What Are The Most Important Things To Remember When Cooking?

The two best pieces of advice I ever heard were from chef Ken Holm: always buy the best ingredients you can afford; and don't experiment on your guests. Try out recipes in advance.
Other handy general hints include:
-Get everything ready and weighed out before you start – you'll need the time later.
-Write down timings etc –keep them for future reference if you're doing this dish again.
-Allow enough time to enjoy the process (and have a margin for error.)
-Any spare money should go on sensible cooking equipment like very sharp knives and sturdy cooking pots, rather than fancy gadgets which you'll only use once. (on the other hand, useful multi-purpose gadgets like food mixers are a great investment.)
To begin with, use a trusted cookery book and follow the recipes meticulously – you'll soon develop your own style, but at first everyone needs guidance.
Don't be put off by failures – have another go.

Hygiene is key to cooking. No matter how good it tastes, if its not safe you can become ill or even die. Cross contamination, do have cooked food and raw food near each other or use the same knives forks and spoons on both. Cutting boards must be sanitary. Remember when storing food in your fridge, cooked food on upper shelves, raw on bottom. Wash hands in between handling raw chicken and other meats. Food borne illness can be fatal especially to children and the elderly.

1. Hygiene. Handle raw products with special care and be extra careful. Separate plates, knives, cutting boards for them. Don't ever wash raw meat under the sink. Bacteria will spread everywhere. And don't cook with your hands dirty from touching the sponge. Wash every time you do the dishes.

2. Taste. You never know how salty your salt will be in a given amount of stew, for example, at least, not during your first steps in the kitchen. Taste and change the meal according to your senses.

3. Be organised. Well that's not so important, but it will surely make you more efficient. Prep in advance everything - slice and dice, take out the utensils you will use, order the ingredients in front of you. You will be surprised how easy it will be for you afterwards.

Taste your food while preparing it!