7 celebrity chefs share their one rule of cooking everyone needs to know.

Over the past 18 months, everyone has been cooking. Because, well, we've been forced to. 

Whether that's as simple as whipping up some boxed cookies (we've all been there) or putting on an eight-hour roast, all this time at home has allowed us to get creative in the kitchen.

Watch the trailer for Mamamia's food podcast, What I Eat When. Post continues below.

Now, with millions of us in lockdown, we thought it was time to compile cooking tips from our favourite celebrity chefs to help improve our culinary skills even more.

From cooking hacks to pantry staples, here's what they shared.

Diana Chan

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Diana Chan | MasterchefAU 🥇👩‍🍳 (@diana.chan.au)

"Salt is my number one flavour enhancer," the 2017 MasterChef winner shared with Mamamia. 

"I never run out of salt, and if I run low, I start to get anxious. Joking, but it’s true - I season practically every dish with salt."

Justine Schofield

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Justine Schofield (@justineschofield)

"Never throw away champagne, white wine or red wine that has not been drunk at the bottom of the bottle and has oxidised a little," Schofield told Mamamia.

"Place in a container and freeze. It’s always handy when you need just a splash to make a sauce or to add to a lovely French stew."

Poh Ling Yeow

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Poh Ling Yeow (@pohlingyeow)

"If you support local and buy seasonally, the ingredients would have travelled fewer miles and are picked at their optimal state, so it takes less effort for the produce to shine,' the MasterChef alum told Daily Mail Australia.

"When produce is at its best, olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon is usually all you need. Sometimes heat isn't even necessary, and raw is best."

Jamie Oliver

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jamie Oliver (@jamieoliver)

"Buy four really good knives. Spend a couple of hundred dollars, and you’ll have them into your 60s. Buy some big chopping boards instead of a load of bendy, cheap ones. It will cost you $100," Oliver told Food and Wine in 2015.

"It’s money well spent, really. There are very few things you do two or three times a day, every day for the rest of your life, whether you like it or not." 

Nigella Lawson

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nigella (@nigellalawson)

"If you’re cooking and the recipe suggests two to three carrots, it doesn’t really matter because they can be different sizes. It’s not going to alter the taste. 

"With cooking, you have to learn to not be too hung up on small details. I think sometimes people feel if you go one step off, the whole thing’s going to explode," Lawson told Vogue.

Yotam Ottolenghi

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Yotam Ottolenghi (@ottolenghi)

"The hard Parmesan rind is a quick and cheap way to add lots of flavour with minimum effort," the chef told People.

"Drop it in a soup, risotto or stew, and the rind melts and permeates the dish with its cheesy, umami characteristic. The rinds freeze incredibly well, so you'll have them whenever needed."

Curtis Stone

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Curtis Stone (@curtisstone)

"If you feel lost, follow recipes exactly. You'll start to pick up cooking techniques and flavour combinations. Eventually, you'll be adding in your own twists and making dishes your own," Stone told The Global Mail. 

Read more food articles here:

• The 10 basic pantry staples Masterchef winner Diana Chan can't live without.
• JUSTINE SCHOFIELD: 'The 10 best cooking tips I learnt from my mum.'
• Need some weeknight dinner inspo? Here are 10 home cooks you should follow on Instagram.
• Can't be bothered to cook? Here are 30 women's favourite 5-minute meals.

Feature image: Instagram/@justineschofield @ottolenghi