Five Tips to Finding Your Inner Chef from David Rose

The son of two chefs, Food Network Star finalist David Rose has cooking in his DNA—and he thinks everyone else should, too.

“We don’t put cheap oil in expensive vehicles,” says Rose, who, beyond being a Food Network regular, is also a motorcycle enthusiast and a Nissan Titan ambassador. “If we want high-quality performance from our bodies, we need high-quality food, not just whatever is convenient and fills our stomachs.” To that end, Rose urges everyone to learn cooking basics. “Get a cookbook or get online—anybody who has access to Google or YouTube can learn to cook,” he says. “You owe it to yourself and your family.”

Once you’ve acquired some basic knowledge, these tips from Rose can set you up for ongoing success.

Invest in good tools. “I’m a huge gadget person,” Rose says. “They make everything so much easier. Rose’s top three must-have kitchen accessories:

• Quality Chef’s Knife
• Meat Thermometer
• Food Processor (this will save you so much time and trouble when it comes to chopping things, says Rose. )

Practice your timing. Rose learned at a young age, from watching his parents cook, that multitasking is essential. “They would be baking, making eggs, cooking grits, prepping the meat—all at the same time. It’s like an orchestra.” Until you’re proficient at directing the orchestra, write out a timetable before you start cooking—maybe even the day before—with the goal of having everything ready at the same time. When you get flustered, refer to the schedule.

Continually fine-tune your skills. Don’t treat all foods the same, Rose says. Instead, learn what each one needs. “For example, when you’re grilling, your steaks and chops should be cooked hot and fast, but your roasts and briskets should be low and slow,” says Rose, who is also a culinary partner for Big Green Egg grills. “And for seafood, don’t use hickory or mesquite wood chips—they’re too strong and will make it bitter. And don’t overpower it with cayenne or other aggressive seasonings, either. Experiment to learn what goes together.”

Remember your “why.” When the temptation to resort to fast-food delivery pops up, keep in mind the value of preparing nutritious foods. “Cooking is one of the purest forms of love,” Rose says. “It’s worth it.”