Secrets of the Best Chefs

WHEN YOU’RE FINISHED chopping something, like a tomato,
don’t lift it into a bowl; place the bowl beneath the cutting
board and slide it in. That way nothing—the juices, the pulp—
goes to waste.
IF YOU’RE CUTTING something that wants to roll around (like
an eggplant), slice an edge off and create a landing strip to keep
it steady.
NEVER STARE at a pan while you’re waiting for something to
cook. “Staring at a pan is like staring at a cat,” says Waxman.
“Don’t do it.”