What Chefs Like Thomas Keller and Samin Nosrat Can Teach Us

 In almost every household, the kitchen is a place of chaos and peace all at once. Every journey begins with a flurry of knives, meats, greens, and spices, followed by careful but quick measuring and mixing. Throw in some boiling, some roasting, and maybe even a light glaze, as the delicious fragrance wafts through your home, reminding you what all the effort was for.

In many ways, the skills you learn in the kitchen can help you in your everyday life, and no one knows that better than the greatest chefs in this world. No matter what the cuisine or the number of stars next to their restaurant’s name, these chefs have experience and wisdom that will ease your burden both in the kitchen and everywhere else.

1. On the journey to find balance

(Flickr)  

“I know pastry chefs who are overwhelmed by the idea of tasting, rather than measuring, their way to a balanced vinaigrette.” 
-Samin Nosrat

2. On the reality of excessiveness

“Most chefs only use and need a handful of knives - even if they own 25, they usually grab the same four or five.” 
-Brad Leone

3. On the importance of attitude

(By Wikialainducasse, Wikimedia Commons)  

“Techniques are not the most difficult to teach. The attitudes chefs take are much more important.” 
-Alain Ducasse 

4. On the sources of soulfulness 

(By Arnold Gatilao, Wikimedia Commons)  

“A recipe has no soul. You, as the cook, must bring soul to the recipe.” 
-Thomas Keller

5. On humility 

(By Daniel Krieger, Wikimedia Commons)  

“Being humble is one of the most important things, and not being afraid to put yourself out there is important. I think really successful chefs put themselves out there on a daily basis.” 
-Christina Tosi

6. On the common elements of greatness 

(By Dorota Trupp, Wikimedia Commons)  

“All great chefs have two things in common. First, they respect nature as the true artist, and they are just cooks. Second, everything that they do is an extension of them as a person.” 
- Marco Pierre White 

7. On enjoying the little things 

(By U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wikimedia Commons)  

“You don't need a silver fork to eat good food.” 
-Paul Prudhomme

8. On the most important lesson of life

(By http2007, Wikimedia Commons)  

“You get a lot of young chefs who have a lot of savoir-faire, a lot of technical knowledge. What's important is to convey to them a cuisine that is made from the heart.” 
-Joel Robuchon

9. On innovation

(By Charles Haynes, Wikimedia Commons)  

“It's very hard to be an innovator at the highest level in any discipline. For some chefs it's merely about combining ingredients, but that's something you can do with your eyes closed.” 
-Ferran Adria

10. On appreciating the youthful approach 

“There's a freshness to the approach of teen chefs. They're lighthearted, and they're not afraid to take risks.” 
-Alex Guarnaschelli

11. On the true purpose of cookbooks

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“Modern cookbooks are marketing tools for chefs. They're in the bestseller lists but no one cooks from them.” 
-Prue Leith

12. On the actual goal of every pursuit 

(By Bob Nichols, Wikimedia Commons)  

“I always say that I don't believe I'm a chef. I try to be a storyteller.” 
-Jose Andrés

13. On reading recipes   

(By USDA, Wikimedia Commons)  

“Recipes are just descriptions of one person’s take on one moment in time. They’re not rules.” 
-Mario Batali

14. On trusting our own instincts 

(By City Foodsters, Wikimedia Commons)  

“We can use all the scientific tools, but it will never replace the palate or the talent of the chefs who are in the kitchen.” 
-Daniel Humm

15. On a lesser-known common element of chefs

(By jo-marshall, Wikimedia Commons)  

“Chefs are nutters. They're all self-obsessed, delicate, dainty, insecure little souls and absolute psychopaths. Every last one of them.” 
-Gordon Ramsay

16. On evolution 

(By Wikialainducasse, Wikimedia Commons)  

“The real evolution is to learn something new every day - it's very important for chefs to share what they have discovered.” 
-Alain Ducasse

17. On discovery 

(By Larkworb, Wikimedia Commons)  

“Cooking is a subject you can never know enough about. There is always something new to discover.” 
-Bobby Flay

18. On staying inspired

(By DinexGroup, Wikimedia Commons)  

“I have real admiration for chefs who can maintain an edge and find new inspiration in their cooking after many years.” 
-Daniel Boulud

19. On making mistakes 

 
 
(By Cristiano Del Riccio, Wikimedia Commons)  

“When you have made as many mistakes as I have then you can be as good as me.” 
-Wolfgang Puck

20. On a life without knowledge 

(By Cecile van Straten, Wikimedia Commons)  

“You could probably get through life without knowing how to roast a chicken, but the question is, would you want to?” 
-Nigella Lawson

21. On where craft meets art 

(By David Shankbone, Wikimedia Commons)  

“It's my belief that cooking is a craft. I think that you can push it into the realm of art, but it starts with craft. It starts with an understanding of materials. It starts with an understanding of where foods are grown.” 
-Tom Colicchio

22. On the everlasting nature of change 

(By jo-marshall, Wikimedia Commons)  

“When you're running a restaurant, you have to change with the times; otherwise, the times will change you.” 
-Gordon Ramsay

23. On the importance of experimenting

“It is important to experiment and endlessly seek after creating the best possible flavours when preparing foods. That means not being afraid to experiment with various ingredients.” 
-Rocco DiSpirito

24. On handling mistakes

(By Financial Times, Wikimedia Commons)  

“A great restaurant doesn't distinguish itself by how few mistakes it makes but by how well they handle those mistakes.” 
-Danny Meyer