10 cooking tricks you’ll learn at a commercial cookery course

commercial cookery course tricks to learn

You know when you have a knack for cooking: anyone can tell how passionate you are when it comes to food, and nothing can stop you from turning this love into a rewarding career.

If you feel energised and happy every time you are in the kitchen, what are you waiting for?

Turn your passion and skill to a great adventure by enrolling in a commercial cookery course in Brisbane!

Studying a commercial cookery course in Brisbane or Melbourne will equip you to become more competent with commercial cooking skills and techniques.

What are some cooking tips?

Commercial cookery courses are about much more than the finished product.

When you enrol in a commercial cookery course, you’ll learn essential cooking and food preparation skills that will improve your time management, culinary skills, and even leadership qualities, in addition to creating a beautiful and tasty dish.

There are a ton of tricks you’ll learn and put into practice behind the scenes, from within your commercial kitchen. Here’s a taste of what you might expect when you’ve enrolled in our cooking class in Brisbane or Melbourne.

Trick #1: A good set of knives can make all the difference

Make chopping, cutting, and slicing easy when you invest in a good set of sharp knives. Dull knives tend to not only butcher your food, but can also slip on surfaces which can cause injuries.

That’s why when you start working in a kitchen, first things first: invest in a good set of knives!

Trick #2: Prepare before you start cooking

We’ve all been there: rushing to peel and chop up our onions or garlic while your pan is sizzling full of hot oil.

To save time and less hassle, and to improve your overall efficiency and productivity, it’s critical that you prepare all your ingredients first to ensure you can meet the exact timing that your recipe calls for.

Trick #3: Dry fish and meat before cooking

Want succulent and tasty fish or meat?

Get rid of the moisture before cooking by patting meat dry with a paper towel. Additionally, this can also help flaky fish, in particular, from sticking to the pan and falling apart!

Trick #4: Stop poking your meat while it’s cooking

Hands up who’s guilty of poking their meat frequently to check if it’s been cooked yet?

Instead of consistently jabbing things into the meat to check how red it is, what you need to do is to be patient, turn your heat up high, and flip your meat at the right time.

Cooking the perfect steak takes practice. Over time, you’ll learn the exact timings required to cook a steak to your preferred level. Soon enough it will become second nature!

Trick #5: Know your oils

Do you know that not all oils have the same cooking properties? Some can tolerate high heat, while others require much lower (and slower) heating.

For example, butter naturally doesn’t cook well under high heat; instead, try a low-medium heat so it doesn’t burn.

Other oils like vegetable or canola oil can withstand high heat as they have a high smoke level.

Some oils can also be used as flavourful coatings such as salad dressings – examples include avocado and olive oils.

So don’t make the mistake of assuming all oils are the same. Get to know each and understand their properties to ensure you use them to their potential.

Trick #6: Plan how to cut your vegetables

Do you know that properly cutting your veggies is more than just aesthetics?

Smaller cuts not only become easier to cook, but diagonal cuts – or julienne cutting – are softer and easier to eat.

Additionally, it’s important to cut each type of vegetable into equal pieces, to ensure more even cooking.

Naturally, larger chunks of vegetables take longer to cook through.

Trick #7: Know your heat

Heating your pan too high may not be the best way to cook, but might be tempting when you’re in a hurry and desperate to crank the temperature up quickly.

However it’s important that you maintain a medium to low heat when you sauté your garlic, onions, and herbs to bring out their full flavour, and reduce the risk of burning!

Medium-to-low heat also benefits your veggies and meats as well as your soups. Not only does this keep them from tasting bitter if they are accidentally burned, but when it comes to veggies in particular, you can avoid overcooking them.

Trick #8: Avoid overcrowding your pan

You might think that you’re saving time and being more efficient when you crowd your pan, but the truth is it’s rarely worth it.

Give your food the opportunity to cook slowly and evenly, releasing their aroma and full flavours, without the risk of inconsistent cooking that results in both burnt and undercooked pieces in the same dish!

Trick #9: Add something acidic if it’s too salty

Excessively salty food is sometimes hard to stomach.

Adding something acidic is a great way to effectively balance out the pH to make it taste less salty. Lemon juice will often do the trick!

If you’ve accidentally put too much salt in your dish, add a splash of lemon juice or vinegar that can cut through salt very quickly.

Trick #10: Don’t forget to toast your nuts and spices

Do you want to bring out the natural flavours of your nuts and spices? Then give them a quick toast in the pan over a low heat before adding to your dish.

Most people will just add nuts or spices atop a finished dish as a garnish. But have you tried toasting these enhancements? A quick and simple toast in the pan will amplify their aromas and flavours.

An easy way to add an impactful punch of flavour!

What do chefs learn in culinary school?

If you want to be an excellent chef, you need to learn cooking principles for various cuisines.

Culinary schools let you learn first-hand from experts at a state of the art facility that equips you with the knowledge and skills you need.

Cooking is an art, and chefs learn so many things in culinary school, such as:

Complex food preparation techniques
Hygiene and safe work practices
How to cater to dietary needs
Usage of all special equipment

What are the five skills taught in culinary school?

The five skills taught in culinary school are:

Measurements skills
Heating and temperature knowledge
Knife skills
Mastering the five ‘mother’ sauces – béchamel sauce, veloute sauce, brown sauce, Hollandaise sauce, and tomato sauce
Safe and hygienic meat handling

Enrol in Academia’s commercial cookery courses in Brisbane or Melbourne!

Studying a commercial cookery course in Brisbane equips you to become more competent in commercial cooking, turning a weekend passion into a fully fledged career.

Check out our commercial cookery courses in Academia today!

Certificate III in Commercial Cookery (SIT30816)

Start a career in commercial cookery with the practical cooking skills and knowledge needed to succeed.

The Certificate III in Commercial Cookery provides you with classroom-based learning and practical training that prepares you for employment in the food industry.

Meet high-quality standards working in a commercial kitchen upon successful completion of this course.

Find out more about the Certificate III in Commercial Cookery.

Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery (SIT40516)

If you’re dreaming of running your own kitchen or owning and managing a cafe, consider enrolling in the Certificate IV of Commercial Cookery. Learn all the necessary skills in not only cooking and food preparation, but essential management skills including finance, menu planning, stock management, and marketing.

The Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery can be followed by the Diploma of Hospitality Management.

Find out more about the Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery.