They usually creep up on us when we’re in a rush or feeling a little bit lazy – time to call them out once and for all!

Food should never touch a cold pan. Want to make sure your ingredients don’t soak up oil and stick to cooking surfaces? Get your pan nice and hot, add the oil, then add the food.

Don’t allow yourself to work in a mess. Stay organized by cleaning utensils as you go and make use of a garbage bowl to keep your counters spotless. You’ll not only work efficiently, but also reduce the risk of cross contamination.

We all love a good pairing knife – but it’s not an all-purpose kitchen tool. Turn to your 8-inch chef knife for cutting meat, slicing vegetables, and mincing herbs. Reach for a serrated bread knife when it’s time to slice through a baguette, and save the paring knife for peeling fruits or cutting shapes into dough.

Don’t forget to taste as you cook. Cooking without tasting is like watching TV on mute. We can certainly hope for a happy ending but we won’t have a clue how the story is developing. Take the time to taste at every step of the recipe and adjust the spices, flavours and seasoning as you go.

Ever caught yourself falling into one of these traps?

Jonathan Ferrari, co-founder