Confidence in the Kitchen
by Cathy Vogt, A Natural Chef
Feeling confident is an empowering experience and motivator in life. “Confidence is a feeling or belief that you can do something well or succeed at something,” according to Merriam Webster.
You can probably identify many moments in your own life, small and large where feeling confident has helped to move you forward, learn new skills, or take a leap into the unknown. There is nothing like that proud moment of, "Yes, I can do this!" especially when it’s something new. You can think of building confidence like one of those big jars you use to save up loose change. Every time you add in experiences from your success, you are building a strong and solid foundation or confidence in your abilities.
As a professional chef and culinary coach, I’ve worked with many people who shy away from cooking because of lack of confidence. As a child, I was lucky to have the opportunity to play in the kitchen, cook, make mistakes, practice and slowly build on the culinary skills I was learning. For some people, being in the kitchen can feel like visiting a foreign land that is confusing and unfamiliar. Maybe you or a loved one are dealing with a chronic health condition and need to make dietary changes. Changing what you are eating can be overwhelming and enough to keep you out of the kitchen. As a busy person, just trying to get a healthy meal prepared and on the table is a confidence buster.
The good news is, building a confident cooking practice doesn’t have to be overwhelming or stress inducing. Like any muscle, the more you use it on a regular basis the stronger it gets. Going from beginner to pro, or wherever you are starting is a bit of a learning curve, it's okay! The first step is to start your cooking practice.
Throughout my professional culinary career, I’ve worked with many of the top of the line cookware products, or so I thought. About six years ago, I was introduced to Saladmaster, while researching cookware for a client and my world changed.
Saladmaster has many unique qualities and features that you can’t find in any other cookware. The high quality 316Ti stainless steel construction, makes it non-reactive to acids and enzymes. No pitting or scratching of your cookware even after years of use or cleaning in the dishwasher. The unique Vapo-Valve™ design that enables you to cook without added fats or extra water while preserving nutrients and flavors of food is amazing. The "Medium, Click, Low" method of cooking was foreign to me then, but now is second nature in the kitchen. Get to know your cookware and its unique features. Add to your confidence jar by building a relationship with your Saladmaster Cooking Coach. Spend time reading through the Tips and How To section on the Saladmaster website. Adopt a beginner’s mind, being open to learning and improving your skills in the kitchen.
I remember throwing away a piece or two of cookware before I started using Saladmaster, because it was too damaged to clean up. In my early days with Saladmaster I admit, I burned a few things! If you burn something, don’t worry. It's part of the learning curve. The great news is it is easily cleaned up, (refer to the “Tips and How to” section), with no damage to your cookware and looking just like new. Add a few bits to your jar of confidence!
Getting to know the gorgeous new Limited Edition 8.5 Qt. Roaster is easy! You’ve already been adding to your confidence jar and are familiar with how to optimize all the unique features of Saladmaster cookware. Like any long-term relationship, there is the confidence of familiarity along with new discoveries. You can be confident in knowing that the Limited Edition 8.5 Qt. Roaster will be a top performer.
Your next step is to get in the kitchen and have fun discovering what you want to create and share. Get inspired! Engage in your community. Attend a cooking demo and taste something new; browse through the recipe section and look at the new cooking videos. Cook something new, step out of your comfort zone and add to your confidence jar when you make these new discoveries.
Building confidence is all about learning, trying new things and growing—in and out of the kitchen. The Saladmaster community is here to support you each step of the way and help to fill up your confidence jar. Don’t forget to share your successes and challenges along the way, sharing your challenges can help other build their confidence too.
“Life is what you make it. Cook more.”
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Cathy Vogt (www.anaturalchef.com) is a board certified Health Counselor and professional whole foods chef. Cathy received her professional culinary training at, The Natural Gourmet Institute for Food and Culinary Arts in New York and at Cobleskill College. She is a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and received a certification from Columbia University. She is also accredited by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners.
To learn more about what Saladmaster can do for you,
please contact a dealer, and enjoy tasting the Saladmaster difference by hosting a Cooking Show.
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