The art of preparing before you cook

Begin with a clear worktop

Before cooking, read the whole recipe. Set out the equipment it calls for and check the ingredients against what you actually have. Keep raw meat and fish separate from foods that will be eaten without further cooking.

Prepare with purpose

Wash produce as appropriate, measure the quantities required and chop ingredients before heating a pan. Group them in the order they enter the recipe. This simple habit, often called mise en place, makes it easier to focus on the food rather than searching for a utensil.

Give the pan your attention

Use the heat level in your recipe as a starting point, then watch the food. Appliances and pans vary. If food browns too quickly, lower the heat. Follow food-safety guidance for safe cooking temperatures; colour alone is not a reliable test.

Finish thoughtfully

Taste when it is safe to do so. Adjust seasoning only with ingredients you have chosen to include. A considered meal is not necessarily a complicated one.