What skills make for a good chef?

[MarkV]

Dear friends:

I'm doing an article on all the skills that go into being a competent chef.

I see chefs like physicians. They all share some basic competencies but then some have specialized talents in specific areas of expertise.

Nevertheless, I'm amassing a laundry list of culinary abilities.

For example, food knowledge, knife skills, food safety, food science, management skills, people skills, culinary artistry, intuition about flavor combinations, managing costs, etc. etc. etc.

Can you guys offer additional examples so I can make sure I haven't forgot anything important?

Thanks.

Mark

[foodpump]

In N. America, the word "Chef", is pretty vague and can do with anything food related.

A good cook must posses all the skills and traits you listed plus one importanty one: Timing!

A good Chef must possess all the skills you listed plus a few more: In-depth knowledge of how the equipment in his/her kitchen functions and what to do when it doesn't, good knowledge of the local labour code, health code, and worker's comp. codes, recognizing alcohol, substance, and sexual abuse in employees, plus the "X" factor. The "X" factor is something small that most people don't even know exists, like a freezer compressor that doesn't kickin when it should, staff who behave just slightly different than normal, the automatic abiltity to be on high alert when the owner/F&B has just signed a stack of paycheques on a slow week, the ability to notice the stony face on your meat sales rep.as they walk your new loading bay scales....

[chrose]

An open mind, a sense of adventure and whimsy, grounded in basics and technique and a good grip on the past.

[Jolly Roger]

My response is a compulation of having worked for many different chefs and having worked as a chef myself...These qualities are not in order of importance, Organization-good planning is essential and won't make a chef look like a Johnny come lately to his staff. Simplicity- sometimes people just want to keep it delicious,but simple. Consistency- I can't stand it when a chef can't make up his mind about what products he wants to use. The last chef I worked for would order diffent brands of ingredients without testing them and we had to use them and you could tell. Also making sure that your cooks are always doing things your way even when you're not there. Good leadership- Know when to delegate authority, show by example, and crack the whip when you absolutely have to. Another chef I worked for was horrible about verbally abusing his staff. I hated working in that joint. Last but not least, Knowledge- you can't ever know everything, but awillingness to educate yourself will make you indispensible and kep your customers curiosity peeked.

[Andrew563]

The ability to not take yourself too seriously.