"It's Always On The Stove": People Are Sharing The Often Subtle Things In A Kitchen That SCREAM "I'm A Great Cook"

Sometimes, people can catch you totally off-guard with just how comfortable they are in the kitchen — but other times, you just know their cooking skills will be on point. Sure, maybe the signs won't be altogether obvious, but if you've ever known a great home cook, you've probably been able to identify some tools or features in their kitchen that scream, "Yep, I know exactly what I'm doing."

Recently, u/ArchegosRiskManager asked redditors to share the things that other people have in their kitchens that "immediately tell you they're a good cook," and honestly, I agree with so many of these responses.

BRB while I reorganize my entire kitchen accordingly.

1. "Their kitchen is otherwise very clean and orderly, but their baking pans look like they've been to hell and back with burned-on oils."

2. "When I'm using their kitchen, I can find anything I need intuitively on my first try."

— u/Diplomatic_Barbarian

3. "A box of Diamond Crystal kosher salt."

4. And on the subject of salt: "A salt pig ."

— u/debkuhnen

5. "I had a chef come over once, and he saw a shallot on my counter — he said, 'That's how I know you know.'"

6. " Those towels with the blue stripe on the side."

— u/UncutEmeralds

"Pure utility towels! No one cooks well and frequently has time or space for fancy textiles in the kitchen."

— u/Pherllerp

7. "You know someone's a good cook if their default pan is stainless steel rather than nonstick."

8. "You don’t find knives in their dishwasher."

— u/typhoidfrank

9. "A well-stocked spice cabinet. I am concerned about a person's cooking abilities when I see they have all of five different spices in their kitchen."

10. "They have more than four kinds of whisks in a utensil holder beside the range."

— u/Best-Ad-8224

11. "Deli containers, in various sizes . They're cheap, reusable, and freezable, and you can see the product inside. These are the workhorses of a well-organized kitchen. Not the least bit sexy, but indispensable."

12. "They have many different oils for many different uses, not just the standard collection of olive oil and canola oil."

— u/Catonachandelier

13. And more importantly than just their oil collection: "If someone has a squeeze bottle of oil sitting out near the stove. Not that decorative tall skinny bottle — a real ass-cheap plastic squeeze bottle."

14. "For home cooks, if it’s clean and organized but cluttered and seemingly chaotic at the same time, I know they're a good cook. It’s a sure sign that it gets used a lot."

"I feel the same way about auto mechanics, research labs, and woodworking shops."

— u/kumquatrodeo

15. "Blocks of cheese instead of pre-shredded cheese."

16. "The absence of a bulk set of shitty knives in a knife block."

— u/BCF13

17. "If they have a Dutch oven that just sits on their stove and it's mostly clean...but you can tell they've been using it twice a week for 10 years."

18. "MSG. If you know, you know."

— u/TheRainbowpill93

19. "An open container (shot glass or small bowl) of coarse finishing salt."

20. "A well-seasoned cast iron skillet that stays on the stove. Or, decent pans that have the buildup on the bottom from being used. Most people I know who love to cook invest in at least one high-quality pan — and it is always on the stove."

— u/pants207

21. "A good, sharp chef's knife that gets used a lot. I feel like I've been in a lot of boomer and Gen X kitchens that have, like, 12 knives in a block and none of them are sharp, let alone a decent chef's knife. Often they're all serrated for some reason..."

22. "A well-stocked pantry with seven different vinegars."

— u/StinkypieTicklebum

23. And finally: "Here's a bad sign. Those twin packs of pre-ground pepper and salt in little cardboard canisters with plastic lids."

If you consider yourself a good cook, or if you happen to know a really good cook, do you agree with these observations? And in your experience, what's something in a kitchen that's a tell-tale indicator that someone knows how to cook? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.

Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.