Know your strengths, and choose takeout when necessary.
Crystal Cox/Insider
While it can be fun to show off your cooking skills to guests, sometimes it’s just not the best idea. You might be pressed for time, or — and it’s OK to admit it — you just don’t love to cook.
Sam Yoo, the chef and owner of Golden Diner in Manhattan, told Insider that hosts should know their limits in the kitchen, and that an event like the Super Bowl is not the time to step out of your wheelhouse and try a recipe for the first time.
“Don’t start going out of your comfort zone where you don’t know if it’s going to work out,” he said. “Order it, cater it, have a professional take care of it.”
James “KP” Sykes, the owner of The Armory in Brooklyn, agreed and said that something like wings, which are sometimes the star of the Super Bowl spread, should be left to the professionals as they’re difficult to pull off. And Nicolas Anson, the executive chef of Manhattan restaurants Mareluna, Calle Dao, and Favela Cubana, added that anything that can become a tedious task — including fries, spring rolls, and desserts — should be ordered out.
“Just the thought of rolling a whole tray of spring rolls or hand-cutting and frying 30 potatoes on top of other dishes makes me sweat,” Anson said.
Time can be a major factor in why you’d choose takeout over homemade. Clio Goodman, the chef and owner of ByClio Bakery in Brooklyn, told Insider that all takeout is good takeout, and there’s nothing wrong with just ordering a few pizza pies for the group, especially if you’re short on prep time.
