[kuan]

Forget that chef/cook argument. Let's talk about what makes a good cook and what makes a GREAT cook. My MIL is a good cook, not great by very good. My wife OTOH is a GREAT cook. Me? I'd say I'm a chef and a good cook but I know I'm not a great cook. I do things faster than my wife but her cooking just knocks me out. Jacques Pepin is a great cook, Rachel Ray is good but not great, Julia Child was really great.

So, what makes a good cook, what makes a great cook?

[Jim]

Point 1: I find a really good cook can anticipate the outcome of the dish and, subsequently, can make changes to keep it on track or improve upon it. Just a 'cook' on the other hand, will follow the process and procedure regardless of the outcome.

Point 2: We often fail to focus on flavor and maintain a "get it done" approach. A really good cook can get it done AND make the flavor worth the effort.

Interesting thread, Kuan. Curious to see what other have to say.

[shroomgirl]

knowing when to stop.....when you have good ingred. not altering them so much that they lose their integrity

not only knowing flavor profiles in your head with various techniques so you can give a very educated guess as to the outcome prior to starting but if something happens you can fix it.


timing. getting everything to the table at the right temp

knowing your audience....who are you cooking for and what would they want to eat.

[Laprise]

If I had to pick one things, I would have to say SALT!

A great cook/chef can control salt level to perfection and make all the flavours come out together in harmony For some cooks this could take a life time!

Most cooks forget to salt their dish properly and create master that turn out a touch blend

AND that's all I have to say about that

[Chef_Bob]

1)I think it is the refusal to compromise. Most of us “good cooks” have a level of tolerance we will accept regarding ingredients, time, authenticity etcetera. I think the greats would rather not produce something than compromise.

2) A complete level of understanding regarding the ingredients that goes beyond knowledge. People like Keller and a protégé of his Grant Achatz have seem to have a deeper understanding of food and it’s potential.

[foodpump]

A great cook will have a complete understanding of the recipie and techniques involved, s/he will not change things for change's sake but will change if ingredients or equipment are unavailable.

[Peachcreek]

Its all about the relationship between the person and the expression. Cooking is my lover.....

[DanBrown]

Attention to detail.

Ability to "visualize" flavor combinations as well as final presentations.

Understanding of techniques and consistent application of aforementioned techniques.

Attention to detail.

Confidence.

[Mikeb]

Just off the top of my head:

- Confidence
- Mental instability (all the best cooks I've met are crazy)
- Refusal to compromise
- Knowledge of technique (not just how to do things, but also why)
- Vision
- Knowledge of chemistry (relates to technique - everything in cooking is a chemical reaction, it helps to know what is actually happening to the ingredients every step of the way, that way you can anticipate the outcome and do what you need to ensure perfection)

I remember a chef of mine once told me, I'm a poor employee, I'm crazy, I don't do things the way he likes, I've got a poor attitude, big ego, etc..., but I had a job because despite all my shortcomings everything I made tasted good.

[chezfritz]

Originally Posted by kuan

Forget that chef/cook argument. Let's talk about what makes a good cook and what makes a GREAT cook. My MIL is a good cook, not great by very good. My wife OTOH is a GREAT cook. Me? I'd say I'm a chef and a good cook but I know I'm not a great cook. I do things faster than my wife but her cooking just knocks me out. Jacques Pepin is a great cook, Rachel Ray is good but not great, Julia Child was really great.

So, what makes a good cook, what makes a great cook?

Love and respect of all the wonderfull ingredience we can get hold off.
A deep respect of the classic cusine for all the basic rules of cooking.

[Laprise]

I think that great cooks are touch crazy, you are right MikeB

I like to see in a cook:
People Skills
Knives Skills
Speed of Execution
A sense of Humor
Flexibility to adapt to situations
Initiative
Ponctual
and great listening skills

That's my ideal cook!

[Mannlicher]

A great cook has technique down cold. A great cook knows why things happen to the food he/she is cooking and under what circumstances. A great cook knows ingredients. A great cook does not cut corners, with technique or ingredients. A great cook LOVES to cook.

[robinchev]

Originally Posted by Mannlicher

A great cook has technique down cold. A great cook knows why things happen to the food he/she is cooking and under what circumstances. A great cook knows ingredients. A great cook does not cut corners, with technique or ingredients. A great cook LOVES to cook.

Brilliant.

[David Chenelle]

A great cook may not compromise, as some may say in a kitchen that supplies them with ingredients that doesn't allow or give them an oppurtunity to compromise. I say those cooks are narcissistic brats!!
A great cook can look through your cupboards and make a great meal out of nothing. A great cook can look at almost impossible odds and somehow forge an unforgettable meal. A great cook has an intimate knowledge of FLAVOR. Whether it comes in a pinch of salt or reducing a stock to its final and ultimate rich expression across your palate. A Chef in my opinion needs to be a great cook FIRST before being a Chef.
Techniques are important to a professional but my Mother never had any use for them yet she made some of my most memorable meals that I had in my lifetime. Knife & people skills?? My mother assigned me my station, no argument or questioning, just do it!! I learned knife skills years later. People skills?? Just do more dishes and try to learn from a demanding Chef. He isn't your friend and doesn't want to be. That is your lesson in people skills.
Great listening skills. Now there is the crux of the matter here. Without listening and comprehending you are nothing more then a machine to be programmed on a daily basis. (I call this being "reborn")
I learned a lot from my Mother and Grandmother just by observation and listening. I was able to use this adapted skill and learn from Chefs that I worked or apprenticed under.
Initiative is another loaded word. This is what it takes to be where you want to be. Without it you would be on welfare and bitching about life.
Vision is important but not the most crucial matter. Knowledge of Classical cuisine only gets you as far as the Chinese Restaurant that you are now working for so although it is important you can't say that all food revolves around Classical cuisine. These days there are far too many facets in the culinary scene. To sum it up a great Chinese cook does not a French Chef make and vice versa.
Confidence is good but does not prove that you can cook.
Attention to detail??? Okay so I put the parsley garnish on the plate, now I am a great cook???

Look folks and fellow culinarians. Remember one of the oldest culinary stories around?? It was called "STONE SOUP".

To summarize, three starving Soldiers walked into a town and tried to convince the townsfolk to feed them to no avail. One Soldier offered to make stone soup with a stone and some hot water. The townsfolk were eventually curious and offered to help out. It turned out to be a great feast by the end of the day because everybody chipped in and made it happen.
The point to this story is that the Soldier was able to create an atmosphere of TEAMWORK by his VISION and INITIATIVE of getting fed and not succumbing to starvation. He also CREATED a great time for all to enjoy by his INTERACTION with the townsfolk. He was also FLEXIBLE enough to adapt to his situation and use what was at his disposal and not demand the best of ingredients, so on and so forth. Remember ingredients were not at his disposal he just had a stone to start with. Everybody else provided the INGREDIENTS.
SO what is the moral to our search of what is a great cook? IMHO:
One who knows how to, or to create,
COOK
FLAVOR
TEAMWORK
VISION
INITIATIVE
CREATIVITY
INTERACTION (whether listening to guests, cooks, waitstaff or just Mom)
FLEXIBILITY (Hey, sometimes you just don't have the best stuff and you have to use what you have and make a GREAT MEAL)

and last but not least
INGREDIENTS

Without the above you will go nowhere in this business.

Your humble cook
David

[Bond]

A chef is in business for themselves.. A cook works for someone else.

Steve