork chops on the pig?

Pork chops can be tough or tender depending on the pig and how you want to cook them. They are the most expensive cut of pork and are often served on the bone, usually as the main dish. But do you know where on the pig pork chops come from?

Question 27

What is this spice?

This spice is a traditional Middle Eastern spice blend. It's made with ground thyme, oregano, marjoram, and with a few toasted sesame seeds. You'll find it on often on flat breads or hummus, though it also pairs well with meat or fish. Similarly it can be added to enhance almost any savoury dip.

Question 28

How do you know if your eggs have gone bad?

I never used to think of eggs as a food that could go bad. But of course this is deceiving, obviously everything in the fridge is a perishable. To test your eggs before you crack them open you should see if they float in a glass of water. If they do odds are you shouldn't be cracking them.

Question 29

What's one non-edible item you should keep in your fridge?

This item keeps your fridge fresh, it absorbs the odors that are hanging around so your food doesn't smell gross by the next grocery run. It's probably something your parents have in their fridge that you always assumed was used in baking or something. Little did you know it was a cleaning agent.

Question 30

How do you cut even layers of crumbly cake?

This technique is used for cutting crumbly cakes if you want them to keep their form when they're served. Or to make sure eggs are halved evenly. Many cooks love and audience and to impress eaters they know that presentation matters. So how would you prevent a crumbly cake from collapsing?

Question 31

What do you do when your honey crystallizes in its bottle?

When your honey crystallizes in it's container it's just because too much oxygen got in. The honey didn't go bad or anything. In fact, honey is one of the only natural foods that doesn't have an expiration date. Now if you could only get it out of the bottle. A trick below helps you do just that.

Question 32

How do you get garlic out of it's skin?

Crush the garlic pieces a little bit and the pesky skin sheds immediately because it's dry. You might still have some issues if the garlic is really fresh because the clove will be sticker and the skin won't let go as easily. Still, crushing it is the best method to get it to release.

Question 33

How do you peel your kiwis?

Kiwis are delicious but they're really hard to open (btw we're talking about the fruit not New Zealanders in general). People struggle to get the fuzzy brown coating off of the fruit without getting the juice everywhere. All the best ways to do this involve a spoon. After that, it depends if you're eating kiwis alone or to share.

Question 34

How do you revive a stale baguette?

Some of the secrets of the kitchen revolve around using the food you already have. You don't want to throw anything away (if seeing food go bad isn't sad enough you're also wasting money).

Question 35

How do you make sure your meat is really tender?

In the majority of meat dishes you want to make sure your meat is tender, falling of the bone. This is especially the case with red meat. How can you ensure it every time? Well, yes you could always run to the butcher's the day of, but there is also an easier solution...

See Your Result
Questions Left