Are we artists, craftsmen or some kind of cult?

[Psycho Chef]

If chefs work was true art, it would not be judged by precise and generally accepted standards. If someone orders a steak well done, we cook it that way no matter how much it kills us inside. To me, true art cannot be judged. It is pure expression. Artistic however, is how I would describe a craftsman. Carving beautiful furniture or blowing glass or cooking. Making things as beautiful as possible but with efficiency and finesse. If food and cooking were truly a fine art, restaurants would be like a museum and suggest donations. Let the visitor decide how much it's worth. I always wondered if anyone had the cajones do try this. Then I ran across this article.

ABC News: A restaurant without checks

Not exactly my idea but close. In my version the waiters and cooks get a cut of the donations. I want to volunteer to cook there if i'm ever in town.

[Harpua]

cult CULT!

[adamm]

in my eyes im not and artist, craftsman yes, to me an artist is somone who paints or draws or sculp or somthing of that sort. A craftsman builds things, stacks things, makes things look pretty or rearanges objects to look so. If a wood worker would make the best looking piece of furniture they wouldnt be an artist they would be a craftsman. I guess in a way you can consider us artist but in my elses i will never be and artist. but thats just me.

[foodnfoto]

Wow! Karma Cafe sounds cool.
I love the "Pay it forward idea."

I'd better not get started in the whole art/craft thing, other than it's nice to see your perspective represented Gladyce.

[shroomgirl]

this was an outrageously heated topic several years ago....what it basically comes down to is how each person views what their doing.
I'ma thinkin' there is an awful lot of grey....sometimes art sometimes craft....always cult.

[iconoclast]

Originally Posted by shroomgirl

....sometimes art sometimes craft....always cult.

this sums it up the best. well put.

[jigz369]

For what it's worth, in Canada until the late 1970's if you were looking for a chef's position in the newspaper, you looked in the "Arts" section and not the "Trades" or "Hotel, Restaurant, Hospitality" sections. I think we are Artists, just look at the masterpiece I just plated!!!
Just my opinion though....

[foodnfoto]

I think you guys should check out this link that I posted in the Pastry chefs forum.
No one's read it, I guess because my title was not very revealing.
Anyway, here is where food becomes art.
I agree with Gladyce that what we do is craft, because we do it to please and conform to a market pressure. Art does not do that, in fact, fails in it's mission when conforming to market pressure.

Good art challenges preconcieved notions about the world, gets us to shift our views if only for a moment, forces us to look beyond the surface of what our senses tell us and often offends greater accepted cultural norms.

Cosimo is great at doing this. Don't be afraid to work to find deeper meanings in his installations.
See here:Cosimo's at it again

I'm going Friday if anyone in the area wants to join me-send me a PM and we'll link up.

[RAS1187]

I happen to be a fan of Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential, just about every place I have worked in has resembled this in one way or another (though not as extreme).

The most interestingly bizarre people end up working here, and it is always a pleasure to lend an open ear to hear one of their crazy stories.

[buonaboy]

Chefs should not consider themselves artists, it's pretentious, they can be incredibly artistic and food should be artfully prepared, but in the end, does it taste good and is it pleasant to eat? We provide consumables at minimum, and an experience at best -not unlike theatre....hmmm.. Maybe we're more like play-writes or composers. In my mind a hand carved marble sculpture can be art, but as soon as you attach a light-bulb to the top -it's just a pretty lamp. That's what keeps me from thinking of food as art. I'm proud to be a craftsman not an artist.

-chocolate sculptures are art..... -until you deside to eat them.
ciao
mike

[iconoclast]

if it is an art, this is the only form of art that utilizes all five senses... see, hear, taste, touch smell... i cant think of any other artform which is capable of this.

[ldzpapa]

An artist is one who cannot help but express themselves in new and challenging ways, a craftsmen will do the same thing again and again striving to attain perfection, and a cultist will make great sacrifices of themselves for the whole, yeah, I'd say were all three.

[pgr555]

I would say the cooking is the craft and the staging/plating is the art. I was recently introduced to a potential client as a food artist. I have always had artistic tendencies and do now see my catering as my artistic outlet, so this title appealed to me. I learned in art classes years ago that sight is really where the ability to create art comes from, not the hands. Don't we all use our sight & vision to create the final plates/event? And as for the cult part... well, we are foodies, aren't we?
pgr

[jmars]

me and the chef have a friend that has special dietary needs, no garlic
dairy, eggs...ect. it is our job to come up with a nice dinner for him, when he comes in. I think feeding people with care and humility is more noble
than art

[dinadilo1]

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