Top Chefs Dish Out Budget-Conscious Cooking Tips

With all the recent disruptions and closures, you're probably cooking a lot right now. Maybe you're in your element, or maybe this is an adjustment (dear breakfast-on-the-go, food-court-desk-lunch, takeout-for-dinner crowd, we see you, we feel you). Whatever your level of expertise, it can be hard to come up with new ideas, especially ones that don't break the bank and don't require ingredients you can't get your hands on.

In a recent conversation with Inspired Investor, some of Canada's top chefs shared their favourite budget-conscious cooking tips. From simple ingredients that punch above their weight to delicious dinners that practically make themselves, here's what they had to say.

"Plan it. It will assist you with focus and keep you organized," says Nicole Gomes, founder/proprietor at Cluck N Cleaver in Calgary. " If you are an aspiring cook, study, learn, stay open, ask questions…remain curious." And what should you cook? "Vegetables, grains and legumes are cheap and good for you. If protein is a desire, chicken, of course!"

For Paula Navarrete, former executive chef at Toronto's Momofuku Kōjin, the best cheap-and-cheerful ingredient has to be yogurt. “You can just eat it as is, or make sauces, dips, garnishes, seasoning. It's so versatile! And sometimes it makes you feel fancy."

Executive chef at Hôtel-Musée Premières Nations in Wendake, Que. Olivier Bernadet is all about the leftovers: “It is crazy what you can do with a little bit of rice, soy sauce, a couple of vegetables and leftover chicken, beef or fish. Try a good stir-fried rice, or pho soup. I really love Asian food."

François Privé, executive chef at Bistro L'Atelier in Quebec City, also toutes the merits of leftovers, and his favourite vehicle for consuming them is homemade mac 'n' cheese. “You can use all the leftovers in the fridge. Meat, cheese, mushroom…. My kids love it!"

For business insights and life lessons from these top chefs, check out Recipes for Success.