Raise Your Kitchen Game!

Don’t get stuck in a menu rut – learn some new kitchen skills and get ready to tackle fresh and tasty dishes. From knife know-how to kneading, these cooking credentials are sure to transform your meals…

For great food, kitchen kit is as important as ingredients and none more so than knives. But blunt blades are hard work and more dangerous than sharp so it’s important to keep them in good shape or to choose a knife with a clever integrated sharpener.

With brilliantly sharp knives, you’re ready to prep like a pro! Learn some new knife skills and you’ll be slicing, dicing and julienning your way through a whole new range of recipes.

Of course, when there’s lots to chop or you’re pushed for time, a chopper is just the kitchen helper that you need, blitzing ingredients in a flash. Check out our 5 Second Chopper for super speedy results.

Add flavour, aroma, colour and even health benefits to your food by giving it some spice. If you’re always reaching for the same few ones, get to know some unusual but readily available spices to mix things up.

Whole spices give far better flavours and will last longer. They can be easily ground with a pestle and mortar or a spice grinder. To bring the flavour out and fill your kitchen with amazing smells, toast the spices in a dry pan; here’s how to do it.

Whether you like it rare or thoroughly cooked, hitting that steak sweet spot is a must. There’s mere minutes in it so find out those vital timings or be fearless with your grilling and let the OptiGrill serve up perfect results.

A zinging marinade will transform your food as well as tenderise the meat. Take inspiration from the Caribbean with these tropical tastes.

Or how about making a spectacle of steak prep by giving flambéing a go? This recipe has a rich cream and mushroom sauce and has special occasion written all over it. Flambé safely, folks.

There’s no denying that stock cubes and jellies make lightening work of soups, sauces and gravies but knowing how to prepare a homemade stock is a skill worth having. They give a beautifully fresh flavour and are a great way to use up veg and meat bones.

Salad dressings are so easy to make at home and knowing the basics will open up a whole new world of flavours. From a whisked up Caesar dressing to a blended strawberry vinaigrette, check out these fabulous ideas.

For impressive results and very little effort, have a few clever one-pan meals up your sleeve. Choosing a pan that goes from hob to oven to table makes it all the more simple. Try this tasty gnoc ‘n cheese and these superb Italian nuggets. And why stop at savoury when you can have cake!

Learning how to handle dough opens the door to so many new recipes. You can start the day with fresh bread, make pizzas from scratch and whip up your own naans and flat breads to go with curries, tagines and more.

If you’re brand new to bread making, start with a simple soda bread. And when you’re ready to branch out, read through our dough-licious bread blog for loads of inspiration.

Every day can be a school day in the kitchen – and you’ll get real brownie points for effort!