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You need to read recipes before you can start to experiment in the kitchen. Even those cooks you know who claim they don't use recipes, have read their fair share of recipes and even have some saved. A great way to find reliable sources is by researching a specific recipe. Do an online search of something common like "chili" or "baked mac n' cheese." Read several recipes and choose one that has a good online rating and that looks interesting to you. Comments on websites aren't reliable, but you can generally get a decent idea of how successful a recipe was due to the comments. Ask for suggestions as well. Your friends who enjoy cooking probably have their favorite websites or cookbooks. Don't be afraid to ask. You should also ask your family members. There are certain family recipes that grandmothers like to keep in the family and are usually incredible. Once you start to build a repertoire of credible recipes, start cooking. If you are new to cooking, try to cook as much as you can. Most recipes have a difficulty rating and you should use this as a guide and cook easy recipes. There is no need to start ambitiously by making homemade gnocchi. Try cooking some of these basic recipes: Spaghetti and meatballs Garlic bread Frittata Fried chicken Burgers French toast Read the entire recipe before cooking. It helps beginners and pros alike to have a printed out, edited recipe in front of them. Today there are several types of cookbooks that range on skill sets and cuisines. Take a bit of time to consider some of the following recommended cookbooks: Afro Vegan by Bryant Terry. The Ode to Southern Food by Edna Lewis Momofuku by David Chang and Peter Meehan The Zuni Cafe Cookbook by Judy Rodgers There are also great food blogs/websites like http://food52.com or http://smittenkitchen.com Once you start to become more familiar with cooking and recipes, you can set out to tackle more complex recipes. You might ruin one or two recipes as you work your way up to become a good cook. The point is to learn and overcome from difficulties in the kitchen. Many recipes termed "advanced," merely require planning from you and sometimes need to be prepped the night before. Try out some of these dishes that are considered difficult: paella, beef wellington, or mole. These recipes will take a fair amount of time, but you will feel unstoppable if you can finish one of these. Improve your cooking skills by forcing yourself to only eat your own creations. This will help you master your favorite dishes, but it will also inspire you to create new flavors. Cook meals in large quantities to eat leftovers at work. Cooking all meals takes planning and will power, but you will learn by cooking a lot! Contain your urge to eat at your favorite restaurants by cooking a similar dish. A key to being a good cook is to be open to different cuisines from various cultures. You need to experience a wide variety of flavors to help foster your creativity as a cook. Go to a restaurant of a cuisine you have never tried like: Korean, Cuban, Indian, Ethiopian, or Mediterranean. Talk to foodies for inspiration. Seek out your friend who thinks of herself as a foodie and ask for a restaurant recommendation. Try to go out to dinner with this person to get even more of a food experience. Cooking shows are a great way to watch how recipes are made and offer plenty of helpful cooking tips. You can watch the food channel, which is exclusively reserved for television programs catered around cooking and food. There are also plenty of online videos about cooking that range from amateurs to professional chefs.
Seek out reliable recipes. Cook several recipes. Work through a cookbook. Prepare tougher recipes. Cook all your meals. Expand your palate. Watch cooking shows.