One Reason He Makes It Look So Easy

Yesterday, I was watching Emeril Lagasse's TV show. He was showing his television and studio audience how to prepare a cassoulet.

It occurred to me how effortless it was for him to prepare this recipe. It's safe to say that anyone who becomes a chef has a certain knack for cooking. But it occurred to me that there are a few other reasons why it seemed so easy for him to prepare a complicated dish like cassoulet.

First, he does a whole lot of cooking and, as the adage goes, "practice makes perfect."

Second, you never see people like Emeril or Paula Deen slicing, chopping or dicing their own ingredients. Instead, when they need to add chopped celery, diced potatoes, or chopped fresh oregano, they simply reach a foot to their right and pick up a nice little bowl of it (already measured, of course) and pour it into the pot or skillet.

I will never cook as well as Emeril, but I would spend a lot more time in the kitchen if I had someone to cut, slice or chop my ingredients for me.