 5@5 is a daily, food-related list from chefs, writers, political pundits, musicians, actors, and all manner of opinionated people from around the globe. There are at least two sides to every story. There is the story about the polished, starched-hat-wearing, perhaps even snobbish chef with a refined palate and even more refined technique. There is the one about the stand-and-stir television chef – that may or may not be professionally trained - who smiles over their pre-measured spices while waxing nostalgic of how grandma used to make it. Or – there is the “heavy drinking, drugs, screwing in the dry-goods area, unappetizing industry-wide practices” that Anthony Bourdain so honestly writes about in his restaurant industry memoir, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly. Akin to any industry, chef stereotypes abound - but there are some general misconceptions that Chef Michelle Bernstein wants to clear up. Bernstein is the James Beard Award-winning chef of Michy’s and Sra. Martinez in Miami, Florida, and the author of Cuisine à Latina. Five Misconceptions People Have About Chefs: Michelle Bernstein 2. All of us are alcoholics 3. All chefs smoke 4. Chefs have bad tempers 5. Chefs make bad spouses What is your take on chefs? Agree? Agree to disagree? Tell us in the comments. Is there someone you'd like to see in the hot seat? Let us know in the comments below and if we agree, we'll do our best to chase 'em down. |
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I am 69 year old man ,who use to be a dish washer. I filled out a form for the EEO because a chef I worked for ,used a pretext in firing me.The real reason I was fired was because I took a IMCS test on June 29,2010. I can only lift 15 pounds. This was a no no for a chef, who wanted every dish washer to lift more than 15 pounds. I worked for this country club for 13 year, and never got lazy. I stay at my work and did it. Last May,2010 I hurt my back on the job, stay out for a month. Worker Comp set the date for the IMCS. The chef didn't like it. I seeking back pay,with vacation and restitution from the country club., let say $125,000. I want to retire, and maybe go out and play golf. This chef is going to be up shit creek without paddle by the time I get finish with him. The club will fired him
Harry
Interesting article[: I have been a professional cook for about 20 years,mostly in very nice restaurants,mostly as the 1st cook. I have been called chef, and done the chefs duties, though I have never had formal chefs training. I learned from the bottom up, paid attention to what was going on, and ended up being indispensable. Under normal circumstances I am a nice,funny, caring person. But sometimes I lose my temper badly; sudden rush, incompetent help, or difficult customer, the list is growing. It is interesting that it was stated earlier european chefs have a nasty temper; I do not think I am european, but I am a Canadian, so who knows what the past held. Anyway, I was 'raised' in the kitchen by an old Hungarian Chef,whom I am proud to call my first mentor. He had a bit of temper, though not to bad, and he did drink heavy and smoke heavy; but he worked his butt off till he was well over 60. From him I learned great standards, cleanliness, organizational skills, etc. I wonder if I learned his temper also, and because I am a bit of a perfectionist, made his temper mine, only 'better', as in 'I can be one nasty ***hole at work'. When I do lose my temper on occasion,(it has been about 2 months, till today), I feel like a huge peice of crap for two or three days after. At the time I don't think about the feelings of others around me, I rant and rave and make everyone around me miserable. After the hotel I work in was bought by Koreans, it quickly started a downhill slide. So now I am almost always upset at work because I am watching something I helped build up being destroyed. I do not drink or smoke near as much as I used to, but the cravings are coming back strong.I also work with my girlfreind of 5 years, she is dining room manager,does not smoke and hardly ever drinks. So when I lose my peace of mind, she is usually near enough to hear it; she gets embarrased and very upset with me, and it lasts alot longer than it should in my opinion;). But she still loves me(I hope), and she knows the stress will make me sick(I think). Her getting quality food is about the only thing keeping me there, that and the comfort zone thing. But it must be time to leave, because I did get the good old ulcer come back on me, and I do not think I can take 2 more days of the silent treatment. I was also trained by an Austrian chef, German chef and French Canadian chef. So I have to wonder; is it all me, or things I picked up over the years? I have to think it is mostly me. I cannot keep blaming the untrained Phillipino's, or the untrained Koreans, neither one of whose language I understand, yet I get to hear it loudly all day long. And bear in mind I am the only english speaking male there, though I think they are trying, just not very hard. I hear that they are scared of me, which I never wanted. I read earlier that frightened people do not learn well, so I am probably fighting myself, and trying to pass the blame. It must be time to get out of the industry, or at least the cooking part. I put alot into it and got alot more out of it. I think I am a better man for it; and it has been a heck of a ride, but I think it is time to hang up the apron for good,(or at least till my girlfreind will talk to me again). I have lots more to say but I have dribbled on long enough.Tthanks.Be nice but keep your knives sharp.
