11 Common Mistakes New Cooks Make In The Kitchen

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11 Common Mistakes New Cooks Make In The Kitchen — And How To Avoid Them By Melanie Andrade Oct. 15, 2025 2:40 pm EST

No one is born a great cook. We promise you — it's a skill built over time and through a fair bit of trial and error. For every beginner who has stepped into the kitchen and felt intimidated or confused about where to begin, we know the feeling. We also know how small mistakes can quickly derail a meticulously planned meal, but the good news is that these glitches are entirely avoidable.

Every misstep is also a lesson — and we turned to two seasoned chefs who know what it takes to build confidence in the kitchen. Chef Simone Byron, founder and president of The Navigate Program , works with high school students and young adults to equip them with real-wo