Chef: Questions

Hello to Chefs that are willing to take time-out to answer these questions of mine that has been assigned to me by my professor for school. I am thinking about pursuing Culinary Arts so our professor is getting us acquainted with the field...I would really appreciate anyone who would answer these questions.

1: Name? (optional: Place of Employment, City and State)
2: How long have you been in the business?
3: How long has the business that you've been attending to has been in operation for? (years/months/days)
4: How many customers does the business usually attend to? (average)
5: What is the most popular dish?
6: What equipment is used? (for the dish, and generally)
7: What stations are in the back/front of the kitchen?
8: How many other employees are there?
9: Length of employment in the facility?
10: Salary (could be vague/general if you prefer not to answer the question)
11: Benefits
12: Advancement opportunities
13: Minimum Skills (required/acquired)
14: Volunteers? (do you recommend it? or are you working with any?)
15: Advice for the incoming Culinary generation
16: Are computers used in the business/even relevant in the field?
17: What Programs are used?
18: Cost? (of your equipment, tuition, computer programs--if any--)
19: Who Operates the computer?
20: Why is the computer used?
21: Summary of your experience in this field and what you would generally say about your career (wether you're happy and content, or not etc. etc.)
22: Ups and downs of the career
23: What in your opinion is required to really be successful in this field? Or required to be one of the 'best'? Or what makes the 'best' THE BEST?


Thank you very much!

Ruthanne T.

[This message has been edited by RTupaz (edited September 14, 2000).]

[Nick.Shu]

ehhh?

Chef questions =). It's for people who want to know what it's like to be one...if you're wondering...you can think of it as an INTERVIEW.

Hi Ruthanne! I will do my best to answer your questions - I know that every chef will have a different opinion on many of these, so this is just my own point of view. If you have any more questions, you are welcome to email me.

Here goes:

1: Name - Kathleen from Seattle, WA

2: How long have you been in the business? - Fifteen Years

3: How long has the business that you've been attending to has been in operation for? (years/months/days) - Eight years, three months

4: How many customers does the business usually attend to? (average)
lunch:80-120
dinner: 180-300

5: What is the most popular dish? We change our menu almost every day so I can't really say. In general, though, seafood is the most popular product we sell.

6: What equipment is used? (for the dish, and generally)
Hobart Mixers and dishwashers
RobotCoupe food processor
Wolf and Montague stoves and ovens
Rankin-Delux broiler and salamander
FryMaster deep fryer
Lots and lots of refrigerators - all different brands

7: What stations are in the back/front of the kitchen?
Back: dishwashers, prep, pastry/baking
Front (on the line): Pastry, Pantry, Saute, Grill, Middle, Expeditor.

8: How many other employees are there?
I'm not sure I understand the question - we've got 26 cooks total, 5 dishwashers, and about 30 front of house staff, plus management.

9: Length of employment in the facility? I've been there for five years

10: Salary (could be vague/general if you prefer not to answer the question)
In the average range for a working chef in Seattle.

11: Benefits
Paid medical/dental and life insurance, four weeks vacation, 5 personal days per year, 250.00 per month "food allowance" to eat out.

12: Advancement opportunities - I try to promote all my sous chefs and cooks from within. There is opportunity for anyone who works hard, respects himself (or herself) and others, demonstrates talent, and performs well to advance.

13: Minimum Skills (required/acquired)
It depends on the job, but at the very minimum 2-3 years experience - in a quality house- at the level for which the person is applying. A culinary degree (with good references from chef instructors) can be a good thing, but work experience is key.

14: Volunteers? (do you recommend it? or are you working with any?)
I've worked with interns in the past, but not at this restaurant.

15: Advice for the incoming Culinary generation
Be prepared to work hard. This is not an easy business, and unless you're willing to do the nasty jobs and work hideous hours in the beginning without complaint, you shouldn't get into it at all. I may be a chef, but I still end up doing dishes and mopping the floor. You have to be willing to do whatever it takes.
Also, learn from everybody. Be assertive, take initiative. No one is going to seek you out to give you information unless you let them know you want it. Read everything about food you can, cook at home, eat out - pay attention to what others are doing with and saying about food.

16: Are computers used in the business/even relevant in the field?
Yes, very. I wouldn't want to manage a kitchen without one.

17: What Programs are used? Word, Excel

18: Cost? (of your equipment, tuition, computer programs--if any--)
Just the cost of a decent computer, plus internet connection.

19: Who Operates the computer?
Myself and my two sous chefs use the kitchen computer.

20: Why is the computer used?
Inventory, ordering, scheduling, recipe development, costing, creating menus, kitchen memos, daily books.

