I'm An Aspirant To The Gourmet World-Help!

Hey there, I have a passion for cooking and a taste for good food. It was my childhood dream to be a gourmet chef and I have cooked nearly all my life. I tried to homeschool for this by mail last year when I lived with my sister but failed because I have a hearing
problem and I have always been poor in Math.
What exactly does a person need to know to be a real chef? I cook better following a cookbook, I am not good at making things up.
Do we need to know Math to be a chef? I hated Math in school because I was always failing this subject due to my hearing problem. I want to be a REAL chef someday because I am considering going to a culinary school in Denver, Colorado sometime in the near future. I want to graduate with high honors so I can make money doing the job I love without any problems anywhere. Can anyone give me any advice and help here? I would greatly appriciate it!

[shroomgirl]

Hi and welcome! Consider finding computer math programs that will allow you to begin at the level your at and go in the direction you want to go at the speed you want to get there. I don't know human resources in your area but an educational computer store may have the answer. Libraries are also great resources. YES you need math....and you'll need it wether you cook or not.

Hello Afra, and welcome. Yes, you need math in the kitchen...converting recipes, etc. Although, calculus may not be needed.
I agree with shroomgirl's recommendations, and the school that you decide to attend may have a "food" math course in which you can ask for additional tutoring, if necessary. I am attending the CCA, and in our food science course we cover the necessary math for the kitchen. I would say that if you can gain a knowledge of addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, and percentages, you will do just fine.
Good luck!
P.S. Passion for food and cooking is a great start!

[This message has been edited by ChezMichelle (edited 02-01-2001).]

[Afra]

Hey everyone, I asked this same question in the Pennyslyvania Culinary Website on their "Ask The Food Dudes", and their advice to me was, in their exact words: "When we read your letter we both just looked at each other and smiled. There are some people who have been or who are in the foodservice business that probably should not be and we wondered, 'Why didn't they ask that question long ago?' As basic of a question as yours is, it is a home run with us.
"Depending on the situation and the facility, the modern chef can be considered an executive, responsible for many areas of operation. Of course, there is cooking and the quality of the food served in a hotel, restaraunt, or club, retirement village, school or hospital.
"But in order to make the food a success, many other things need to be in place. The chef needs to understand how to buy food, and this requires an understanding of business, pricing, food costs, inventory control, and of course, the customer.
"In order to have the food prepared properly, the proper staff needs to be in place, and this requires the knowledge of what good service means, and the knowledge of how to achieve and maintain it is also essential.
"Since all of these things are ongoing, all at the same time, a chef needs to be a bit of a multi-tasker. Add in a need to work long hours in what is frequently a high-pressure environment; the chef needs patience and the ability to see things in the long and short term, the big picture and the small. Numbers are important, but keep in mind that chefs don't build airplanes, skyscrapers, or anything that other peoples' lives depend upon. The math is basic: ounces, pints, quarts, gallons, pounds, dollars, and cents. If you can add, subtract, multiply and divide, you will probably be fine.
"One last and very important point to remember, becoming a chef, as opposed to a cook, is an ongoing process. It takes time, and you should not expect to be able to master everything we mentioned above right away. These skills are honed over time and take time and experience to acquire. So don't feel like all of this will fall on your shoulders on the first day of your first job. Good luck!"
My question to them was:"I am very interested in cooking and perhaps in becoming a chef. In addition, no pun intended, I am great with figures but hate math and numbers. What does it take to become a chef?"
I hope some REAL chefs are reading this post and can help me here. Read my first post under this same topic,and you will find out more of the story. Would any real chefs like to post their ideas, suggestions, etc., to this post for me to see and put to use? I would greatly appriciate all the help that anyone can give!

[layjo]

If you are a cook and especially a baker or pastry cook you need to know measurements and their eqivalents. The aid in knowing how to convert mesurements and using basic math skills like addition, subtraction, multipying, and dividing is used a number of times during a work day. When you get into a managment position in the industry you will probably have to work with formulas more difficult, but really simple once you understand them. I would have to agree that it would be a good idea (as replied in another post) to check with the school to see if they have a solution to helping you out with you concern. By the way, what type of math do you really have problems with undsrstanding?