The art of cooking is like magic — we mix ingredients in different proportions and get a delicious result. But the most interesting thing is that some common seasonings can be used in a totally different way, resulting in a dish with remarkable flavor. Internet users shared the secret ingredients that help them cook like Jamie Oliver or Gordon Ramsay.

Butter

Fats are one of the main elements needed for great cooking. They add flavor and richness to food. And butter can be this source of fat. According to experts, there is nothing wrong with cooking with butter, just alternate it with olive oil, for example.

Welcome to French cooking! Chuck a slice of butter in the pan when frying steaks. Yum!

Lemon juice

We don’t tend to use lemon juice in cooking too often. We may squeeze some out over fried fish, for example, but that’s it. However, lemon is as important as salt. It brings out the flavor of a familiar dish. Plus, lemon juice makes food less fatty and heavy.

I put it in literally everything I make. You’d think it would make things taste lemony, but it doesn’t. The acid just brings out the flavor of everything you cook. It’s as important as salt.
People have said I make the best mashed potatoes. They don’t know it’s because I blast it full of lemon juice. Second that! Is the food too spicy? Squeeze some lemon juice over it. 

Smoked paprika

This spice is a relative of sweet paprika, but it has a delicious smoky flavor. You can add it literally to everything: meat, potatoes, goulash, even scrambled eggs — if you love the smoked taste, of course. However, it’s easy to add too much of it, so if you haven’t used it before, start with just a couple of pinches.

Mix it with mayo to get a “smoky mayo” for sandwiches and burgers. 

Sesame oil

It will really pep up a salad dish too. 

Fish sauce

Way back when I first tried to recreate restaurant-style fried rice, I discovered that fish sauce was one of the major flavors in it. A little goes a long way for me, but this stuff is magic. 

Cinnamon

“What is the secret?” you may ask. Everyone knows that cinnamon is absolutely essential in baking, and almost no buns or cakes are complete without it. But cinnamon can be added not only to sweet dishes: it will also add a delicious taste to meat and poultry.

Add cinnamon to ground meat or any red meat. Just a dash and it brings so many other flavors forward, especially if you’re baking or pan frying. 

Fennel

Not everyone likes the anise taste of fennel. But there are certain foods that taste so much better with fennel, like seafood, for example.

Anything that has tomato in it, I’m adding fennel to (be it fresh or seeds). The flavors just work so damn well together. 

Brown sugar

Just like cinnamon, this ingredient can be used not only in baking and sweet dishes. It adds the right touch of sweetness to sauces, marinades, and even bacon. It can be used to bake meat with an amazing crust in the oven or glaze roasted vegetables.

A little brown sugar in a savory dish will make dinner guests go nuts. I always have people begging me for my recipes because they want to know exactly what is enhancing the flavors so much, whether it be stews, soups, pastas, gravies, etc. The answer is always sugar, I just don’t tell them that!

Maple syrup

Real maple syrup is good for your health. It’s rich in antioxidants and easy to digest — easier than other sweeteners. You may have heard of maple syrup pancakes, but this product is much more versatile and can be safely used in meat and vegetable dishes.

I find a little maple syrup really adds something to pork, especially if you have a really good real maple syrup that’s rich and complex. 

Shallots

It’s like an onion garlic baby. I’ll put shallots in near everything. Can’t get enough of them. 

Do you know any other secret ingredients that make your food taste like heaven?