Top Culinary Skills Every Nigerian Chef Should Master
Cooking is more than just following recipes or mixing flavours, it is a craft that blends science, art, and human intelligence. A great chef is not defined only by the sharpness of their knife skills or their ability to whip up sauces but also by their creativity, discipline, and emotional balance in the kitchen. Every chef, whether aspiring or professional, must master technical culinary skills alongside soft skills like leadership and creativity.
As a professional, cooking takes a lot of mental work and precision. You do not just go to the kitchen with ingredients without knowing the exact amount of salt, water, or seasoning to use, or the amount of time your dough is supposed to rest/rise or be kneaded, and expect a perfect outcome, it’s not possible.
So, in this blog, we’ll explore the top culinary skills every Nigerian chef or cook should master.
Technical Mastery: The Core of Culinary Arts
1. Flavor Profiling
Flavor profiling is basically the art of balancing different tastes to make food delicious. Every dish or food we eat is built on five main flavours: Sweet (from sugar, honey, fruits, etc.), salty (from salt, soy sauce, cheese), sour (from lemon, vinegar, tomatoes), bitter (from dark chocolate, coffee, kale, or bitter herbs), and umami/savory (from mushrooms, soy sauce, and meat). When these flavors come together in the right way, your food becomes balanced and exciting. A good chef doesn’t just cook or follow recipes; they taste and savor the aroma as they cook, adjusting seasoning until the flavor feels “just right.”
2. Cooking Methods
Cooking isn’t just about throwing food in a pan and hoping for the best, it’s about knowing how to cook it. The method you choose can completely change the taste, texture, and even the look of your food.
Take roasting, for example: you put some chicken in the oven with a little oil and seasoning, and you get that golden-brown outside with a juicy inside. Now compare this with steaming, where you gently steam your healthy veggies, keeping the nutrients locked in.
Also, we have sautéing, which is just a fancy way of saying ‘cook quickly in a pan with a little oil.’ Great for stir-fries or any tender dish that doesn’t become soggy. And don’t forget frying. Whether shallow or deep, frying gives that crunchy taste we all love.
Braising, poaching, boiling, and oven-baking each have ways of impacting flavor, texture, and appearance differently.
3. Sauces & Stocks: The Heart of Cuisine
Stocks: The Foundation of Flavour
A stock is like the backbone of cooking. It’s a flavourful liquid made by simmering bones, meat, fish, or vegetables with herbs and spices (what we call ‘Omi Eran/Chicken/stock water’). Chefs use it as a base for soups, sauces, stews, and risottos.
Common Types of Stock:
Chicken stock, beef stock, fish stock, and vegetable stock. It’s all about extracting flavour slowly.
Sauces: The Soul of a Dish
If stock is the backbone, then sauce is the soul; it ties everything together. A good sauce adds moisture, flavour, and beauty to a dish.
The Classic “Mother Sauces”
1. Béchamel sauce is a creamy French white sauce that’s used in many dishes like lasagna, macaroni, etc.
2. Velouté is a classic French “mother sauce” made from a light roux (equal parts butter and flour) and a white stock (like chicken, veal, or fish).
3. Espagnole (brown sauce) made from beef stock and tomatoes, great for roasts.
4. Tomato sauce is a sauce made with tomatoes, herbs, and sometimes stock.
5. Hollandaise sauce is a rich, buttery sauce made with egg yolks and lemon juice, perfect for breakfast or brunch.
Every great dish starts with flavour, and that’s exactly what stocks, broths, and sauces bring to the table. They are the basics of cooking, without them, food can taste plain, bland, or incomplete. Stocks give depth, broths bring comfort, and sauces finish the story.
4. Food Safety & Hygiene: The Chef’s Golden Rule
No matter how tasty or beautiful a dish looks, it means nothing if it isn’t safe to eat. Clean kitchens build trust. That is why food safety and hygiene are the golden rules every chef must live by. They protect not only the customer but also the chef’s reputation.
A few things to look out for regarding hygiene and food safety:
1. Cleanliness: Chefs must always keep their hands, utensils, and workspace clean. Washing hands regularly, sanitizing cutting boards, and keeping knives spotless prevent the spread of germs.
2. Proper Storage: Food should be stored at the right temperature. Raw meat, chicken, etc. In the fridge or freezer, vegetables should be washed and stored properly, and cooked food must never sit out for too long. This stops bacteria from growing.
3. Avoid Cross-Contamination: One of the biggest mistakes in the kitchen is mixing raw and cooked food. For example, using the same cutting board for raw meat and salad vegetables can cause food poisoning. Chefs should prevent this by separating tools and areas for different foods.
4. Cooking food thoroughly: Undercooked meat, eggs, or seafood can be dangerous. A professional chef should know the right internal temperature to make food safe while still delicious.
5. Personal Hygiene: A clean uniform, neat hair, and trimmed nails may look professional, but they’re also about safety. No customer wants hair in their food.
5. Knife Skills
Ever wondered why the first thing noticed or praised in an Asian cooking movie or a food competition series is the knife skill? Yes, the knife skill. A good knife skill is the first thing that separates a home cook from a professional chef. It is not just about chopping fast like in movies, but chopping smart. Every chef’s journey starts with a knife. From dicing onions to filleting fish, with precision and speed. Proper knife skills save time, reduce waste, and improve presentation.
6. Creativity as an art of cooking
Cooking goes far beyond mixing ingredients to prepare food; it is an art where creativity plays a central role. Just like painting or music, cooking allows individuals to express imagination, skills, and personal flair through flavors, textures, and presentation.
Creativity in cooking can be seen in several ways:
1. Innovation with Ingredients
A creative cook finds new ways to use everyday ingredients. For example, turning yams into croquettes, using plantains for pancakes, or blending spices in unusual but pleasant combinations.
2. Presentation and Aesthetics
Food is not only about taste, it appeals to the eyes too. The arrangement of colors on a plate, the garnish, and the plating style all reflect creativity. This is why chefs say, “We eat first with our eyes.”
3. Adapting Cultural Influences
Creativity allows chefs to borrow ideas from different cultures, fusing them into unique dishes. For instance, combining African spices with European cooking techniques to create a “fusion cuisine.”
4. Problem-Solving in the Kitchen
Sometimes, creativity means improvising when ingredients are missing or equipment is limited. A resourceful cook finds innovative substitutes without compromising quality.
5. Emotional Expression
Just like an artist paints feelings into a canvas, a chef puts emotions into meals. Cooking becomes a language of love, celebration, or comfort, transforming food into an experience.
In essence, creativity makes cooking exciting and limitless. It turns an ordinary meal into a masterpiece, giving both the cook and the eater a sense of joy, surprise, and satisfaction.
Becoming a great chef is a lifelong journey. It requires dedication, discipline, and the courage to keep learning. While knife skills, sauces, and plating techniques are essential, it’s the human qualities, creativity, adaptability, and emotional intelligence that truly define culinary excellence. After all, the heart of cooking is not just about feeding people but about creating connections, joy, and lasting memories.
A great chef doesn’t just cook meals; they create meaningful experiences that last long after the plate is cleared.
