Today's Chef

Traditional recipes, clearly explained for home kitchens.

Category: Techniques

French

French Roast Chicken: Poulet Rôti and Doneness Checks

Roast a whole chicken with butter and herbs, check its internal temperature and prepare a pan sauce while the bird…

By Camille Laurent · 5 min read

Indian

Hyderabadi-Style Chicken Biryani: Kacchi Dum and Doneness Checks

Prepare layered chicken and rice with the kacchi dum method, including thermometer checks and advice for finishing undercooked chicken.

By Priya Sharma · 6 min read

Japanese

How to Use Japanese Soy Sauce: The Five Types, One by One

Four bottles can share the shoyu label and still do very different work. The paler one suits takikomi rice. The…

By Hiroshi Tanaka · 4 min read

Chinese

Shandong vs Huaiyang Cuisine: Which Chinese Tradition to Cook First

A small Shandong dumpling shop in Chengdu sits between a mahjong parlour and a mala hot pot place. Clear chicken…

By Wei Chen · 6 min read

Korean

Korean Banchan: Planning a Balanced Meal and Storing Leftovers

Plan a spread of Korean side dishes around texture, flavor and serving temperature, with separate storage considerations for prepared foods.

By Min-jun Kim · 5 min read

French

Confit at Home: Cooking, Cooling and Safe Storage

Separate confit cooking from preservation claims, with safe cooling, duck storage, reheating and garlic-in-oil guidance from named food-safety authorities.

By Camille Laurent · 4 min read

American Southern

Roux Colors Guide: Blonde to Brick, When to Stop

A black iron skillet on a back burner, close to forty minutes of steady stirring, and a kitchen that fills…

By Sarah Mitchell · 7 min read

Southeast Asian

Vietnamese, Thai and Filipino Fish Sauce: Labels and Substitutions

Compare Vietnamese, Thai and Filipino fish sauce by ingredients and sodium labels, then adjust substitutions with a small-sample method.

By Mali Pakdee · 4 min read

Italian

Parmigiano Reggiano vs Parmesan: How to Taste the Real Thing

Parmigiano Reggiano rewards a close look. A short almond-shaped knife is worked into the wheel, and the rind cracks like…

By Marco Bellini · 4 min read

Japanese

White vs Red Miso: A Kyoto Cook’s Pantry Guide

Traditional miso shops in central Kyoto keep their pastes in open wooden tubs. The lightest is pale straw, the colour…

By Hiroshi Tanaka · 5 min read