Chefs Responsibility

[panini]

Originally Posted by Chef Kaiser

Hi,

I have been for some weeks again on this forum here after 2 years. It cam to my mind again, that some young professionals are asking some very basic questions, which 30 years ago an old professional would have answered to a young cook right out.

I discovered, the confusion of chefs with there questions and answers on this site and the many books they are refering too.

However what are the true teaching basics in culinary arts. Well that is a question maybe one or the other chef should think about.

What are the true culinary basics, do you still remember where the milk comes from and to understand the natural composition of milk and the effects of milk when using it in the kitchen, pastry or bakery? So have all ingredients there effects and harmony, but how do you combine them?

just think about it, what you really know and understand as a Chef, and not having searched the interenet and talk smart about it. Do you really have the experience?

Regards Chef Kaiser

I guess I have to be included in this generalization. It refers to answering posts here especially baking.
. Do I really know my Art?
Um, yes, enough to answer questions on baking and things I know of. I do not have the time to go research something for someone. I will usually only answer something I I'm familiar with it.
I have a true understanding of ingredients and reactions. I understand the chemistry of baking although I do not carry it all in RAM. I do have to look things up.
Boy, I hope I qualify. If I don't then let it be in the hands of the Europeans which whom I apprenticed under. I must say that I have sat with some well recognized European Master Pastry and bakers. I can't recall spending much time on food history. We spent hours on food theory.
My mentors are European, funny thing though, most yearned to come to the states. While on that subject, some of the bigger properties in Europe have Americans at the helm. I wonder why a lot of Europeans come to the States to work?
The art is alive and well and I hope all this negetivity does not trickle down to those young people thinking to enter the business. A well rounded Chef who is one who can communicate on all levels. He need to be the one with the sanitation people teaching them how to clean. A chef is someone who would never look down at someone because of their education or experience.
I created a term when I was in the corperate structure. I think the chef who hold titles like this are better put out to pasture. There should never be a need for a chef to oversee executive chefs. They really never have any insight to what is going on in their properties. They will schedule visits. I'm not guessing here, I was one. The term I use is PIDGEONING. The corperate suits would fly in. poop all over everything, and fly away. I lasted 8 months, I had to go back where I could justify my existance.
I love the United States of America.
pan

[godfather_chef]

i consider myself very lucky. since the chef i work for is from italy, he understands what an apprenticeship is, and let me have the job. (keep in mind, that, at this time, i had no formal training) for the first six months i was there, he wouldn't let me plate or completely cook any dish (by completely cook, i mean, cooking all components). after six months, he started letting me plate dishes 1-2 nights a week, and cook more of the components. now, after 9 months working there, i run (and am completely responsible for) my own station. i would say that at 19, i am very lucky to be able to prepare dishes and sauces at a 3 star restaurant. If/when i get my own kitchen, i would definately let younger, less experienced people apprenctice under me. It has helped me tremendously.

[chef_oz]

Originally Posted by godfather_chef

i consider myself very lucky. since the chef i work for is from italy, he understands what an apprenticeship is, and let me have the job. (keep in mind, that, at this time, i had no formal training) for the first six months i was there, he wouldn't let me plate or completely cook any dish (by completely cook, i mean, cooking all components). after six months, he started letting me plate dishes 1-2 nights a week, and cook more of the components. now, after 9 months working there, i run (and am completely responsible for) my own station. i would say that at 19, i am very lucky to be able to prepare dishes and sauces at a 3 star restaurant. If/when i get my own kitchen, i would definately let younger, less experienced people apprenctice under me. It has helped me tremendously.

I do too. Wth my apprenticeship at a fine dining kitchen; its taught me so much. Working pantry for 6 months was the best time of my life. When saute or roast would call in sick I would silde over and work my little arse off till 2am.
I've learned more there then at any other job in my life. I feel these should be the future chef postions! Pitty theres only a few out there though
:ciao:

[shahar]

Originally Posted by AprilB

Hey, so how does hay become milk?

April

Backup for a second. How does sun energy becomes hay in the first place?
And that energy(in the shape of photons), that took eight minutes to travel through space. After slugging it's way for the outer solar corona plasma for a few thousand years?
The man behind the curtain maybe?

