Why Richard Blais Says Cooking With Pork Is Perfect For Beginners

Celebrity chef Richard Blais has plenty of handy tips for amateur chefs, something that can be super useful for those who are experimenting with cooking at home. Need an example? Chew on this: Blais told TODAY that one should not underestimate the power of swapping ingredients. He explained, "I look at swaps more as what ingredients can be swapped for other ingredients." 

How? Well, if he's avoiding sugar in a salsa recipe, he will use tomatoes, peppers, onions, and healthier options such as raisins and dates instead of sugar. The results are as delicious as ever. Works well, doesn't it?

Also, chef Blais thinks that eating veggies can be made a lot easier if you grill them instead of cooking them using traditional methods. He said, "It kind of tricks your mind because you think, 'I eat hamburgers off the grill.'" Additionally, Blais suggests working with pork if you are not very confident in the kitchen and want to take it easy. Here's why.

Per Insider, pork is something that can be pretty easy for chefs to cook with, especially if they are new to the kitchen, on account of the fact that it can be prepared faster than other meats. Also, it's a versatile dish that can be made in several ways. Richard Blais thinks pork's biggest strength is the fact that it is a "forgiving ingredient," which means that you do not have to worry too much about making mistakes while preparing the meat.

Here's an interesting fact, though: If the chef really had to choose his primary ingredient, Blais would work with seafood first. He told Parade, "I do not believe in signature dishes, and I go back and forth with my favorites, though I think I have a gentler hand with seafood. Seafood gives you the ability to bring a lot of different textures to the surface."