I have not been too bad at cooking – generally speaking. But in recent years as I started paying attention to my culinary skills, I started noticing something … it dawned upon me that cooking could be treated as an engineering problem. One can become form “good” to “great” by applying simple cooking principles as follows –

Here’s a step-by-step “project workflow” for creating culinary success –

1. Blueprint Your Process: Like any design phase of an engineering project, a well-defined process is key.  Start with a well-reviewed recipe. By repetition, build upon the recipe, modify as necessary to arrive at the “optimum” – i.e. your own version of tried-and-true robust version which can be easily replicated by you.
2. Quality Control in Sourcing: Ingredients are your raw materials. High-quality inputs mean fewer defects in the final “product.” Let us not skimp on the quality of inputs.
3. Process Optimization and Simplification: Use time-saving techniques. Reengineer the process to get to maximal efficiency which balances the time spent and quality of the food.  Sequence tasks (chopping, simmering) with a critical path– GANTT Chart mindset to reduce overall “processing time.” This is particularly important if you are cooking multiple dishes at a time. For example, leverage the “dead time” while one dish is being cooked to do the prep work from the other one(s).
4. Resource Efficiency: Pre-cut veggies or spice mixes are like buying prefabricated parts—faster assembly with only a slight compromise.
5. Add Delightful Features: Enhance “user experience” with unexpected garnishes or exotic flavors. This adds a “wow” factor for the consumer.
6. Avoid Commodity Output: Why settle for ordinary? Bring a “value-added” twist to make the meal unique, with a touch of gourmet. Do not be afraid to try to do something different, something new or something unexpected.

Remember, cooking is a multi-disciplinary project blending creativity and precision. With these engineering-inspired strategies, even a kitchen novice can deliver a “high-value final product”—a meal that’s efficient, delicious, and a little bit extraordinary. Cooking, after all, is just another problem-solving exercise! Here is my insight for whatever it is worth! Happy Cooking!