Turn Up the Heat

Don’t be scared of the heat! If you are looking for a sear, you need to bring on high levels of heat. Without a smoking-hot pan, it will be close to impossible to achieve a crispy, caramelised browning on your steak, chicken or fish. Also, be sure not to overcrowd the pan when searing, otherwise the pan will cool down too much, and there will not be enough heat from the bottom of the pan or circulating around the meat in the pan. – Sydney Willcox

Let Your Meat Sit Out Before Cooking

If you’re going to cook a steak, for instance, take it out of your fridge and let it come to room temperature before you throw it on the grill or in the oven. A lot of times people will take meat from a cooler and throw it on the grill and want it medium rare. What do you think the inside is going to be? Cold, right? Let your meat come up to room temperature. – Aarón Sánchez, chef at Johnny Sánchez, NY.

Take Advantage of Salt

Be sure to use a high-quality coarse salt for finishing your dishes; this is an easy way to really transcend your home cooking to restaurant-level quality. You can also use flavoured salts, such as smoked salt, to add depth. – Willcox