Whether you're passionate about food and want to be able to cook it for yourself or feel there's room for improvement in your culinary expertise, here are our 'Dos and Don'ts of cooking' to help you become a master in the kitchen.

The Dos...

Do use quality fresh ingredients - Ever wondered about the difference in quality between restaurants. The quality of the chef or cook is one obvious factor, but perhaps the biggest one is the quality of the food. It may be more expensive, but once you know the best cuts of meat and the finest vegetables, your dishes will come alive with flavour.

Do invest in good cookware - If you're tired of an oven that doesn't do its job properly or a pan that's uneven, you'll be staggered by the improvement you'll see when using new quality equipment. The better the quality the longer it'll last, too. Check out which cookware the expert chefs use - they know quality when they see it.

Do look out for new recipes - The best way to become enthusiastic about cooking is to introduce variety. Buy recipe books, search the web and check for recipes in newspapers and magazines. You may find a simple idea to inspire a whole new dish, or find a step-by-step guide to help you gain confidence.

Do get to know your cooker well - Unfortunately, over time cookers can become a little unreliable and the temperature it says it's cooking at might not be the truth. It can lead to meats not cooking through or waiting twice as long to have your Sunday roast. The better you know your oven's performance - however inaccurate - the better you can judge cooking times.

Do ask those around you for advice and tips - Remember those lovely Sunday dinners your mum used to make? Chances are she didn't start off being able to make them like that, or even if she did, there's a chance one or two elements of it - such as gravy or the vegetables - didn't go to plan. Take in all the wisdom you can get from people with experience.

The Don'ts

Don't get too ambitious to begin with - There's nothing worse than being a novice at something you want to be good at, but it's best to take your time rather than rush. Don't take on complicated dishes; master the basics first and then move on to more experimental meals.

Don't worry if your dishes don't work out - You're just starting out - or at the very least you've acknowledged room for improvement - so it's only natural that it's going to take time to get to where you want to be. Have a back up plan if you're really hungry, but don't get discouraged and try again soon.

Don't make the same mistakes next time - Repeating your mistakes will no doubt leave you bewildered and disappointed, which isn't going to keep you enthusiastic about cooking. Maybe the temperature was wrong, maybe you added too much salt...etc. Whatever the reason, don't hide from your mistakes - learn from them.

Don't be afraid to ask for feedback - If you're cooking for a loved one, tell them to offer constructive feedback. Find out what they like and what they don't like and use it to decide how to improve the dish. If you are afraid, you'll be going round in circles.

Don't make it all about work - Cooking is meant to be fun, so if you're stressed or worried about what you're doing, then you're doing it wrong. If you're not enjoying it, take a break and ask someone else to cook for a change.

Now you're on your way to becoming a better cook, why not get the cookware set to take you to the next level?