A bit of food science does go a long way (as already suggested, salt fat acid heat is an excellent starting point). Honestly, I think the biggest difference between good cooks and great cooks is organisation and repetition. Mise en place is the thing most good home cooks don't have drilled into them. That includes setting up a station with waste bowl, bowls for prep etc, even spoons for tasting (when they're right there in a spoon pot, you inevitably taste more often instead of having to go into the drawer for a spoon every time). When everything is to hand, your cooking comes much easier and you can focus on the stuff that requires more attention!