How many pro chefs here?

[Chave]

Just curious how many of the members are professional chefs, versus "amateur" cooks. Myself, I'm definetely an amateur... :)

[CookingPal]

My father says " All Chefs Are Cooks. Not All Cooks Are Chefs." He is a Chef.
I can only speak for myself. I can cook.

[Chave]

Well I guess what I'm wondering is how many people cook for a living, versus just home cooks.

[JennyLeah]

My father always said the same as CookingPal. He, of course, was a chef. Educated at the Culinary Institute of America back when it was the only reputable cooking school in the states. In recent years, he's demoted himself, having retired from the industry to become a computer geek.

His biggest pet peeve were cooks who did in fact cook for a living but weren't, as he defined them, chefs who called themselves such. The problem is that there's no hard and fast definition of a chef. A line cook probably isn't one, no matter what caliber of restaurant s/he works in. I'd also go out on a limb and say a large number of kitchen staff in the kitchens at the more popular family restaurants like Applebees for instance, aren't chefs either, no matter what their position in the kitchen is.

My dad's rule was a chef had to have received a formal education - be it through a qualified culinary arts school or an apprenticeship, to be called a chef. My own opinion is that that one needs to demonstrate cooking as an artform along with a skilled background - be it as an apprentice, school, or even on the line at Waffle House - to be called a chef.

As for my own label? Well, I have the background having learned at my dad's side from the time I was born. I'm creative in the kitchen and have had more successes than failures emerge from it. But? I'm totally an amateur, and no where near being a chef.

[nina]

After working in many different venues from a similar restaurant to Applebees to owning my own restaurant, I can say without a doubt that to cook in any chain restaurant is what I consider an assembler...cause all they do is assemble and heat most of the prepared foods and possibly cook just basic stuff. But, once you own your own restaurant and you have to struggle to make your place better and greater than all the other restaurants in your area, you become alot more creative and have to have some sort of talent to survive. I have owned my own restaurant and catering business, and have cooked for years, BUT I still consider myself "just a cook" even though others say I am a "Chef" and a good one at that. I never felt like one. I have been cooking since childhood - have been married to a "culinary graduate of one of the better schools" but still think I am just a cook...so I imagine it has to do with not just with talent and technique but attitude.

[AsaneaG]

Very well put!


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[Kevin Rutherford]

Home cook here, but my son recently graduated from LaCordon Bleu

[Holiday Kitchen]

holiday kitchen is made by people who love food and have production experience.

We cooked 67 recipes in the span of a 8 days and did have the help of some professionals, but mostly we are just food lovers like you!


Hope your enjoying our recipes.
You can also check them out at www.HolidayKitchen.TV

[NieeMA]

Greetings

Will I can tell you one thing, if my husband gets any better I guess we will have to charge to eat at our home.

I guess for me the idea of pro versus non pro is not a problem. The real question to me is does it taste good. And can you show me how to do it.

Cheers

NieeMA

P.S.

We are working on a web site with all we know on it. He is going to share some how tos in the future.
Http://journeyintobetterhealth.com

[krikkett]

I am an execitive chef and pastry at first but became execitive for curiosity reasons

[Rene]

in terms of labels I am "amateur"

but for an ameteur... I sure do love the craft!

[butugly]

well, I'm professional as it's what i do for a living (holding all the relevant qualifications) but I have to say for the record, I have worked with many professionals with no enthusiasm for the food they prepare who just go through the motions, and have taught many amateurs who were naturals with food who created absolute stunning dishes that tasted fantastic.
(PS I work in a prison.)

[steven de ruig]

i work as a chef but only since a couple of years. in my 'previous life' i was an office worker but then i turned 40 and decided to start doing things that i really liked.