Interogation of a Student

[Chef David Simpson]

These questions are for you, the culinary students.
Why do you want to become a chef?
Do you think you can handle the "real world" presure of learning under fire?
Does it make you feel really good about your self to know that "hay, I really like doing this" or is the other way around?
After being in school for a while do you feel that "man, what did I get my self into."
What influenced you to make up mind that you wanted to go to culinary school, was it the Food Network or someone you know?
These questions are to help you, not to scare
you.

Chef David

[ March 14, 2001: Message edited by: Chef David Simpson ]

[theloggg]

I'm not in school yet, but I can answer based on what I've done so far...

Q: Why do you want to become a chef?

A: Love to feed people, really that simple. Looking forward to the challenge of running numbers (finances), menu design and working to get multiple personalities to work together. It's what I was made to do, just took me a while to figure it out.

Q: Do you think you can handle the "real world" presure of learning under fire?

A: I think so. I jumped on the line quickly after starting my staging at a few places. It's the only way to learn, sink or swim.

Q: Does it make you feel really good about your self to know that "hay, I really like doing this" or is the other way around?

A: I feel great after working a busy night. The rush and then the calm. I feel really good when I see one of my plates in the crowd and after the first bite they make that "This is soooo good" face. Looking forward to using the small amount of experience once I get into school.

Q: After being in school for a while do you feel that "man, what did I get my self into."

A: Not in school yet, but have had that feeling a couple times. I think it's normal. For me it's the fear of starting over at 31. On those sunday afternoons during football season I sat in the car before going in thinking "this is the schedule I may be lookin at for a long time." My friends are at home, bbqing, watching the game, etc. I've found it to get easier as time goes on.

Q: What influenced you to make up mind that you wanted to go to culinary school, was it the Food Network or someone you know?

A: For me it was just realizing what I wanted to do and what I didn't want to do. They kinda came at the same time. I finally realized sitting in a cube staring at a pc was not for me. At the same time I was looking into culinary school because I knew cooking was what I loved. While at Chico, my buddy and I put on a formal dinner for 20 people (along with other smaller dinners) and it always stuck with me that I was happiest when cooking. My buddy is too, but I haven't been able to talk him into joining me at J&W in the fall, yet.

[cape chef]

Nice job Logan,

Very well put

cc

[theloggg]

thanks, I was set up by some great questions. Thanks for the thought provoking questions CDS.

logan

[Chef David Simpson]

thank you, for you answers theloggg. Your on your way!

Chef David

Well, I'm 2 weeks into culinary school now. And those are great questions. Ones similar to those asked by myself prior to attending. I wish more students here had asked themselves these questions, it would have probably saved them some large debt.

I'll answer them, though, because they are very good questions.

-------------
Why do you want to become a chef?

I decided to become a chef not because I love to cook (I think a lot of people love to cook), but because I love to see people be "moved" from something I've created for them. I love to watch their faces if I've made a particularly good dish as it goes through the stages of a bite: The pleasure of the initial taste, then the happy glow as the bite permeates their senses. I want to be a chef so I can create moments of happiness every day for people.
-------------
Do you think you can handle the "real world" presure of learning under fire?

This is the reason I spent 5 years researching and preparing for culinary school. I wasn't sure if I had it in me to rise to the occasion and come through when the fire's hot. I now know I can, and I'm confident that when the pressure is on, I'll come through with shining colors.
-------------
Does it make you feel really good about your self to know that "hey, I really like doing this" or is the other way around?

I love doing what I do. Cooking is the supreme self-confidence builder to me. I cook good food, people are happy. I am a major reason for that.
-------------
After being in school for a while do you feel that "man, what did I get my self into."

