For the new faces here, hi I’m Sydnee Cooke.
I’m usually behind the camera, but every once in a while I like to step in.
I cook because I’m curious and love to eat. I like to understand how things works, what changes, what makes food great versus just good. Food just happens to be where that curiosity landed!
By day, I’m a corporate brand marketing manager, by night I’m working through writing an array of articles for my Substack and creating content for this food loving community.
I’m definitely a mix of city and country... I love a good restaurant, a glass of European wine, planning trips around food and museums. And I’m just as content at home, in the garden, hands in the dirt, cutting flowers, letting the day get away from me (Dahlias are my favorite).
Most nights, I’m cooking with music on, usually jazz or 70s disco, a glass of wine nearby, my tween daughter critiquing my cooking, my Great Pyrenees Talulha somewhere underfoot, and my two cats, Nacho and Nesta, pretending they don’t care but watching my every move.
I read cookbooks like novels. Researching at different points in my day to understand why something is the way it is. I pay attention to the small things most people skip over.
That’s what this turned into.
Ways to Cooke is about understanding what you’re doing in the kitchen so your food works… so it becomes second nature.
If you’re here for that, you’re in the right place. If you want to check out my Substack, the link is in my bio… I go much deeper into kitchen science there!
A Parmesan rind is pure umami.
As it simmers, it releases natural glutamates that make tomato sauce deeper and richer without adding salt.
Drop one in and let it melt slowly.
Remove what’s left before serving.
STOCK vs BROTH vs JUS
Here is how to actually tell them apart.
These three get swapped around in recipes like they are the same thing… but they are not.
Stock builds body and depth.
Broth brings seasoning and sip ability.
Jus hits with pure roast intensity.
The difference is simple. It is all about the source. Bones. Meat. Or drippings.
Save this for the next time a recipe calls for one and you want to get it right.
Which one do you use most in your kitchen?
If you want more cooking and kitchen knowledge you have never learned, you’ll LOVE my Substack! Link in my bio.
I eat chicken nuggets fully drowned in ketchup and mustard. Not a dip. A full glaze, so thick the breading disappears underneath it…
I know exactly how that sounds. I do not care.
There is a word for this kind of food. The kind your private self genuinely loves. The kind that does not survive the trip to your camera roll.
I named it. It is called the reverse food ick.
And once you start noticing yours, you cannot un-see how much of modern eating is actually performance.
The full essay is on Substack right now. The science behind why these foods feel so good. The cultural argument behind why we hide them. The closing line that has nothing to do with food.
Comment REVERSE and I will send it straight to your DMs.
Most fridges are set up for convenience. Not safety.
This layout follows basic food safety principles used in professional kitchens and backed by USDA guidance.
Cold air sinks. Raw juices drip. Placement matters.
Save this and fix yours.
More inside Substack. Link in my bio.
Crunch makes food feel finished.
There’s a reason soft foods start feeling weirdly unsatisfying after a few bites and why crispy onions can save an entire meal.
Your brain craves contrast more than people realize.
More food psychology and kitchen science on Substack through Ways to Cooke. link in bio.
You can taste the difference almost immediately.
Raw tomato paste has that sharp canned bite to it.
But once it hits hot oil for a minute or so, it gets darker, richer, and way more balanced. That deep restaurant-style flavor people can’t quite figure out usually starts here.
Tiny step. Huge difference.
I write a lot more about this kind of thing on my Substack if you’re trying to understand food instead of just following recipes.
Link’s in my bio.
The Perfect Chicken Seasoning ✨
Savory, smoky, balanced, and layered enough to work on everything from grilled chicken thighs to roasted vegetables and crispy wings.
Here’s the blend:
• 2 tbsp smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• 1 tbsp ground mustard
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp coarse black pepper
Makes about ¾ cup seasoning.
Use about 1 to 1½ tablespoons per pound of chicken depending on how bold you want the flavor.
Best on:
• Chicken thighs
• Wings
• Grilled chicken breasts
• Roasted potatoes
• Sheet pan vegetables
Store in an airtight jar for up to 6 months in a cool, dark pantry.
Save this for grilling season. 🍗✨
Potatoes often soften and break down when they boil.
A small amount of vinegar changes how quickly that happens, which is why some potatoes stay clean and structured while others turn grainy and fall apart halfway through cooking.
Especially helpful for:
• potato salad
• soups
• roasted potatoes after parboiling
Just enough acid to help them hold together longer.
Save this for the next time your potatoes go mushy. And if you love kitchen science and learning to become a better cook, you’ll love my Substack. I make it easy to understand, but more in depth! Link in my bio.
A grease fire looks dramatic, but the solution is not.
Small stovetop flames can be controlled if you stay calm and cut off the oxygen source.
Salt works because it smothers heat and blocks airflow.
Baking soda works because it releases carbon dioxide when heated.
Water and flour make it worse.
The real skill is knowing what to reach for and why it works.
If you want my full guide on oil flames, smoke points, and what ignites, comment “HEAT” and I will send the Substack link straight to your DMs.
Scallops are fast.
That’s the part people get wrong.
Same ingredient.
Different heat.
Different outcome.
If they’ve ever gone rubbery or pale, it wasn’t you.
It was the method.
I break down when to sear, when to slow down, and why timing matters more than anything over on Substack.
Link in bio.
Why your food tastes flat… and theirs doesn’t.
Restaurants season seven times. Most home cooks salt twice. That single gap is the whole reason your roast chicken tastes “fine” and theirs tastes like a memory.
The carousel walks through every layer — the seven moments to season, the salt science, the herb rules, the spice bloom, the acid principle.
I went deeper on the food chemistry over on Substack. The full essay covers why a pinch of salt makes chocolate sweeter. Why whole spices need hot fat to release their flavor. Why a squeeze of lemon will save a soup that more salt won’t.
→ Link in my bio
What’s the one seasoning rule that changed how you cook? Tell me below.
