(In English below)
Beaucoup de personnes, surtout les débutants, stressent à l’idée de cuisiner, surtout lorsqu’ils doivent recevoir. Hors la cuisine doit rester un plaisir, et, si parfois les recettes sont longues, elles ne sont JAMAIS compliquées. Il s’agit de cuisine, pas de chirurgie cardiaque. Sur les photos, mes tantes et ma soeur. Toutes sont des cuisinières de génie et adorent recevoir!
Alors voici quelques conseils à suivre si la nervosité vous gagne:
- Si vous stressez, c’est la preuve que vous voulez bien faire et cela en dit beaucoup sur vous et vos qualités humaines
- Planifiez un peu. Ayez tous les ingrédients dont vous avez besoin sous la main. Choisissez un menu qui vous permettra de cuisiner plusieurs plats à l’avance.
- Prenez votre temps. Cuisiner doit être un plaisir. Si c’est une corvée, recevez vos amis au restaurant ou demandez de l’aide! La plupart des gens seront heureux d’amener le déssert par exemple…
- N’oubliez pas d’utiliser vos 5 sens. Chaque expérience de cuisine doit vous séduire, vous stimuler, vous apaiser aussi… Sirotez un verre de vin pendant que vous cuisinez; ça aide :0)
- Rappelez-vous pour qui ou pourquoi vous cuisinez. L’amour et l’amitié sont propices à la créativité et à la motivation. Imaginez le plaisir qu’auront vos convives à déguster vos plats :0)
- Utilisez Youtube! Vous trouverez toujours une vidéo qui vous guidera. Un Ipad dans la cuisine c’est très utile :0)
- Quoi qu’il arrive, les vrais amis seront toujours reconnaissants des efforts que vous aurez fourni
- Si vous ratez un plat, pas de problème. Ajoutez de l’eau, un peu de vermicelle et un bouillon cube, et vous obtiendrez une très bonne soupe :0)
- Vous n’êtes pas dans une émission télé! Cuisiner n’est pas une compétition! La perfection c’est bien mais c’est le pire ennemi de l’authenticité!
- Beaucoup de personnes ont peur de recevoir des amis ou des membres de leur famille qu’ils croient être de meilleurs cuisiniers qu’eux. Le stress de recevoir un chef cuisinier à dîner est parfois très fort. Dans ces cas là, ne cuisinez que des plats que vous connaissez bien. Des plats traditionnels de base. N’essayez pas de créer ou de suivre des recettes abracadabrantes avec l’espoir d’impressionner. Les vrais cuisiniers préféreront toujours déguster un oeuf parfaitement cuit qu’un mélange fou d’ingrédients improbables. Comme dans tout, les choses simples, parfaitement exécutées, sont les plus appréciées.
- Rappelez-vous que vous êtes chez vous et que vous aurez mis tout votre coeur dans votre cuisine. Si un invité se montre critique ou difficile, foutez le dehors!
Many people, especially beginners, stress at the idea of cooking, especially when they are to host a dinner party. But working in the kitchen should be fun, and even if sometimes the recipes are long, they are NEVER complicated. After all, this is just cooking, not brain surgery! The pictures are of my aunts and sister. Each one of them is a fantastic hostess and a genius in the kitchen…
So here are some tips to follow if you feel nervous:
- A little bit of stress is proof that you want to do well, and that says a lot about you and your personality… A badge of honor in and of itself!
- Plan! Be proactive. Have all the ingredients you need on hand. Choose a menu that allows you to cook several dishes in advance.
- Take your time. Cooking should be fun. If it is a chore, people will feel it, and it defeats the purpose of the whole exercise. Invite your friends to a restaurant instead or ask for help! Most people will love to give you a hand or bring something!
- Do not forget to use your 5 senses. Each cooking experience must seduce you, stimulate you, soothe you… Sip a glass of wine while you cook, it helps :0)
- Remember who you are cooking for and why. Love and friendship are great motivators. Imagine the fun your guests will have as they discover and taste each dish :0)
- Use Youtube! You will always find a video that will guide you. An iPad in the kitchen is always very helpful :0)
- Whatever happens, true friends will always appreciate the effort that you have put in
- If you mess something up, no problem! Add noodles and broth, and you’ll end up with a very good soup :0)
- You are not on a TV show! Cooking is not a competition! Perfection is good, but it is the enemy of authenticity!
