How can I make the flavor of my chicken delicious and the texture of my sauces delectable?

Trying to appease a person who has been spoiled with superb Sicilian cooking and tells me the flavor of my cooking is too bland for their tastes. This person has also traveled a lot and has tasted gourmet foods from many different cultures. I like to cook traditional, comfort-style foods. Their major complaints are the flavor, texture, substitutions, and cooking methods of my foods in general. Most people would rate my cooking as average. But this person says my cooking skills need an overhaul. It's like cooking for a chef. I don't want to give up on them though. I'm going to keep trying.