There is a world of difference between restaurant and home cooking. A restaurant is a business and as such has to show profit by impressing the diner.

At home, taste and nutrition come first. A lot of the sloppiness can be overcome at home by simply buying a good knife. I suffered with discount store knives for years before my mother bought me two EXTREMELY good knives. Now I don't lose fingers trying to dice onions. I also don't destroy the knives by tossing them into the silverware drawer with all the other cooking tools - they hang firmly on their magnetic rack.

But safety concerns aside, a good knife will go a long way toward making food preparation simpler and quicker. But as to getting that perfect roast or getting 2nd place in the carrot dice olympics - it just isn't a priority at home. I'm just happy that I can afford good food and spend quality time with my girlfriend.

Absolutely. Got a Shun Onion on line at a really good discount and the thing is like a light saber. That, some Henkels and a couple of sets of Calphalon non stick [personal preference] and knowing that recipes are simply guides. Want a little more garlic? Toss it in. Had an olfactory revelation a while ago. I wanted to save some time so I chopped fresh garlic and ginger at the same time and when it hit my nose it was like discovering a new planet. Shit, I can go on forever on this topic but just wanted to back up your assertion on the real importance of home cooking, taste and nutrition.