“The sink is often the dirtiest place in the kitchen, so never place food directly in it. Use a colander to wash fruit or veggies.” —Donna Mintz, owner, Basil & Barbells Inc. in New York “Always wear plastic kitchen gloves when handling chile peppers—they’ll protect your eyes and skin and prevent transfer of the pungent taste and smell to other foods.” —James Muir, executive chef, Rosa Mexicano in Washington, DC “Keep your knives sharp; dull ones are more likely to slip and cause accidents.” —Marc Collins, executive chef, Circa 1886 at the Wentworth Mansion in Charleston, SC Cook"Prevent contamination by using one hand to handle raw meat and poultry and the other to reach into containers and season." —Joel Hough, chef, Cookshop in New York “Fill up a food processor or blender only halfway to avoid spills; heat can expand the volume of soups and sauces.” —Philippe Bertineau, executive chef, Payard Pâtisserie & Bistro in New York “Keep a spray bottle of water-bleach solution (one full cap per quart of water) handy to sanitize plastic cutting boards between tasks.” —David Kamen, professor, Culinary Institute of America Store"Keep your most perishable items toward the back of the refrigerator, where it’s consistently cool–unlike the oft-opened fridge door." —Dave Lieberman, chef, the Food Network
