Biggest insult to a chef/cook

[chefteldanielle]

what is the biggest insult to a chef as far as his/her cooking is concerned?

Just trying to prove a point here.
Thanks
Danielle

[panini]

um. The only time I get a little perturbed is when someone asks me a question about my profession to win a bet

[cape chef]

Originally Posted by chefteldanielle

what is the biggest insult to a chef as far as his/her cooking is concerned?

Just trying to prove a point here.
Thanks
Danielle

Danielle,

Haven't seen you in a couple years, welcome back.
CC

[Mezzaluna]

I'll add my "welcome back" too!! Good to see you again, Danielle.

I'm not a chef (and I don't play one on TV either). I've been a lunch cook in a small diner though, and my brother is a chef/owner of a restaurant. I hate to say it, but I've seen a chef, as a diner in a restaurant, get another chef out of the kitchen and complain about the food in front of other guests. That has got to burn.

[chrose]

Hey Danielle,
Not quite sure where this is going, but the only thing I can think of off hand that would get my goat is if someone critiqued a dish I made and tried to tell me how "it should be done".
Screw you, next time do it yourself, and don't ask me to make it for you. There see, just typing it raises my hackles!

[MarkV]

Although easier said than done, I think it's extremely important not to intertwine our egos with our food. We must always remember that individual tastes vary greatly for a multitude of reasons and anyone's dislike of our cooking and/or techniques` could have nothing to do with us.

That said

I find it very annoying when other chefs have a different way of approaching a task, not a better way, just a different way, and they act like THEIR method is the only right way. I detest such egocentricity.

Mark

[jessiquina]

seasoning before tasting.

[Laprise]

What really thick me off, is when I meet another chef at a social event and some how once they found out that I am a chef too, they look down on me, because I don't work the line anymore or I work for myself or god knowns what else...

I really hate this, spinach is always green, no matter how great the chef is or where he works... a chef is a chef... when I meet another chef, I act just the same way as I act with any other person... I have always wondered if two carpentors would do this...

[castironchef]

What ticks me off the most, foodwise, is when a guest turns their nose up at my food and won't even try it.

[MarkV]

Originally Posted by Laprise

I really hate this, spinach is always green, no matter how great the chef is or where he works... a chef is a chef... .

Not all doctors work in hospitals.
Not all teachers work in classrooms.
Not all lawyers work in courtrooms.
Not all sailors work on a ship.

etc. etc. etc.

Mark

[kuan]

Well I'm thick skinned. But the biggest insult is when people assume that I'm a chef and my wife doesn't, or cannot cook.

[Mikeb]

2 biggest "insults"

- When someone won't even try an item/whole dish, claiming they don't like it (my family does this - "I don't like sardines..." "Have you ever even had a fresh sardine?" I would ask. "Uhhh, no, I just don't like them.")

- When people pour on the salt without even tasting the item (sure people have different tastes, but at the same time we do season quite aggressively) If people took a bite, then decided they wanted more salt, that's cool. But without tasting it...

[panini]

That said

I find it very annoying when other chefs have a different way of approaching a task, not a better way, just a different way, and they act like THEIR method is the only right way. I detest such egocentricity.

Mark[/quote]
Mark,
This is something you probably need to put in your back pocket right away.
It's law, when in my kitchen, do as I do or how I want it. This should never bother you for when you have your own kitchen you will perfer that your staff do things your way.
pan
one of the reasons I stay in production is because Ican't take it when a customer is picking up an order(even though they may shop 4 times a weak) and they ask 'is this fresh?"

[deltadoc]

Originally Posted by MarkV

Not all doctors work in hospitals.
Not all teachers work in classrooms.
Not all lawyers work in courtrooms.
Not all sailors work on a ship.

etc. etc. etc.

Mark

Does this mean that someone can really be a chef but doesn't work in a professional kitchen/restaurant, etc.?

doc

[MarkV]

[quote=paniniMark,
This is something you probably need to put in your back pocket right away.
It's law, when in my kitchen, do as I do or how I want it. This should never bother you for when you have your own kitchen you will perfer that your staff do things your way."[/QUOTE]

Panini:

Allow me to add a huge caveat to what I said. If it's my boss, then that's an entirely different situation. Every executive/head/sous chef has the right to have things done like they want them. I have never argued about technique with any of my superiors. I am being paid to do it THEIR way.

My comment was more aimed at peers, friends, and equals.

But, allow me to say that there is a difference between the chef who has his own methods, recognizes there are other approaches, but prefers his to be followed, and the chef who thinks his are the only right way and everybody else is wrong. The former is exerting his right to run his kitchen his way, the latter is a blatant narcissist. I'm good at following orders. It's the attitude of the person issuing them that can rub me the wrong way. But I'll still do what I'm told.

Mark