Sorry it is so hard to read but I forgot about paragraphs;dumb
I've worked in resturants on and off for 20 years and have done just about every job there is, from dishwasher to manager. The only job that I would never want is chef. The pressure is enormous , the hours are long, and at least half of the staff are nuts. Unless you are one of those idiot "celebrity chefs" there's not alot of money in it. I've seen them smoke, drink, swear, screw around with dumb actress servers in the walk in and still get great meals out. So more power to them, they are better if not slightly crazier then me.
Tasting kills your sense of smoke.
Yup, some cooks do crave the adrenaline of the rush (or is it the rush of the adrenaline?).
Again, no brains needed to be a junkie (and negative stress at that!).
As another poster put it, "desperate or damaged".
I've been in the industry for 20 years as a cook, chef, general manager, and owner.
I speak from experience when I say there is very little about the industry, people wise, that is positive and/or constructive.
But, it is not wholly the fault of the industry. The North American society does NOT value their chain of food - from farmer to chef.
I'm sure CNN has some kind of article on the lowest paying jobs in North America, cook and farmer will be on it.
The populace values cheap food, and lots of it. Period.
Oh, right, it also values celebrity, as in "celebrity chef".
What other industry has a 95% fail rate in the first year of operation?
And another 95% failure rate in the second year?
You know why so many restaurants fail?
The people who open them are NOT smart; they lack intelligence, education (formal or otherwise), and common sense.
What other industry has a 5% profit margin?
You know what America values? BANKERS!
How many of them have gone bust in the last 50 years?
I'm sure exponentially less than restauranteurs.
And just because an industry bestows awards on its participants, that doesn't mean said industry is worthy.
I'm sure garbage men get awards too.
So do Grade 1 children.
So do show dogs.
Desperate and damaged, indeed.
Can believe I just wasted 5 minutes of my time reading that.
I can't believe it took you five minutes to read that.
I like magnets too.
One of the best perks about being a Chef is you get laid a lot from the hottest servers. A lot.
I have to agree with most of this, though there is always exceptions to the rules.
As an Executive Chef for over 20 years who is married to another Executive Chef and a former smoker, it is true; chefs that smoke can not taste. Not saying they can not cook, just saying that they do not taste the same as those who do not smoke which is most of their guests.
Sad thing …it does not seem to matter as 9 out of 10 restaurants are buying processed, prepackaged foods that are loaded with chemicals anyways. These places are run by Hacks that call themselves chefs. A real chef would not buy a frozen meatball, a chicken which is already skewered or a can of powdered hollandaise. A real chef would make all from scratch.
I remember when all chefs’ jobs were about creating and leading. Now kids are paying thousands of dollars to go to a school to learn how to open a #10 can.
#3 simple rules
#1 if you are working the night shift at Wendy’s, Applebee’s or Fridays you are not a “Chef”, you are a COOK so stop telling girls you meet at the club you are a CHEF!!
#2 any person that uses California Blend as a seasonal vegetable is not a ‘Chef”, you are a cafeteria cook for AMAMARK…..
#3 Passion and Pride is what separates most chefs from cooks
After 25 years in the Hotel and restaurant business I have had some interesting experiances from loudmouth snobs to unbelievable talents. Drinking is of course a big problem and we say thatt once you become your best customer your business can really suffer That leads to problems in the marriage. I have worked in 3 star (highest rating) Michelin restaurants to bistros and bars. The hours are long and if you are not on top of the curve you lose. It can be rewarding and revolting. I still maintain that fresh is best and while the atmosphere of a small local Bistro is infectious a highend "snob" meal is a true delight. Cooks and/or chefs that yell and scream are usually inferior in their talents. One small restaurant in my village opened and both husband and wife put in 15 hour days prior to their "sucess" Now they actually have a day off once a week. They would never change it for anything and their passion shows in the two month wait list.
