@Lizzie, I had formal training (hotel school), grew up in a big household with always 10 or 12 people at table, family, guests, tenants and so I thought I knew to cook. Then I married an artist, who had worked as a chef in different countries, in one of his many bread professions. I found out that there is another dimension to cooking and learned a bit of that.
My principals are: always enough: I hate stylish mini portions and there might always people drop in unanounced. Good to know how to strtch a dish without the quality suffering.
Take what is there, fresh, seasonal.
Adapt to people's taste or diet - I have a lot of young guests on meat- or milkfree diets andhave to invent ways to work around.
Otherwise, I want an explosion of taste and texture in my mouth. Which is quite different from traditional Austrian food, but I fell in love with Mediterranean cuisine and spices from all over the world.
Last principe : not expensive 😉