[Chef Kaiser]

Originally Posted by shahar

Backup for a second. How does sun energy becomes hay in the first place?
And that energy(in the shape of photons), that took eight minutes to travel through space. After slugging it's way for the outer solar corona plasma for a few thousand years?
The man behind the curtain maybe?

hi,

i like your answer of the stupid statement of how hay becomes milk. Well many have forgotten about the basics of the sun, and leaves absorbing it and well i am sure i dont have to go on with details with you as you understand glucose and starch and the transformation back in the human or animal body.

regards

[foodpump]

If you really look at IronChef competitions, you'll see that intimate knowledge of ingredients is necesarry. When Vancouver's Star Chef Rob Feenie competed (and won) he made a big booboo, he added raw pineapple to a mousse that contained gelatine. As a result, it never set. The same thing happens with fresh figs, kiwi, and papaya too. Not a life-or-death mistake, but it cost him valuable time and a certain amount of frustration. It is necessary to have an intimate knowledge of the ingredients you are working with.

Fat content of milk? I had a supercook once, knew everything. One catering party we had, I told him not to add 10% coffee cream to a hot cream of tomato, or it would split. He knew it all, and I caught him just as he was about to dump the split soup down the sink. Told him the fat content makes all the difference, you can add 35% cream to lemon juice and it won't split, you can add 10% cream to COLD cream of tomato and slowly heat and it won't split. But know it's only a half an hour to serving time and you were about to dump the split soup away, what are you trying to do to me and my business?
Same thing goes with baking. Had a request for sugar free cinnamon buns, baker, oops, 'scuse me, the Pastry Chef (one year out of a one year cooking school) proceeds to make a double batch using Splenda in the dough. 'Course it won't rise, no sugar to feed the yeast. 6kgs of finished buns dumped out and over an hour of labour lost. Wish I had been there to catch that mistake....

[Chef Kaiser]

Originally Posted by foodpump

If you really look at IronChef competitions, you'll see that intimate knowledge of ingredients is necesarry. When Vancouver's Star Chef Rob Feenie competed (and won) he made a big booboo, he added raw pineapple to a mousse that contained gelatine. As a result, it never set. The same thing happens with fresh figs, kiwi, and papaya too. Not a life-or-death mistake, but it cost him valuable time and a certain amount of frustration. It is necessary to have an intimate knowledge of the ingredients you are working with.

Fat content of milk? I had a supercook once, knew everything. One catering party we had, I told him not to add 10% coffee cream to a hot cream of tomato, or it would split. He knew it all, and I caught him just as he was about to dump the split soup down the sink. Told him the fat content makes all the difference, you can add 35% cream to lemon juice and it won't split, you can add 10% cream to COLD cream of tomato and slowly heat and it won't split. But know it's only a half an hour to serving time and you were about to dump the split soup away, what are you trying to do to me and my business?
Same thing goes with baking. Had a request for sugar free cinnamon buns, baker, oops, 'scuse me, the Pastry Chef (one year out of a one year cooking school) proceeds to make a double batch using Splenda in the dough. 'Course it won't rise, no sugar to feed the yeast. 6kgs of finished buns dumped out and over an hour of labour lost. Wish I had been there to catch that mistake....

Foodpump,

i gave up watching this shows, just reading your first few lines about pineapple and gelatine. Well we know it would not hold for one day unless you blanch them quickly. As you pointed out other fruits well as a chef product knowledge is a key, but do schools teach that still with the enzymes, breaking down the protein as many fruits are actually used in unripe stage as tenderizers of meat? well all open questions isn't it and at the end the world tells us we are wrong. Well let them experience making a bavarian cream with kiwi, pineapple, sour mango and etc. let them see the real world of product knowledge and eventually understand cooking.

regards

regards

[shahar]

Kaiser.
Again with your original question(What's the necessary basics) you showed your own culturally chauvinistic views.
Yes, thirty years ago some professional knew more about milk than today's youngsters. But did they know that most of the world's population can't digest milk(which is one of the reasons for yogurt's popularity. Or is it the other way around?! In human genetic evolution it's tough to tell causes from reactions). And how much did they know about the production of tofu. Tofu skins and their uses. Tibetan freeze dried tofu?
And about humus?
I worked in those kind of kitchens. Thousand dollars worth of truffle sitting in the walkin, and two year old "curry powder" on the shelf. Hundred dollar EVO and the most basic cheapest soy sauce(I have ten varieties at home for different dishes).

"Ethnic cuisines" aren't just accents do be added à la pékinoise style onto french food.

I don't know how to make bavarian cream. I don't need to know in my cooking or kitchen. I do know what temperature to bring the same spice to get different flavors for different dishes. I spent two years learning how to make humus. These are my basics.

We live in world of a thousand cuisines. Some basics are universal I agree. What they are I'm not sure, but that would have a been a real and interesting question and not a segue for your rantings.

BTW - The hay remark wasn't a stupid remark. It was a real followup question put out for you. Underneath your arrogance there seems to be real vast knowledge. So please more Dr. Jekyl and less Mr. Hyde...