I’ve watched a lot of cooking shows. Chefs I like: Gordon Ramsay, Curtis Stone. 

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 
Most Helpful

I love cooking. During quarantine I tried to expand my recipe base and tried a lot of new things. I still have a lot to learn, but I now usually prefer cooking to getting takeout.

A few important things I have learned so far:

  • Don't be afraid of heat - I was scared of burning/overcooking things with high heat from being told for years not to turn the stove up that far, but often times this is how you create an awesome sear/fond 
  • Don't be afraid of salt - there is a huge war on sodium rn but research has shown that other factors are much greater contributors to hypertension. Also salt/MSG brings out flavor
  • In the same vein as salt, don't be afraid to season liberally. This sometimes means using way more than you think you need  
  • Chicken thighs are superior to chicken breast in pretty much every way (flavor, texture, cookability) besides fat content (if you care about that)
  • Butchering your own chicken allows you to save money and also gives you access to the bones and other undesirable areas of the bird which you can use to make your own stock 
  • Raw garlic is far better than minced garlic in a jar or granulated garlic (with the exception of maybe dry rubs) even though its kind of a bitch to process
  • Garlic flavor can also be adjusted dramatically not only be the volume of garlic used, but  also by when you decide to integrate the garlic during the cooking process. Adding it later on increases the garlic flavor, but be careful as its easy to overdo it and just end up with a bitter dish
  • Growing your own aromatics can be fun and they are noticeably better tasting/more fragrant than that of which you can buy in the store 
  • Typically you can make things taste interesting/good if you combine certain flavor profiles. I.e. acid and fat, sweet and spice, etc. 
  • Roasting vegetables is a game changer - idk about you guys, but i grew up on steamed/boiled veggies and it made me hate them. Roasting with olive oil and spices make them so much more appealing 
 

Chicken thighs were a revelation to me

One tray’s worth of chicken thighs with roast sweet potatoes got me through first term of uni, still haven’t found anything easier to wash up with same nutrition 

 

I love to cook. It's a creative outlet for me and I have a ton of fun doing it. Probably the thing I'm most proud of really. There are a lot of shortcuts you can take, but the extra effort you put into a dish really shines and it's a fantastic way to show people that you care. It doesn't have to be rolling out your own pasta dough, it's honestly as simple as taking the time to make sure that all your veggies are the same size so they cook uniformly.

I really hope this thread gets some traction and we get to talk about cooking more.

 

I agree. Cooking has become one of my passions and it is such a simple way to have something to look forward to ever day 

 

I've never tried the air fryer, but am curious. Do you view it as a substitute for traditional pan/deep frying, or something entirely different? 

 

It complements it, and does substitute pan-frying or roasting for a lot of things. Takes less energy and is easier to clean up. Ridiculously easy to do something like asparagus closer to the coils and salmon on another rack, chicken especially comes out really well imo. It's not a substitute for things like cooking steaks, but it does work for a good amount of things, especially if you have a pretty small kitchen I'd say.

Quant (ˈkwänt) n: An expert, someone who knows more and more about less and less until they know everything about nothing.
 

not very good but trying to improve

I force myself to try and "catalog" a new recipe each week, while cycling through the old ones until I become good at them (the cycle is simply adjusted according to the season)

have about 30 down but that's nothing compared to even some amateur cooks who can pull off hundreds of different dishes  

 

This is so true. Chicken thighs are extremely versatile and take well to many different types of marinades/brines. Once you get down the basics of tenderizing your chicken and infusing flavor its amazing how enjoyable it can be day after day. I have about 10 different rubs/marinades that I rotate through that are super easy to pair with various vegetable/starch combinations. The possibilities are endless

 

Honestly ramen with just an egg over easy on top is money.