21: Summary of your experience in this field and what you would generally say about your career (wether you're happy and content, or not etc. etc.)
In general I am overjoyed to have been a cook for all these years. Fortunately for me I have worked for some wonderful and talented chefs and was given many opportunities for advancement based on my hard work and my passion for cooking. There are also many frustrations I've had over the years, the biggest ones being the insane number of hours I work, and the toll this business has taken on my body and health over the years. It's just the price we all pay.

22: Ups and downs of the career - see above question.

23: What in your opinion is required to really be successful in this field? Or required to be one of the 'best'? Or what makes the 'best' THE BEST?
God-given talent, for starters. Or, lacking that, an undying devotion to learning and self-improvement. A strong work ethic, passion, dedication, integrity, self-confidence, a great palate, physical stamina, strength of character and will. Most importantly, remembering that your purpose is to serve customers, to give them an experience that they will take with them and that will in some small way enhance their quality of life.

Hope this helps!!

Kathleen



[This message has been edited by chefkath (edited September 19, 2000).]

Just wanted to thank you for this post - helpful and inspirational - TVM. Originally posted by chefkath:
[b]Hi Ruthanne! I will do my best to answer your questions Here goes:

Anyone else who would like to answer these questions, please feel free! I need all I can...so I can get more credit =)))

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[chefjohnpaul]

1: Name? (optional: Place of Employment, City and State)

John Paul Khoury,CCC
Hyatt Regency at Capitol Park
Sacramento, CA

2: How long have you been in the business?

17 years

3: How long has the business that you've been attending to has been in operation for? (years/months/days)

13 years

4: How many customers does the business usually attend to? (average)

$11,000,000+ F&B revenue


5: What is the most popular dish?

Food


6: What equipment is used? (for the dish, and generally)

Hobart
Robot Coup
GROEN
Montague
Wolf
Cuisinart
(many more I forget off the top of my toque)

7: What stations are in the back/front of the kitchen?

Back: saucier, butcher, pastry, banquets,
garde manger

Front: Both restaurants


8: How many other employees are there?

about 20 in the kitchen

9: Length of employment in the facility?

10 years, but I will be leaving next week.

10: Salary (could be vague/general if you prefer not to answer the question)

Not nearly enough

11: Benefits

health, vision, dental, meals, 401K, free hotel rooms, ect...

12: Advancement opportunities

must be willing to move

13: Minimum Skills (required/acquired)

depends where you want to start

14: Volunteers? (do you recommend it? or are you working with any?)

Everyone should be paid something.

15: Advice for the incoming Culinary generation

If you don't love it, find something else to do. There are easier ways to make money, but few will satisfy you if culinary is in your blood.


16: Are computers used in the business/even relevant in the field?

Yes, they are great tools for organizing.


17: What Programs are used?

Escoffier, MasterCookII, many others

18: Cost? (of your equipment, tuition, computer programs--if any--)

Beyond counting


19: Who Operates the computer?

Executive Chef and Executive Sous mainly, plus F&B director.

20: Why is the computer used?

Time saving and organizationally efficient.

21: Summary of your experience in this field and what you would generally say about your career (wether you're happy and content, or not etc. etc.)

I love to cook, period. No job is going to be perfect, but benefits should out weigh the negatives to be satisfying. It is important to continue to learn and to continue to be marketable. I personally feel you should always try and leave yourself with options, that's why even if I hate a place I try and not burn a bridge, even a rickety one may one day save you from drowning.


22: Ups and downs of the career

Lot's of creativity and stress to go with it, lousy hours if you want a social or family life, tremendous learning experience.
If you are good then you are marketable and the field is so diversified that you can find just about any position to fit any need, even if you need a set schedule.

23: What in your opinion is required to really be successful in this field? Or required to be one of the 'best'? Or what makes the 'best' THE BEST?

Be reliable, keep learning and applying yourself, work hard but work smart, and the term BEST is relative. There is no I in the word Team, there may be key players but it takes a team to really be successful, so one can't be self-centered. If a chef puts his team members before himself and if all the players on the team put eachother ahead of themselves then that is best, and Oh, you got to put the customer first, they are your bread and butter.

Bon Appetit!




[This message has been edited by chefjohnpaul (edited September 28, 2000).]

Thank you so much for taking time out in your busy schedule to be able to answer my questions. I really appreciate it. The offer still stands to anyone who would still like to respond to my questions. Once again, thank you very much!

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ChefJohnPaul...is Nancy Smith still there? This was a long time ago but I used to plan the "Host Dinner" events at Bank of America (3..90-92)....at the Hyatt/Sacto.

Some of these questions and answers are just wonderful examples I plan to include in a career oriented project in a high school junior English class.
I've learned one thing from the books I've been reading about professional chefs: Being a chef must be a really tough profession, and the qualities necessary to survive are work ethics we need to be emphasizing with our teenagers regardless of their career plans.
Thanks Chefs!