Are we artists, craftsmen or some kind of cult?

[oldschool1982]

I tend to lean toward the craft side of things but can definitely conceed to the Arts side as well. Although I don't go for the "Tall Food" preparation/presentation it's certainly a crowd pleaser and has a defined place and great following with in the Culinary Arts world. Yet for this whole thing to work, it is necessary for both sides to meet in the middle. After all the food can look like a work of art and taste, umm err uhhhh...... like dog food and likewise food can look like dogfood and taste out of this world. (unfortunately no one will know because it looks like doogfood) We all eat with our eye's first!

[ChefChad]

The basis of being a professional Chef is different for many. Is it any less professional to serve Clubhouse sandwichs & burgers at a restaurant than it is to prepare fois gras with brioche & truffles omelettes. As a professional Chef who has worked in both settings I can offer this comparison.
If I were a carpenter and a little old lady wanted an extra step added to her front porch, it might not be the dream job a carpenter hopes to get, but how much are you helping that person?
It is HOW you do it not WHAT you do that makes you a true pro in any profession. So be an artistic Chef or a "pump the orders out every day grunt labourer" like 99% of us. Either way we are all doing the same thing. Trying to create repeat business. So we in turn can eat.
PS; definetly a cult, gluttens for punishment, all of us.

[Psycho Chef]

Are the steps sturdy and level? Were you efficient with your cuts and not waste any wood? Is it consistent with the other steps? Or was it just slapped together for granny because it wasn't a "dream job"? These are also things which chefs are judged by. Artists cannot be judged in such a way. Art can be wasteful, sloppy, slow, extremely oddball etc..Wasteful sloppy and slow are not great chef attributes(although oddball seems fairly common). Chefs, like carpenters are craftsmen. Both's work can be incredibly artistic, but in the end the carpenter, burger slinger and brioche and truffle guy are all judged by the same standards: quality/speed/efficiency

[bughut]

I think there is ARTISTRY in presentation, in making a meal/platter/buffet the eye pleaser that invites the customer with expectations. Further than that i think If you really feel you've created a masterpiece, then you have. I suppose its personal sometimes.