5 kitchen habits a former restaurant worker wants you to quit ASAP

Stop using the same cutting board for meat and vegetables.

You Need These Kitchen Tools

• Prep Like a Pro: Libbey Small Glass Bowls, Set of 8, $30, originally $40
• Ina Garten-Approved: Chef’s Choice Professional Electric Knife Sharpener, $108, originally $168
• Avoid Cross-Contamination: Gorilla Grip Flexible Cutting Boards, Set of 4, $10, originally $16
• Chic Yet Absorbent Dishcloths: Geometry Kitchen Tea Towels, $18
• Editor-Loved: OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Kitchen Scale, $65

After culinary school, I spent some time working the line at an Italian restaurant. It was exhausting, but it reinforced the skills I learned while at Le Cordon Bleu and taught me plenty of new lessons along the way. Years later, I’ve taken these lessons with me to my home kitchen. You’ll never catch me slicing raw chicken on the same cutting board I use to cut vegetables or starting a recipe without properly preparing my mise en place ahead of time — and neither should you. Read on for more of the habits that you would never see in a professional kitchen, and the tools you need to change them.       

Leave Behind: Not Preparing Your Ingredients 

Do Instead: Prep Your Mise en Place 

I’m far more likely to make mistakes when I’m rushing, which is why I always mince garlic, chop onions, open cans, and measure rice before any cooking begins. As soon as the flame is lit, I want to devote all of my attention to sautéing and searing. For this reason, I rely on mixing bowls in a range of sizes to store chopped ingredients until I need them. While I prefer glass, I also found stainless steel and BPA-free plastic bowls that will come in handy in any kitchen.     

• JoyJolt Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls, Set of 6, $35
• Viking Mixing Bowls, Set of 5, $68, originally $100
• Cuisinart Mixing Bowls, Set of 3, $40
• Pyrex Colors Mixing Bowls, Set of 3, $31, originally $35 
• KitchenAid Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls, Set of 3, $75
• Libbey Small Glass Bowls, Set of 8, $30, originally $40
• OXO Good Grips Plastic Mixing Bowls, Set of 3, $30
• OXO Good Grips 5-Quart Mixing Bowl, $17
• Sweejar Glass Mixing Bowls, Set of 9, $30, originally $34

Leave Behind: Dull Knives 

Do Instead: Sharpen Them Regularly

A dull chef’s knife is a dangerous chef’s knife. If this seems counterintuitive, allow me to explain. While a sharpened blade can slice through ingredients with little effort, a dull blade might require you to saw back and forth or apply a lot of force. These wild arm motions provide plenty of opportunities for a knife to slip and find its way into a finger or palm. I think we can all agree that it’s better to avoid a trip to the ER when possible. Luckily, there are plenty of knife sharpeners that will keep your blades honed. We even found Ina Garten’s preferred brand and model at Amazon.   

• Chef’s Choice Professional Electric Knife Sharpener, $108, originally $168
• Chef’s Choice 15XV EdgeSelect Professional Electric Knife Sharpener, $153, originally $166
• Presto 08810 Professional Electric Knife Sharpener, $69, originally $90
• Chef’s Choice Manual Knife Sharpener, $60
• Wüsthof 2-Stage Hand-Held Sharpener, $35
• Intelitopia Knife Sharpening Stone Set, $30, originally $36
• The Original Tumbler Rolling Knife Sharpener, $129
• Secura Electric Knife Sharpener, $30, originally $37

Leave Behind: Cross-Contamination 

Do Instead: Use Multiple Cutting Boards 

When cooking, one of the worst mistakes you can make is to use the same cutting board for raw meat and raw vegetables. It’s imperative to avoid cross-contamination at all costs by buying at least two cutting boards and designating one for the former and one for the latter. That’s what I do in my kitchen, using my John Boos cutting board for fruits and vegetables and a dishwasher-safe cutting board for chicken or steak.    

• John Boos R-Board Series Rectangular Wooden Maple Cutting Board, $124
• Allsum Bamboo Cutting Board, $20, originally $22
• Shun Cutlery Large Hinoki Cutting Board, $90
• Farberware Bamboo Cutting Boards, Set of 4, $16 with coupon, originally $24
• Gorilla Grip Cutting Boards, Set of 3, $20, originally $22
• Gorilla Grip Flexible Cutting Boards, Set of 4, $10, originally $16

Leave Behind: Wasting Paper Towels 

Do Instead: Use Dish Towels 

Stop wasting so many paper towels and start using reusable kitchen towels instead. I always had at least two clean cloths within arm’s reach during culinary school and during my restaurant shifts. There are plenty of materials and styles to choose from on Amazon, including my new favorite brand, Geometry. My mom introduced me to these super absorbent towels a few months ago, and I’ve used them every day since.  

• Geometry Kitchen Tea Towels, $18 
• Homaxy Cotton Waffle Weave Kitchen Dish Cloths, $10, originally $13
• Zeppoli Classic Dish Towels, $30
• KitchenAid Albany Kitchen Towels, $16
• Utopia Kitchen Towels, $18, originally $20
• Lane Linen Cotton Kitchen Towels, $15, originally $23

Leave Behind: Inaccurate Quantities 

Do Instead: Use a Kitchen Scale  

Another pet peeve of mine is when people don’t have kitchen scales. While measuring cups and spoons are useful for a lot of tasks, a kitchen scale ensures you’re using the correct amount of sugar or flour to the gram. This specificity is important when baking. I swear by OXO’s stainless steel scale, but I’ve also listed plenty of other makes and models below that thousands of Amazon shoppers recommend.   

• OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Kitchen Scale, $65
• Etekcity Food Kitchen Scale, $12 with coupon, originally $14
• Nicewell Food Scale, $23 with coupon, originally $26
• KitchenAid Dual-Platform Digital Food Scale, $45 with coupon, originally $55
• Escali Primo Digital Food Scale, $25
• Etekcity Food Kitchen Scale With Bowl, $19

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