[jess]

:bounce:
"a chef must have enthusiasm and a capacity for hard work, rather than food preparation and presentation skills of a high standard"
what are your views on this statement

 

[chiffonade]

It's not either/or, but rather both. If you are the most gifted person who can create a masterpiece out of a piece of chuck, it won't matter if you can't put in the hours and manage the costs therein.

 

[chefzell]

enthusiasm and hard work needs to be directed. Without skills and culinary knowledge there is no directions. You can say enthusiasm and hard work are the cornerstones of almost any occupation. Skills and knowledge sets a Chef apart from a cook, from an engineer, from a housewife, from a teacher, etc, etc, etc.

 

[chefswanny]

I agree with chiffonade. To be sucessfull, a chef must also surround him/herself with the right people. I've seen plenty of chefs with top notch culinary skills totally ruin a restaurant because of their ego and inability to motivate a staff.

 

[chefzell]

chefswanny is correct. No man (or woman) is an island. You work within a kitchen S T A F F . That means more than one person. However, there can be lots of factors that make or break a Chef. Sanitation, the ability to produce wholesome food, or food that is fit for himan consumption is very important. Cost control and especially food cost is also very important and depending on the restaurant which one aspect of a chefs make-up is most important will depend on a lot of factors, including is this restaurant an employee cafeteria or restaurant. How much money is backing this restaurant, corporate or private. The clientelle, rich, poor or middle class, and on and on.

For me, a chef must be able to prepare food expertly and that is the most important part of the job.

Chef Dan

 

[cheflayne]

Depends upon how the chef is employed. Restaurant/hotel, catering, teaching, private, working on charter yachts, consulting. The list goes on. Different segments have different demands and priorities.