There's one cardinal rule for cooking in Martha Stewart's kitchen, and after seeing it in practice, I'll never cook the same way again.
When given a chance to cook with Martha Stewart, you don’t say no. So when I was invited to make pierogi with the icon at her Las Vegas restaurant, there was no way I was going to miss the opportunity. The Bedford by Martha Stewart regularly offers a pierogi-making class, typically led by executive chef Vincenzo Scarmiglia. But for this special luncheon, Martha was leading the class and offering her personal tips for perfecting the most popular item on the menu: her mother’s potato pierogi. After all, if you want to learn from a master, you head to the mount.
The class took place in the restaurant’s showcase open kitchen. Each guest had a designated setting with the recipe, an apron and the necessary tools, as well as ramekins filled with the ingredients needed to prepare the potato filling. While Martha mixed and rolled out the dough, explained the nuances of making brown butter (essential for her pierogi), and pinched together the edges of each dumpling perfectly, we all watched in awe as we tried to make our own. After the chefs cooked our handmade pierogi, we gleefully ate our creations along with other dishes from the menu.
Making pierogi while staying present, watching and listening to every word Martha said wasn’t easy. But one thing made it possible: I followed her cardinal rule.
What did I learn in Martha Stewart’s kitchen?
I’m kind of an accidental Jackson Pollock in the kitchen. I’m not saying I’m an artist, but when I follow a recipe, you’ll see ingredients, cutting boards, produce, herbs and spices all over the counters (and sometimes on the floor). After all, if there isn’t sauce and flour everywhere when you sit down to eat, was it even cooking?
It’s clear that aesthetics matter to Martha, but when she’s in the kitchen, keeping a clean and organized space isn’t just for the camera. It’s imperative for success, whether she’s preparing a salad, a cookie or a few pierogi (or hundreds of them). In Martha’s kitchen, you’ll always see bowls of neatly prepped ingredients, spotless tools within reach, and impeccably clean counters. I know what you’re thinking: That’s easy when you have tons of space and a horde of helpers. But this is obviously one of her cardinal rules in life—and how she gets things done to her exacting standards.
Having our ingredients prepped and ready allowed me to watch her, take in her advice, ask a few questions, and still make some pretty little pierogi. The nerves were gone, even as we cut dough rounds, filled the dumplings, and sealed them while she offered praise (or not). I’m not sure I would’ve maintained such composure in a more chaotic setting—for example, my own kitchen.
Now that I’ve cooked with Martha, I truly understand the importance of maintaining a tidy kitchen while you cook. It’s much easier to move through a recipe when you’re organized. It allows you to focus on the task at hand, such as filling and folding a pierogi in hopes of getting a thumbs-up from the queen. Cleaning as you go keeps clutter from the counters, but also from your mind. A well-organized kitchen brings a sense of calm that makes a difference—ask any professional chef.
The next time I made dinner at home, I had everything in its place before I even started. I wiped counters in the moment, did some dishes before sitting down to eat, and enjoyed every morsel knowing that I didn’t have an abstract painting of a kitchen waiting for me at the end of the night.
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