Thread: What makes someone a great cook?

I've been thinking about this lately. Is it just having a collection of great recipes and some decent kitchen skills? Is it being able to come up with something out of nothing? Is it a natural talent or just something that comes with practice, can anyone be a great cook? What do you think?

Well I do think that someone who can throw anything together takes a great cook to a whole other level. I can do that with things but mostly am a recipe girl. I do change recipes here and there for the better and people like my food so I guess I am an ok cook but not anything special like on a chef level. Lol

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I think the biggest trick to being a good cook is to be willing to TRY anything... recipe, verbal approximation recipe, invention, whatever.

Those of us who TRY and even try/fail... are the ones who have the most fun! And fun is what keeps us coming back...

Originally Posted by Desert Sky

I think I went from a decent cook to a good cook when I started to taste spices and know what they brought to a dish. I would be at a restaurant and trying to decipher the flavor of something so I could make it at home. So knowing what a dish needs to make it better tasting has made me a better cook.

True... having a more discerning palate helps guide a recipe that may not be "quite there" to the hit of the evening...

I think a great cook is someone who truly enjoys what he/she is doing in the kitchen. LOVE and JOY, two very important ingredients in any gourmet cook's pantry! :maninlove: Sounds so Pollyanna, doesn't it?!