Understanding different types of salt, their uses in cooking, and why choosing the right salt actually matters for your food.
First week on the line, I grabbed the salt closest to me and started seasoning vegetables for service. The sous chef stopped me immediately.
"What salt are you using?"
"Uh... this one?" I held up the container.
"That's table salt. You'll over-season everything. Use this." He handed me Diamond Crystal kosher salt. "Same volume, half the sodium. You can actually taste as you go without destroying the dish." That lesson changed everything. Salt isn't just salt. The type you use changes how you cook, how food tastes, and whether you can season accurately. Professional kitchens don't use random salt. They use specific salts for specific purposes.
After 24 years in professional kitchens, I can tell you: most home cooks use the wrong salt, in the wrong amount, at the wrong time.
Here's everything you need to know about salt to cook like a professional.
Salt is sodium chloride. Chemically, all salt is the same.
But physically? Completely different.
What changes:
These differences change how you measure, how you season, and how food tastes.
Example: 1 teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt = 1.5 teaspoons of Morton kosher salt = 2 teaspoons of fine sea salt by weight.
What it is: Large, flaky crystals with hollow pyramid shapes. Very low density.
Why professionals use it:
Best for:
Pro Tip: Diamond Crystal vs Morton
These are NOT interchangeable!
What it is: Evaporated seawater, ground to fine powder. Slightly more mineral content than table salt.
Best for:
What it is: Highly refined sodium chloride, very fine crystals, usually with iodine and anti-caking agents added.
Why I don't use it:
What it is: Large, irregular, crunchy flakes. Examples: Maldon, Fleur de Sel, Jacobsen.
Why it's special:
Best for:
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Professional cooking isn't about adding salt at the end. It's about seasoning in layers throughout the cooking process.
When: Before cooking starts
Why: Salt penetrates and seasons from within. It also helps proteins retain moisture and vegetables stay crisp.
How:
When: While building a dish
Why: Each ingredient needs its own seasoning. If you only salt at the end, the dish tastes flat.
Example: When making a soup, salt the onions as you sauté them, salt the stock when you add it, salt the vegetables as they cook, taste and adjust at the end. This builds depth.
When: Right before serving
Why: This is your final adjustment. It adds brightness and brings all the flavors forward.
Chef's Technique: Tasting As You Go
Professional cooks taste constantly. Not at the end—throughout. After every addition, every stage, every adjustment: taste. This is how you develop instincts for seasoning. You learn what "not enough" tastes like, what "just right" tastes like, and what "too much" tastes like. If you're not tasting as you cook, you're guessing. And guessing doesn't work.
The problem: Recipes say "1 teaspoon salt" but your salt, your ingredients, and your taste are different from the recipe writer's.
The fix: Use recipes as a starting point. Season conservatively, taste, and adjust. Your palate is the final judge.
The problem: Food tastes flat and one-dimensional.
The fix: Season in layers. Salt the onions, salt the meat, salt the sauce. Each ingredient needs its own seasoning.
The problem: Your food is way too salty.
The fix: If you only have Morton, use 2/3 the amount the recipe calls for. Or switch to Diamond Crystal and follow recipes as written.
Salt is the most important ingredient in your kitchen. But it's not about expensive specialty salts or complicated techniques.
It's about:
Quick reference:
Master salt and everything you cook tastes better. It's the foundation of good cooking. Not fancy techniques, not expensive equipment—salt.
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Professional Chef • 24 Years Professional Kitchen Experience
Professional chef with 24 years of restaurant experience including Pizzaiolo at Purple Café, Kitchen Manager at Mellow Mushroom, and line positions at Feierabend, Il Pizzaiolo, and Paragary's. A.A.S. Culinary Arts from Seattle Central College, B.S. Business Administration from University of Montana. Every product tested through real professional kitchen use or extensive long-term home testing.
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