The Best Way To Get Out Of Your Kitchen Rut, According To Top Chef's Dale Talde

Celebrity chef Dale Talde always knew that food can be one way to make people happy. According to his website, Talde was only a child and growing up in Chicago when he started exploring cooking with his mom. His parents, Filipino immigrants, were happy to raise their son in a multicultural environment, and his Asian-American upbringing has been a huge influence in his cooking style. Ever since, Talde has stayed true to his experiences in all of his culinary adventures.

As Talde told the Village Voice, for him, one of his most favorite meals is his mom's signature dish, chicken adobo. As he has said, "...I grew up eating it, smelling it, watching her caramelizing the onions. It wasn't until three years ago that I realized how she did that. Chefs like us cook things really softly." Talde added that his mom taught him to appreciate cooking step-by-step instead of rushing the process.

As an experienced taskmaster in the kitchen and a popular television personality, not to mention the owner of several successful restaurants, Talde also knows that cooking can be a little unpredictable sometimes and you may find yourself struggling to feel inspired in the kitchen. There is a way out, though.

As far as Dale Talde is concerned, it's very possible to get motivated while cooking in the kitchen, even after experiencing a rut. As he told Foodsided, "...The reality is people aren't scared to cook these days anymore. They just need to feel inspired." One of the best ways to feel excited about cooking, he says, is to watch other chefs create magic in the kitchen. Hence why cooking shows continue to be so popular.

Talde is doing his part through his engaging shows and appearances on series like "Top Chef." His latest experiment is a new Tastemade show called "All Up In My Grill" where Talde hopes to motivate more people to take advantage of the summer and experiment with the art of grilling. As he says of the series, he hopes the episodes "inspire you to get out there and [use a] grill in a way that maybe you didn't see it or understand." And Talde hopes that home chefs can look at the grill as an "outdoor kitchen" instead of feeling restricted by what they can cook outside. 

For Talde, inspiration also comes from acknowledging that cooking is not a chore, but rather it can be a fun activity filled with endless possibilities. As he told Foodsided, he likes to start with the "theme of the meal" (maybe it's Spanish tapas or Mexican street food). As such, he suggests rather than looking at individual components such as what protein and starch you might use, hone in on the bigger picture as that's essential to staying engaged and having fun.