Back in my early days, I thought timing every sear was key

When I first got into professional cooking, everyone stressed timing everything perfectly. I used a timer for every piece of meat and fish, scared to mess up. After watching some old school cooks just poke and look, I gave that up. Now I go by feel and sound, which felt risky but paid off. My proteins come out juicier because I'm not rigid with the clock. It also lets me handle multiple pans without panic. Last rush, I nailed a dozen steaks by touch alone, and the tickets flew out. Letting instinct take over really changed how I handle the line.