Professional chefs recommend tasting a dish several times, starting early on and setting up a feedback loop that will help the cook to understand whether a dish is correctly seasoned, or if something needs to be added.


Have a taste-tester. Many professional chefs actually have other people taste their food while it is in the kitchen just to double check that the flavor combinations are right and that the dish is seasoned correctly.;
, Before adding elements to the dish if your taste test comes out lacking, figure out what kinds of flavors will present well with what is already in the mix. Adding incompatible flavors can kill a dish, so think about this carefully before throwing in whatever else happens to be on hand.


Think about herbs, spices and flavorings as falling into various genres or categories. Keeping these items categorized in your head, you will be able to prevent the problem of warring flavors in a dish.
Consider falling back on some traditional flavorings that have a wider compatibility. Salt and pepper are the old standbys for dishes that will meet a North American audience, while in many other parts of the world, mainstay ingredients include hot peppers, allspice or other natural elements.
Be careful with sweet spices like cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg or others. Although these strong elements can give a dish a great flavor when used in moderation, a heavy-handed approach will most likely fail.
 After a tasting has determined that more seasoning is needed, add elements slowly into the mix, so as to avoid over-seasoning the dish.
 Some additional flavoring is in the form of garnishes. These items can help flavor a dish as well as add to its presentation.


Reconsider salt and pepper and other basics. Although some professional cooks warn against over salting or over seasoning a dish that has already been plated, this can be an effective way of dressing up some dishes.
Consider parmesan cheese and similar dairy garnishes. Although parmesan is among the most common, other types of grated cheese may also impart flavor and seasoning to a dish.
 For many cooks, and many culinary audiences, there's nothing wrong with a bit of sauce to finish up a dish and present more bold flavors. Nearly any kind of flavor can be added in the form of a sauce, which can be mixed into the dish or served on the side for more picky palates.
Taste the food.
Identify compatible flavors.
Add elements to the dish as necessary.
Evaluate the idea of adding to a dish after it is finished cooking.
Put seasoning elements in a sauce.
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