Set up your grill with two zones — one for direct heat, and the other for indirect heat. Use the direct heat to sear meats and veggies, and move them to the cool side to allow the food to finish grilling without overcooking.

My rule of thumb is to leave the lid off for ingredients that cook quickly like shrimp and vegetables and put the lid on for longer-grilling items like poultry and steak, to use the grill like an oven and prevent burning or overcooking.

There’s nothing more classic than a burger on the grill, but you’d be surprised how many people tell me they’re intimidated by it. Here are my rules:

- Purchase ground beef that has a 80:20 meat-to-fat ratio.

- Season the meat liberally with salt, pepper and canola oil. Adding anything else turns the dish into meatloaf, in my opinion!

- Form thin, 6-ounce patties by hand, and don’t overwork the meat. I like to create a well in the center with my thumb, because the patties tend to puff up in the center. Remember: NEVER press the burger on the grill (you’ll lose all the delicious juices!).

- And my #1 burger rule: Melt the cheese completely! Use two slices of cheese — I like classic American — and close the lid to allow the cheese to get nice and melty.

My signature technique for perfectly grilled corn is a simple three-step process. Pull back the husk and remove the silks. Re-cover the corn with the husk and soak the ears in water for about 20 minutes. Fire up the grill and place the corn directly on the grates so it gets a nice charred flavor and color. Just a little bit of extra effort will result in a big payoff — the juiciest and crunchiest corn ever.