9 Kitchen Habits That Annoy Professional Chefs Most — and How to Avoid Them

Professional chefs spend their waking hours streamlining workflows and finessing techniques to create the meals we enjoy. They know that kitchen towels are indispensable and knives should always stay sharp. They’ve learned the do’s and don’t’s of running a restaurant kitchen, so it only makes sense that they’d have strong opinions when it comes to the mistakes they see home cooks making all the time. We asked pro chefs about the kitchen habits that annoy them the most and they had a lot to spill. Here are their top nine kitchen pet peeves, plus the tools they recommend for a more efficient kitchen, including a Microplane zester, OXO salad spinner, and Messermeister sharpening rod. 

Chef-Recommended Kitchen Tools for Fixing Bad Kitchen Habits

• Trydiffer Collapsible Colander, Set of 2, $18
• Messermeister 10-Inch Ceramic Sharpening Rod, $65
• Sharp Pebble Premium Whetstone Knife Sharpening Stone, $36, originally $40
• OXO Good Grips Large Salad Spinner, $25, originally $30
• Maldon Salt Sea Salt Flakes, 20-Ounce Bucket, $15, originally $16
• Merrylun Pull-Out Cabinet Organizer, $26
• Homwe Cutting Boards, 3-Pack, $22
• Microplane Premium Classic Series Zester Grater, $18
• Made In Cookware 5-Quart Stainless Steel Saucier Pan, $189

Rinsing Your Pasta

Trydiffer Collapsible Colander, Set of 2

Isabel Chung, executive chef at the Fairmont Empress in Victoria, Canada, says rinsing pasta is a big mistake because it “washes away the starch coating” that’s needed to “help sauce stick to the noodles.” To achieve the perfect texture in cacio e pepe or creamy carbonara, Chung recommends draining your pasta in spacious colanders like these collapsible silicone ones (but not rinsing it!) and reserving a bit of starchy cooking water to finish the dish.

Working with Dull Knives

Messermeister 10-Inch Ceramic Sharpening Rod

Chef Chung also shares that it’s important to keep your knives sharp. “Your cuts will look better and it’s much safer” to slice with a super sharp knife, compared to a dull blade that could slip and result in injury, she explains. For keeping her blades sharp on the daily, Chung turns to this Messermeister honing steel that happens to be one of our favorites, too. In our tests, we found it to be a forgiving sharpening rod that’s great for beginners and experts alike. 

Sharp Pebble Premium Whetstone Knife Sharpening Stone

“Dull knives are my biggest pet peeve,” agrees Daniel Boling, executive chef at the Katharine Brasserie and Bar in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. “Not only is it dangerous, but it also makes cooking take twice as long.” Boling recommends this whetstone stone, which, when used with water, keeps the blade cool and protects it from heat damage in addition to sharpening.

Using Soggy Salad Greens

OXO Good Grips Large Salad Spinner

Boling has another pet peeve that needs to be addressed immediately: Soggy lettuce. “It ruins even the best-dressed salad,” he says. “A proper salad spinner is a must to keep your greens crisp and fresh.” He trusts this OXO Good Grips salad spinner that quickly removes excess water from greens, ensuring your salads stay light and fresh.

Undersalting Pasta

Maldon Salt Sea Salt Flakes, 20-Ounce Bucket

A lot of chefs say that your pasta’s cooking water should taste like the ocean. Scott Conant, head chef at The Americano in Atlanta, Georgia, warns: “If your water isn’t seasoned like a well-made broth, you’re missing out.” Since salt is a flavor enhancer, it’s “your best shot at building a great foundation for your dish.” He advises home cooks to taste the water for a noticeable “salty kick” before the pasta even goes in. There are plenty of salt options, but this $15 bucket of Maldon sea salt will certainly provide you with more than enough.

Not Cleaning as You Go

Merrylun Pull-Out Cabinet Organizer

Kenneth Wan, chef and owner at MAKfam in Denver, Colorado, sees a lot of home cooks skipping the essential practice of “cleaning as you go.” He warns that executing a recipe with multiple steps and a dozen or more ingredients, but not tidying up during the process will lead to a counter “littered with kitchen tools, seasonings, and pots and pans.” Wan says home cooks should optimize their kitchen space with storage solutions like this pull-out cabinet that slides out to offer full visibility of spices or cookware. Plus, it affixes to cabinets using adhesives — no drilling required.

Having One Cutting Board for Everything

Homwe Cutting Boards, 3-Pack

While it may sound like a productivity hack, using a single cutting board to chop everything isn’t advised by professional chefs. “This practice can lead to cross-contamination and impact both food safety and flavor,” says Gerardo Duarte, executive chef at Mayahuel in Astoria, Queens. He recommends grabbing cutting boards in various sizes, like this set that’s a “durable and easy-to-clean option.”

Neglecting Fresh Citrus and Herbs

Microplane Premium Classic Series Zester Grater

Skipping fresh herbs and citrus means missing out on “a key layer of brightness that can elevate any dish,” warns Richard Sandoval, chef and owner at Maya and Tán in New York City. “Keep a Microplane zester handy,” Sandoval says. It makes quick work of zesting fresh limes or lemons to finish a dish.

Relying on Measuring Cups

Etekcity Food Kitchen Scale with Bowl

Bakers, here’s your sign to replace your measuring cups with a digital food scale. Katherine Sprung, pastry chef and owner of Squish Marshmallows, says that when baking, “You have one shot to get all your ingredients right.” Measuring cups aren’t always reliable, since the amount of ingredients “can vary depending on how you’re packing it in the measuring cup.” To fix this bad habit, grab Sprung’s recommended kitchen scale, which comes with a removable bowl so “you can measure your ingredients straight in there, and add it to your bigger mixing bowl or pot.”

Cooking in the Wrong-Sized Pan

Made In Cookware 5-Quart Stainless Steel Saucier Pan

Too often, home cooks overcrowd their pans, according to Joe Cash, owner and chef at Scoundrel in Greenville, South Carolina. This can result in steaming your food instead of searing it or splattering sauce everywhere because the pan’s sides are too low. Cash’s personal favorites are the Made In saucier pans, which come in a variety of sizes and are designed with tall, splayed edges that “allow for a lot of versatility.” Next time, if you’re throwing vegetables into a pan with reckless abandon, take a pause and ask yourself: “Should I be using a bigger pan?” The answer is likely “yes.”