It doesn’t matter if your kitchen is the size of Gordon Ramsay’s, or tinier than a car boot, you can create havoc and destruction, and take seven hours to make a carbonara. With some tips to steer you in the right direction, you can increase your efficiency when in the kitchen.  

1. Set up your space

Plan to fail, but don’t fail to plan! The same goes for your kitchen adventures. Prep work starts with a cutting board and knife, followed by all the other tools you’ll likely need (whisk, spatula, measuring cups and spoons). Then there’s salt, oil, vinegar, herbs, stock… Have everything easily at hand, so you don’t need to go digging for something while you have a pot on the boil or chicken fat between your fingers. How do you know what you’ll need? Well…

2. Read the recipe!

Read it to the end before you even touch a knife. Then, get all the ingredients and utensils ready. This will give you a chance to figure out whether you can save some time by preheating the oven, or by determining what needs to be defrosted, marinated, diced or prepped.

3. Use a scrap bag or bowl

This will save you from running back and forth to the rubbish bin, and ensures your countertops stay clean while you work. Place a bag or bowl next to your cutting board, and chuck veggie trimmings in there as you go. Then you can toss it all out at once or add it to your compost pile when you’re done.

4. Clean as you cook

Cleaning while you’re busy, by doing it in little bits and pieces, will not only save you time, but it will also be less daunting than staring at a towering pile of dirty pots and pans. At the very least, fill your kitchen sink with soapy water so that anything sticky or stubborn can get a head start before you start scrubbing.  

5. Embrace the  hands-off time

These are the precious minutes while something is boiling, roasting, sizzling, grilling, resting or cooling. This time is your secret weapon to being more efficient in the kitchen. If you’re preparing a side dish or salad, use that time to prep more ingredients or make a salad dressing. Catch up on the cleaning or set the table. Being a kitchen wizard is not always about chopping an onion in one second – it’s also about using your time wisely. 

6. Use fewer dishes

Here’s another reason why reading the recipe in its entirety is a good idea. If all the veggies that you’ll be slicing and dicing are simply going to be chucked into a pan at the same time, why would they need to be in separate bowls while you’re prepping? Consider this to make smarter decisions, and to eliminate the excess dishes used at the end of your cooking.  

7. Label leftovers

This will keep them top of mind, help you realise the shelf life of the leftovers in your fridge, and you’ll easily be able to determine what they are (is that frozen brown block in the freezer Bolognese or lentil dahl?) You’ll quickly be removing any guess work when it comes to planning meals. 

Words: Claire Davies | Photography: Unsplash