"To get nice, crispy caramelization on roasted vegetables, simulate the intense heat of an industrial oven: Bring your oven up as hot as it goes, then put an empty roasting or sheet pan inside for 10 to 15 minutes. Toss the vegetables — try carrots or Brussels sprouts — with olive oil, salt and pepper, and put them on the hot pan. This method will give you the high heat you need to caramelize the sugars in the vegetables quickly." Naomi Pomeroy. Beast, Portland, OR
"Keep flavored vinegars near the stove so you won't always reach for the salt. Acid enhances flavour." Art Smith. Personal chef, Oprah
"Don't overcrowd the pan when you're sautéing — it'll make your food steam instead." Ryan Poli. The Carbird Seat
"Acidity, salt and horseradish bring out full flavors in food." Michael Symon. Iron Chef America
"For better-tasting asparagus, cure the stalks: Peel them, roll in equal parts sugar and salt, and let them sit for 10 minutes, then rinse off and prepare as desired." Shea Gallante. Ciano
“When chopping herbs, toss a little salt onto the cutting board; it will keep the herbs from flying around.” Joanne Chang.
"Add cheese rinds to vegetable broths for another dimension of flavor." Paul Virant
“When you’re going to sauté garlic, slice it rather than mincing it — it's less likely to burn that way.” Aarti Sequeira.
“Recipes are only a guideline, not the Bible. Feel comfortable replacing ingredients with similar ingredients that you like. If you like oregano but not thyme, use oregano.” Alex Seidel
“If you find you need more oil in the pan when sautéing, add it in a stream along the edges of the pan so that by the time the oil reaches the ingredient being cooked, it will be heated.” Anita Lo
“Store spices in a cool, dark place, not above your stove. Humidity, light and heat will cause herbs and spices to lose their flavor.” Rick Tramonto
“Use a coarse microplane to shave vegetables into salads or vinaigrettes. You can create an orange-fennel dressing by adding grated fennel and orange zest to a simple vinaigrette.” Paul Kahan
“When cooking eggplant, I like to use the long, skinny, purple Japanese kind because you don't have to salt it to pull out the bitter liquid like you do with the larger Italian variety.” Andrew Carmellini
"Plunge vegetables in ice water after blanching (boiling) them so they maintain a bright color." Maria Hines
"Use a cake tester to test the doneness of fish, meat and vegetables. It's my secret weapon — I use it in the kitchen to test everything." Daniel Humm
"Have your mise en place ready: Do all of your cutting of vegetables and meat and make your sauces before you start cooking." Richard Sandoval
Photo © Yukawatan Resto