There’s a strong sense of pride and accomplishment that comes from cooking your own meals; from taking ingredients and combining them to create eye-catching and mouth-watering dishes that can please you and your family and friends. The only problem: For many of us, cooking looks so complex and frustrating that it doesn’t seem worth our time. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, all it takes to build confidence in the kitchen is a firm grasp of the basic concepts, methods, and techniques used every day by chefs. While cookbooks are pretty to look at and cooking shows are certainly entertaining, neither of them truly teaches the lost art of cooking; neither of them truly demonstrates the fundamentals and step-by-step strategies that go into creating a wide range of dishes. With just a bit of education, you can master how to cook and forget about being anxious in the kitchen. You’ll be able to - transform everyday ingredients into restaurant-quality dishes, - create delicious meals for both casual weekday dinners and large holiday celebrations, - learn how to work with unique tastes and ingredients to expand your palate, - avoid spending money on expensive meals or unhealthy fast food, and - rediscover the joy of cooking and eating.