The culinary team behind meal delivery startup Plated shares their best advice for people who are too busy to cook

Robert Bredvad / Plated

As the head of culinary at meal kit delivery startup Plated, Elana Karp knows a thing or two about making cooking as approachable as possible. 

She and culinary manager Suzanne Dumaine head up the five-person team who carefully plans out the recipes that Plated subscribers can make with the ingredient kits they get in the mail. The emphasis is on creating locally-sourced, pre-portioned meals that even the newest of cooks can make at home, without sacrificing time or nutrition. 

And now Karp and Dumaine are about to release a brand-new cookbook based on the techniques they've used in their work for Plated. 

"The book is anchored on Plated-style recipes with respect to key techniques and very detailed instruction, but it enabled us to elaborate on those with different types of recipes, from Thanksgiving dinner to brunch to desserts and side dishes," Karp told Business Insider. "We were also able to make the recipes more flexible, allowing you to take each recipe and customize it by season, occasion, and the amount of time you have in the kitchen, whether it's 30 minutes or 2 days."

That means the recipes cover a lot of ground, from a simple pan-roasted salmon with seasonal vegetables to a somewhat more complicated roast Peking duck. The authors also include some beginner's tips, like how to wield a chef's knife and how to make basic sauces. 

Karp and Dumaine shared some of their best advice for those who are just getting started in the kitchen. Their book, "Plated: Weeknight Dinners, Weekend Feasts, and Everything in Between", will be released May 17, though it is currently available for pre-order.

"Start simple." 

It's important not to try to do too much before learning the basics. 

"Don't bite off more than you can chew while you're still getting comfortable in the kitchen. There are plenty of easy and delicious recipes that don't require a million pots and pans or hours of prep," Karp said. "If you plan around what you know you'll have time for, you can get something great on the table without sweating over it."

One of the Plated team's favorites is their One-Pan Roasted Rosemary Chicken with Seasonal Vegetables (pictured above). 

"It's an easy recipe that teaches core techniques, it's so easy to customize by season, and always creates that 'ta-da' moment when the chicken comes out of the oven, smelling (and looking) amazing," Karp said. "It always makes people feel proud."

Get comfortable with your kitchen knives. 

"We can't overstate the importance of knowing how to hold and use your knife, and getting comfortable with it," Karp said. "The better you become at prepping your food, the quicker you'll be able to prepare your food and even tackle more ambitious recipes (without panicking at the sight of the ingredient prep ahead)."

Learn how to marinate.

The magic of a good marinade is that it will both amp up the flavor of your dish and save you serious time. Karp and Dumaine devoted an entire section of their cookbook to perfecting marinades. 

"A marinade only requires a few ingredients and a whisk, and will automatically infuse your food with tremendous flavor — no major prep needed," Karp said. "With certain cuts of meat, you can even marinate up to 24 hours, so no need to babysit.