All chefs have their own way of doing things: cutting an onion, roasting potatoes, making a basic sauce. And all chefs will tell you their way is the right way. “You master things by doing them over and over,” says Michael Leviton, chef and owner of Lumiere and chef and partner of Area Four. But cheat where it makes sense. “Look, I’ve got two kids. I don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen when I’m at home.” Translation: Open a can of beans instead of soaking the dried variety, or buy biscuits instead of making them. Leviton’s list of the 10 things everyone should know about cooking covers the basics for many meals.