After 2 weeks in school, I wake up earlier every day to be in class as soon as possible to see what the new day brings for me to learn. I absolutely love being where I am.
-------------
What influenced you to make up mind that you wanted to go to culinary school, was it the Food Network or someone you know?
------------------------
8 years ago the thought of being a chef first entered my brain. And it's because of a pre-food Network chef on TV, Caprial Pence from Portland Oregon. I watched an early show of hers where she made some cumin rubbed seared pork tenderloin and it looked good so I got the recipe and made it at home. My life changed that day, when I realized I could make "gourmet" food, do it rather well, and really make people happy in doing so. 5 years ago I started seriously thinking about it. A few months ago, my wife urged me to get serious with my desire to become a chef, so here I am, finally doing what I want, because of a TV chef, and another person.

~Jason

[Shimmer]

Wow, I just read this today. These are great questions! I consider myself a student even though I have not entered culinary school yet (possibly these questions are even more important now!)


>Why do you want to become a chef?
I like the idea of people coming to me and leaving satisfied and wanting to come back. To relieve their stress, fill their stomachs, and yet be challenged creatively and manually daily. Daily challenges also go along with daily gratification for a hard but satisfying job. That's what I like. I also want to become a chef because it is justifies the time I spend learning about and experimenting with food, and allows me to take my interest more seriously.

>Do you think you can handle the "real >world" presure of learning under fire?
Yes. I was a music major in college, and also an accompanist that had to play for auditions without ever practicing with the person auditioning or seeing the music prior to that moment. Learning in the culinary world AND the music world is really about finding patterns first and learning the new stuff second.

>Does it make you feel really good about >your self to know that "hay, I really like >doing this" or is the other way around?
>After being in school for a while do you >feel that "man, what did I get my self >into."
I don't believe I can answer this one yet. I still feel like hey, I really like this. I'll let you know when I start feeling the other one. I think there might be days I feel that way even though this is what I want to do. There are always days we need a break! Or maybe I won't- maybe I'll enjoy it so much... well, like I said, I'll let you know.

>What influenced you to make up mind that >you wanted to go to culinary school, was it >the Food Network or someone you know?
I always follow paths when doors open. Right now, cooking seems to be related to all of the doors that are opening to me. And I love to cook, I grew up baking and cooking, and never understood that other people didn't. I also completely want to open up a tea room or something that will be a haven for enjoyment and relaxation. What better way to provide joy than to cook?!? At first I was only thinking about it, but my experience with it has made me really want this direction.

Good questions!!!

~~Shimmer~~

[Nick.Shu]

hmm, bring it on:

Q)Why do you want to become a chef?:

A) Well, i was working as a kitchenhand and i thought that, gees i can do that, plus a little instinctive ability, also a friend many years ago who was a chef said, "you can cook quite well, give it a go", so i did. Also a ex girlfriend said i could never make as a chef - so just to prove her wrong,,,,..

Q)Do you think you can handle the "real world" presure of learning under fire?

A) If you cant learn under "fire" then you have no place in this industry.

Q)Does it make you feel really good about your self to know that "hay, I really like doing this" or is the other way around?

A) I cant answer this question that honestly, because that, if you have the inherent talent or ability, it makes this a little complicated, given that you would know virtually straight off if something is going to work or not - it goes back to instinct.

Q) After being in school for a while do you feel that "man, what did I get my self into?

A) Never, because i gave myself the benefit of the doubt for at least a year and a half.

Q) What influenced you to make up mind that you wanted to go to culinary school, was it the Food Network or someone you know?

A) I would assume that it was combination of both. Given that in Australia that to qualify as a chef (on paper) is somewhat a feat that the drop out rate is something like 85%, the honest answer is that i did due to someone that i know.

I started off as a kitchenhand (UT person), from where i stood, i said to myself "i can do that, and from there, i can either add my own flair or do better" - no more and no less.

However, and from my own experience, learning in a academic & practical environment has expanded my own knowledge in excess from what any one chef could of ever shown me in such a relatively short period of time. Dont get me wrong, practical experience is essential, but without some of the background theory, what is it worth?

[Chef David Simpson]

Man, I forgot about this one. Who's willing to spill thier guts!!!

[Suzanne]

Actually, these are good questions for professionals to ask ourselves, too! Especially when we might be on the verge of burnout, or when looking for job. Very thought-provoking. Now, we just have to be able to be honest with our answers, and face up to the positives AND negatives.

