Mastering a few basic cooking skills is key to building confidence in the kitchen. This is the third in a three-part series for young adults. Here are five essential tips to get you started:

1. Knife Skills: Knowing how to use a knife safely is a fundamental cooking skill. I recommend watching some instructional YouTube videos to learn proper techniques. Practice is crucial. Remember, the goal is to avoid injury - always keep your fingers above the blade and focus on what you’re doing. Distractions are the number one cause of accidents, even for experienced cooks.
2. Safe Food Handling: To avoid cross-contamination and food poisoning, use coloured chopping boards to separate raw and cooked foods, as well as different food types like vegetables and cheeses.
3. Read the Recipe and Prepare: Before you start cooking, read the entire recipe to understand the process and gather all your ingredients. Measure and prepare everything as directed so that you’re ready when the time comes to start cooking.
4. Temperature Control: Keep an eye on cooking temperatures to prevent burning. Proper heat management is a crucial skill in ensuring your dishes turn out as intended.
5. Basic Cooking Techniques: Learn to make a white sauce (roux) and a good stock - these are the building blocks of many recipes.

As you begin your culinary journey, focus on mastering at least three dishes. This will give you the confidence to entertain on short notice without too much stress. My grandmother used to say, "If you can read, you can cook." With repetition, experimentation, and perseverance, you’ll develop real skill in the kitchen.

Easy dishes to master:

Spaghetti Bolognese: A classic meat sauce that's versatile and not too difficult to prepare. It can be used for dishes like lasagna, stuffed baked potatoes, and even nachos. You can also add chili and red kidney beans for a Mexican twist. The beauty of meat sauces is that they improve in flavour after a day or two in the fridge. My secret ingredients? A touch of brown sugar and some chopped bacon to deepen the flavour.

Risotto: While risotto takes time, it’s not difficult and is incredibly rewarding. With economical ingredients like arborio rice, good stock (chicken or vegetable), and Parmesan cheese, you can create a delicious dish. My favourite version includes fresh asparagus and mushrooms, but almost any vegetable works. Start with a recipe, and then experiment with what you have on hand. I call this ‘bottom-of-the-fridge’ cooking - using up what you’ve got to avoid waste.

Frittata: This dish is adaptable, allowing you to use whatever ingredients you have on hand. It’s economical and universally liked.

I’ll leave you to find specific recipes but remember, cooking is a skill that improves with practice. The more you cook, the better you’ll become and the more you can expand your repertoire.

Setting the Table: this is the final touch to impress your guests. Here are some tips to get it right.

Seating: Arrange the chairs based on the number of guests, ensuring an even distribution around the table.

Placemats and Tablecloths: If you’re using placemats, place them symmetrically, directly opposite the person on the other side. If using a tablecloth, it should hang about 30 to 40cm over the edge of the table.

Cutlery Placement: Ensure your cutlery is clean and polished. Place the main knife on the right side of the plate with the blade facing left. If there’s an entrée, the spoon or entrée knife goes to the right of the main knife. Cutlery is used from the outside in. The main fork goes on the left next to the plate, with the entrée fork placed to its left.

Bread Plate: The bread plate goes to the left of the forks (or above them if space is tight) with a small butter knife. The only fork that ever goes on the right is an oyster fork, which is perfect for an easy and impressive entrée – if you can afford oysters!

Napkins: These can be placed under the forks or in the centre of the place setting.

Dessert Cutlery: Depending on the dessert, you might need a spoon, fork, or both. In informal settings, it’s perfectly fine to serve the dessert cutlery with the dessert itself.

Glasses: Place the wine glass above the main knife, with the water glass to its right. If the setting is informal, ensure there’s a spot on the table for the wine bottle(s) so guests can pour their own.

With these tips, you’re well on your way to hosting a successful meal. Practice makes perfect, and soon you’ll be able to cook and serve with ease.