Do professional chefs use recipes? Follow a recipe or freestyle, do chefs, or for that matter, does anyone really use or follow recipes? These days many of us have trouble finding time for the simple things in life, let alone cooking. We quickly discover that cooking involves both technical and artistic aspects, and if nothing else, we can save time by following recipes.

Cooking techniques are as old a fire, so why reinvent the wheel? Following a recipe gives us a head start, learning from the mistakes of others. With experience, cooking becomes easier, and then with success, cooking becomes fun.

Let’s take a look at recipes; who uses them, why they are useful, and how we can use them.