[crane]

I think one important way to look at any career choice is by comparing the up front picture of it, the beauty of it, the romantic side of it, with the side that many people never see. The technical, hard work, hard life aspect of the job.
There is a very popular book called Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance which uses two different terms to describe various people. Romantics, those who love the overall picture of things without getting into the details too deeply, and the Classics who are more interested in the fine details, and the reasons why things work the way the do.
Often times one can destroy the other, and getting to my point, I think this is what happens with people in the industry on a regular basis. People become captivated with the artistic, creative, romance of creating food and seeing people enjoy something you have made. However, when someone begins to actually see what it takes (i.e.working long irregular hours, hard conditions, repetitive tasks) they get turned off to the idea. It is a common occurance in all aspects of life.

For me, I do not know whether I want to be a cook or not. I think that like most people who love working as a cook, it is a combination of both aspects that give us enjoyment. I will admit that I like watching TV network, but not as much as Great Chefs on the Discovery Channel. But regardless, just watching food being prepared and seeing both the small involved tasks and the finished product is enjoyable to me.
So whether I decide to go to Culinary institute (still contemplating) or not, I will still enjoy cooking.

[Joel]

I am also still in the "decision stage". My original career choice some 20 years ago was to go into the culinary arts.

My first real job while in high scholl was working in a kitchen of a nursing home doing mainly dishwashing but also some prep work for a "retired Navy Cook" on weekends and a Culinary School graduate during the week. Even at that time in my life, there was something that really impressed me about the Navy Cook. His whole philosophy about cooking was that no matter what he was cooking or for whom he was cooking, he was going to make it as delicious as he could. Given that many of the residents in the nursing home were on very resricted diets, this presented many challenges to him but he still made the effort almost daily to still go and visit some of the patients to make sure they were getting some enjoyment out of the meal he made. This contrasted greatly with the Culinary School graduate who may have been preparing a more technically correct meal but one that as a dishwasher I can always remember coming back more uneaten. I always liked working for the Navy cook more because he was there always trying to make someone's meal special.

Unfortunately, I was talked out of pursuing a career in cooking back then being convinced that "computers were the way to go".
Now 20 years later, after having a successful career creating software, I'm now looking at the culinary field again. For about 3 months now, I've been talking to folks both in and out of the field and all have been trying to convince me that working in the food business is a bad choice. The common reasons seems to be "why would you want to work so hard for so little money" and "working as a cook will ruin your family life".

All I can respond to all is if I can cook well enough to make people half as happy as Ed (the Navy Cook) did, then the happiness will make up for the money difference. I also know that cooking can interfere alot with family life but being married to an RN for 20 years has shown me that it is possible to work around work shift problems.

I'm still looking for the right path to get started but that's my reason for pursuing this career. I hope I actually get to go down that path soon.

As Robert Frost wrote "Two paths diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I could not travel both...". Sometimes, you just need totake a "Do-over."

Wish me luck.

[Nick.Shu]

Chef david, i was responding on the grounds that i was a student, and still am. i think whether or not one is a student, it probably makes good sense to assess and review ones career at any given stage.

At the stage that i posted, i was partially through a second cookery course and was trade qualified only 1year and 1 month.

Your question is duly noted as one that applies to all chefs, because remembering the past both reassures that the right choices have been made and that mistakes made, if possible, should not be repeated.

[Chef David Simpson]

It's good to see people ingest these questions with such devotion and ablity. Also, to see that our trade is still a profession and not a "trend". It seems as though most people think of our profession and automaticlly think that they will be a cilebrity (not a good speller). The defination of a chef must reley on the fact that they WILL do the job in any aspect and repeat the same day after day. Suanne you are very right!!!!!!! I think it's most important to look back on our mistakes and realize our positions in this trade (NOT TREND) and see the real picture. We do a service, no more, NO LESS.

[marmalady]

Chef David, what a great thought-provoking thread! Brings everybody 'back on track'!

BTW, to all of you starting a 'second career', I started mine at age 49!!! So yes, all you 30 year olds can do it too!!!!