The term Chef

Here is a question for everyone. What is your definition of a chef? I hear alot of people using this word, calling themselves "Chef". I think it is used incorrectly quite a bit. Alot of people think that just because they work in a restaurant, they are a chef. Or they graduated from culianry school. Its rather irritating to me. I call myself cook. I haven't experienced enough and cooked long enough to consider the title chef. Anyone else?

[youla]

Even though by profession I would refer to myself as a chef..the only person we call chef in the kitchen is the executive chef..this may be just the case in large brigades...though I suppose anyone who has the expertise to run a kitchen as well as to guide and instruct is a chef...with trade qualifications essential and loads of experience to draw on.

I am an owner-chef. I am actually babysitter, den mother, camp counselor, menu minder, answering service, bank manager, garbage collector, dishwasher, sidework monitor, prepper, and friend. Sometimes, I actually get to manage the kitchen and be accountable for the recipes, food and labor costs.

I imagine the definition of the word varies, depending on the situation.

[ChefRon]

My personal favorite is: "A chef is a cook with an attitude".

I just heard this one:

Q: What is the difference between a cook and a chef.

A: The cook will clean up after himself.

[Pete]

Tonight I feel like the definition of a chef is: World's most expensive babysitters! Sorry, but Its been one of those days. I think I heard my name 50,000 times. Pete, where's this? Pete, where's that? Pete, I forgot to check my back-ups can we 86 this dish? I love my cooks, but sometimes I feel like a babysitter for 7-9 little kids.

I have been in this business for about 15 years. Over those 15 years I have learned alot and made alot of mistakes. In 1994 was awarded the designation of CCC ( certified Chef De Cuisine) This designation is the highest that we can go in Canada.

I have a hard time with people and students who come out of Culinary school and expect that they are going to become a chef right away. Even as an Executive Chef of a private club, i am always telling my cooks that I have as much to learn as they do. I always tell them that if any cook or chef tells them that they know it all, they have my permission to look them straight in the eye and tell them that they are full of crap.

It is my opinion that if you are a cook that has been in the industry for 6 months or an executive chef that has been in the industry for 35,40 or 50 years, all cooks are still learning, and will continue to learn until they draw their last breath.

sincerely,

Raymond V Houdayer,ccc

I have always been annoyed by those culinary school grads who think they know everything. School is a great place but its not the end all of learning. I agree that you always are learning and never stop. I have learned things from Exec. Chefs, line cooks, even prep cooks and dishwashers. You never know who will have a new twist or way to do something.

my definition of a chef is one who enjoys the art of cooking who makes dishes irresistable to the eye and palete one who takes pleasure in makin a person feel good about what they r goin to eat and makes them get excited when the plate is put down in front of them im presently in culinary school i dont find myself bein a chef or callin myself that in real life cause im not but i do have the aspects of one inside me its not how much u learn its what u have to offer creativity style and elegance is a chef in my book

Thats rather esoteric, NYC CHEF...When you get out of culinary school and into the real world and ever achieve the distinct honor of "Chef" i imagine your definition may change.
It's a profession, one which requires many attributes... one being tolerance and patience with esoteric culinary students who believe this business to be so euphoric...We, who become "CHEFS" are all obviously in this industry for the love of food. You'd have to be nuts to keep going for all those years and HOURS upon HOURS upon HOURS if you didn't.
bon apetit

I have had this conversation many times with my cooks. As many of you, I know what kind of dedication and sacrifice it takes to become on of the members of the ranks of "chefs". The litteral definition of "chef" is the manager of the kitchen. Yes there are home chefs, hobby chefs, and even line chefs. I dont think that you have to be and executive chef to be called a chef, but I certainly think that you should be responsible for an operation to be called a chef. I personally refuse to call a cook a chef, because they are not. I worked very hard as a cook to be able to earn the respect and title "chef". I probably have a personal bias being in the industry, but that is my opinion.

That is actually a very good opinion.

Actually I think that everyone has made valid points. I am the owner/cook/chief bottle washer of a small but thankfully very successful restaurant. I have never had any formal training but my only passion in life has been food. I have been fortunate enough to travel extensively and experience many different foods and then tootle back to Derbyshire and try to translate them to suit my patrons. I have been asked so many times where I received my training and my reply is always the same - my parents and the world. I also think that it is very easy to be quite blinkered in life and whatever your chosen career if you are certain that you are doing as much as you can to ensure that you are fulfilling your responsibilities professionally and are personally happy with your level of competance/output then really does it matter if you are called chef/cook etc?

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After moving to a new town, I found myself working in a restaurant owned by a woman with no formal training. By definition, she is a chef: she is the "chief" or head of the kitchen. I think she shared NYC CHEF's attitude and therefore insisted on calling me a "chef." I tried to explain to her that I had no real culinary accomplishments under my belt. I've been a prep cook, a waiter, a bartender, a bookkeeper, an assistant manager and at this point I was a lunch line cook. But in no way was I a chef. I lasted almost a year before I decided I had to go to culinary school. I'm still not a chef but I'm learning sooo much. That's why I'm in school. People ask me, "You really want to be a chef?" How can I answer that? I want to continue working with (and learning about) food every day. If I can make a living at it, even better.

[Ruthy]

Missyk1999 has the right attitude. The renowned Andre Soltner insists that he is not a chef but a cook. On the rare occasions that he left Lutece for an evening to give a cooking class he would give his demonstration solo from prep to plating.