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

My family and friends consider me a great cook. When I was four years old, I learned to make fettuccini and tomato sauce from scratch with my grandmother, while my grandfather provided tomatoes and basil from his garden for the sauce. When I was eleven, I cooked a lemon meringue pie for Easter Sunday and Beef Wellington for Christmas dinner, the latter being a recipe that I made with very little help from my mother. When I was sixteen, I cooked my first risotto with my mum, creating a recipe that we have adapted with both chicken and seafood. From the age of fifteen to the present, I have prepared an excellent tiramisù on holidays and occasional birthdays. Finally, as of 2 March 2021, my twentieth birthday, I learned how to make Bananas Foster for the first time. Everything on this list, and those that I have not included, were excellent in both taste and presentation.

 

Wow bro sounds awesome - yeah good cooking skills are great to have. Moments we spend with others around food are very memorable, especially if it is a well executed meal.

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

Isaiah, your words are definitely true. In my family, we have always valued food as the greatest gift we could offer one another, so it makes me happy to see that people can enjoy the great skill of cooking as much as I have. Thank you very much for creating this great post!

 

My favorites are steak (filet mignon), salmon (bourbon marinade), broccoli, asparagus, stir fry, mashed potatoes.

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 
jonjonsnow

Girl must love you a lot

Yeah I didn’t tell her I knew how to cook until one day she cooked really bland chicken and it was so bland I had to recook it and then she found out.

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

Unfortunately, I've never had too much luck with the ladies. Having suffered from multiple emotional disorders and other disabilities, I was always considered the "outcast" or the "special kid" from kindergarten to my senior year of high school, and it didn't take much effort for people to be turned off at anything I did. I've only had a successful night with one special lady, for whom I cared very much, on the night of my senior prom. Ever since, nothing's been good.

 

Yes I enjoy cooking. I'm not really into making big meals. I'd rather maximise the taste:time ratio. A great YouTube chef that inspired my cooking style is Kenji Lopez Alt. Would highly recommend his channel for anyone getting into cooking. His food is orientated around quick and tasty meals from around the world, he's also an extremely knowledgable guy.

 

Nope, my goal in life was to make enough money I could just order meal delivery for the rest of my life.

Cooking sucks.

Yes I know I'm a woman. Make your own damn sandwich.

Currently: future neurologist, current psychotherapist Previously: investor relations (top consulting firm), M&A consulting (Big 4), M&A banking (MM)
 

got covid and cant smell anything so i started eating ass. used to think it was just blatantly revolting but its okay now 

 

Rerum et vel illo quia. Tenetur voluptate consequatur dolorem dolorem blanditiis et sit. Iste in assumenda consectetur dolor sit. Saepe corporis esse nisi ut provident doloribus at. Qui fugiat nobis quia magni. Vel soluta dolores voluptas maiores molestiae consequuntur ipsa. Rerum ut accusantium quod ratione et.

Velit itaque ducimus rem placeat consequatur. Molestias quisquam quas expedita quisquam eveniet laborum deserunt molestiae. Eum sit aut provident voluptate voluptate. Ratione omnis eum id non.

Dolorum earum non fugiat tenetur voluptatibus voluptas voluptas. Sit quia inventore quis aut. Laboriosam eum ut qui dolorem assumenda qui. Id ullam maiores iure.

Asperiores est sed odit est provident omnis. Qui ut odio qui minus. Et culpa qui ipsam et unde possimus. Eum nemo et id aliquid iure quae possimus.

 

Omnis cum nostrum ex eum reprehenderit. Et enim earum aperiam quos eligendi harum explicabo at. Dicta laudantium perferendis doloribus nihil explicabo quas ipsam iste. Est distinctio molestias tempore laboriosam impedit.

Minima dolore dolore nemo repellendus voluptas non. Enim omnis quae ullam nobis autem dolor temporibus. Rerum at at tempora quam exercitationem numquam. Corporis voluptas et odit laborum aliquam inventore nihil. Dolores odio laudantium assumenda.

Nisi quasi consequatur illo neque enim aut. Est ut quae sint quia. Aut quo necessitatibus libero porro.

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee

Career Advancement Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. (++) 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (86) $261
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (13) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (66) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (202) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (144) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
7
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”