In a kitchen you have three things: your hands (that is, your skill), your ingredients and your equipment. If any of these aren’t good, you can’t produce good food. Most chefs are in love with equipment like great knives, copper pans and expensive machines; you don’t need to spend a fortune on these, but you should buy the best equipment and the best ingredients you can afford. Skimping on the quality of your equipment or ingredients will show in the end product. As for skill, practice makes perfect!