- Many people are afraid to invite friends or family members they believe to be better cooks than they are. The stress of hosting a chef for dinner can be overwhelming. In cases like these, do not cook food that you are not too familiar with. Do not try to create or follow complicated recipes hoping to impress. Real chefs will always prefer to enjoy a perfectly cooked egg rather than a crazy mix of unlikely ingredients. As with everything else in life, simple things, well executed, are always the best.
- Remember that you are in your own home and that you have put all your heart and a lot of your precious time in your cooking. If a guest doesn’t behave, kick him out!
MY FRENCH HEAVEN 
Excellent advice, as always!
Thanks for the reference!
Don’t know why, but I seem to do better with leftovers. I believe food should never be wasted so always use leftovers. Perhaps there is less stress involved in throwing a meal together with leftovers and more creative though can go into it.
I would add a 12th one if I may: Clean the kitchen thoroughly before you start and as you go along; it is very difficult to create greatness in disorder.
Absolutely right!!
Oui! Must remember we are in our own home!!
😉
Hi Stéphane, I agree with your advice, especially #10! Unfortunately I do not get invited for dinner, and I expect you to have the same problem.
#5 in English is unintentionally funny. Didn’t know you’re a cannibal 😉
🙂 🙂 yes, I guess there is a “for” missing there 🙂
Love the sentiments here Stephane!
Thanks darling!!
What beautiful pictures! A great idea for a post too – I always find myself rushing about stressing about nothing because I don’t think ahead (or read recipes in advance, doh)…
Cooking should be relaxing. Always! 😉 Thanks for you comment Joanna!
If only one like myself could be less perfectionist right? Thanks for sharing 🙂
I am an extreme perfectionist myself. Some would say crazy perfectionist. I think it’s better than not caring. On the other hand, we have to make sure it doesn’t get to the point where we make ourselves miserable… 😉
When I was starting out in the kitchen I would use a dinner party as an excuse to try new recipes… with the inevitable results. Now I plan menus around one simple criterion – all the dishes have to allow me to spend as little time in the kitchen as possible.. once the guests arrive. I want to talk to them and enjoy their company. And stress free food really does taste better!
You are so right!! It took me YEARS to learn that very important lesson 😉
🙂
Add noodles and broth? I love that one!
Everything is better with noodles and broth 😉
And yes a good tip about keeping it simple when inviting good cooks to dinner. A real foodie will enjoy a simple home cooked meal done well.
Absolutely. I think that the people who overcomplicate things are often the ones who lack the skills…
I love No. 11. Unfortunately I was more than once in the situation I should have follow that advice, but my good manners (thanks mum and dad) kept me off. Never invited those guys a second time…
Good for you!!
What lovely photos of your family. And I like the bit about kicking misbehaving guests – I can think of a few that deserved a kick……
😉 You can poison them. That works too 🙂
Excellent advice. Though, I like BBC Radio 4 as a backdrop. Either that or some popular opera.
Amen!
I think we go to the same church Janet! My church is the kitchen. That’s were I pray 🙂
These tips are all so true! (Particularly the wine! It DOES help.)
😉
I often cook a new recipe (or three!) when guests are coming over. Sipping wine definitely helps! My friends refer to themselves as ‘very willing guinea pigs’. I figure the worst that can happen is that the dish doesn’t turn out and tastes terrible. We can always order takeout and laugh about the experience for years to come!
Exactly right Alison! 😉
Nice advice, Stephane. I find music in the kitchen makes the task at hand that much more enjoyable and creates a great mood.
Yes, agreed! Have to have some music!
These are wonderful tips! All so true. We should always remember that cooking is fun and to keep in mind the why of it all. And, of course, not to forget to sip a glass of wine! 🙂
Kenley
What a wonderful post! I’m going to share this with my friends who love cooking. Thank you!
Ahhh, sounds like a beautiful thing. I love to cook and cook with love so this resonates with me. And lets not forgot Play with Your Food!
Here’s To your Health,
Great advice. #8 is especially useful!
I love #9. I have many friends who are paralyzed by fear when cooking for others. But the glass of wine does help … 😉
You always make my day less stressful just by stopping by your place for a visit! Thank you….
I am so glad darling!!!
🙂 🙂 🙂
Such great tips! I love tip #6 I use YouTube a lot for cooking! 🙂
I love #1 because I cannot imagine not stressing just a little bit over wanting the night to go perfectly.:)
Great advice, thank you! I especially like #4 – both working with all five senses, and sipping wine while cooking. I always sip wine, but I don’t always think of my meals in terms of all 5 senses!
You have a beautiful family Stephane. And what wonderful advice! I love that I can see your blog again!