I would like to add another one
6. Most chefs thing they know everything or are "gods" answer to the restaurant they work at and ignore the real chefs of the kitchen.
I have been a "chef" where i work now for the last 8 years, and previous to several other places over my 25 years cooking. I have worked with a couple of "educated culinary graduate chefs" that are full of BULL@#$% and think they can come into an already estabilshed restaurant and think they are gods greatest gift to the place, sitting around on thier asses taking thousands of smoke breaks while the "cooks" of the kitchen actually do all the work. I would say yes that all of the above are very true, definetly the smoking one. Its a wonder how any of these chef that smoke as much as they do can TASTE any of the FOOD they cook. I know the one that works at my place in the eve can barely taste anything unless is heavily salted. Not a GOOD thing especially in the kitchen. I could go on about all kinds of "BAD" examples and traits chef's have. but will leave it thiere........................
Michelle is smoking hott !saw her in person and her food is awesome as well ihave been to her one restaurant.
testosterone? Isn't this Chef a woman? Why does testosterone make you a bad spouse? Is the use of the word testosterone for males equivalent of the 'B' word used for females? Why is it that being too much of a male is negative?
I adore how the title is "misconceptions about chefs," and she essentially says three out of five are totally true. As a bartender, god bless you, chefs!
Mark–agreed. Yuck. Knowing that a lot of chefs smoke makes me feel a little unhappy. Their sense of smell and taste is being taken away.
About this article being pointless–why is it so hip to say this? Silly. I thought it was mildly interesting.
I don't know if these assumptions about chefs are really common, but I have heard a few. It is interesting to compare and contrast to a sort of occupational Japanese manga I read recently–I don't know if I recommend it, but it is called Bambino–but I don't think it has been published in the U.S. yet.
As for we chefs life in the industry is no easy task. Dealing with many issues daily from staff , management & customers you have to have a thick skin, passion for food and the ability to work long hard hours for days at at time. Pressure from all directions and most time coming at you all at once, you've got to love the job cause the money is secondary. Never smoked but sometimes wish I did for the many smoke breaks taken. Drink a least twice a week after work and most assuredly on one of my days off. Love the job because it's never the same routine on any given day.
Like most service industry related jobs, anything less than celebrity chef du jour or restaurant owner, requires long, hard hours for very little $$$. A friend of mine who is a phenomenal cook, a chef by training and education, makes more $$$ as a welder and the hours are better.
Smoking kills your sense of taste and smell... so why the hell would a chef want to smoke? Seems like a dumb thing to do. And the part about how "Cigarettes help us look like bad asses – which we are" is complete bull. Cigarettes don't make you look bad ass, they make you look retarded. I have zero respect and sympathy for people who smoke.
Food is over rated. It's just stuff you consume and let go in your toilet. What else is there to talk about?
I don't get this fascination with food and cooks. Seem rather silly.
Clearly you eat to live. Many of us live to eat. You sound like a boring sack of @#$!
Gee, it's rather sad to see that your feel so blase about food. Perhaps you haven't had a truly great meal yet. I hope you get that inspired dish sometime in your life that may change your views.
Bottom Line:
If you don't want to work really hard, for little money and probalbly no reward, don't work in the restauraunt and hotel industry. You will learn a lot of things that are good in your personal life, but best bet is ... and I know you don't want to here this but... GO TO COLLEGE AND GET A DEGREE IN SOMETHING THAT MAKES MONEY. IT WILL BE THE BEST VACATION YOU EVER TOOK!!!! Worst thing is, you will probbly end up being the owner of the buseness you are the chef at.
I don't understand this article either. I am a chef, CIA grad over 20 years ago. I did meet my wife in the hotel where I worked soon after graduation and who knew the demands of the industry. We have been happily married for 20 years. Have never smoked cigarettes, maybe the occasional cigar. I will not allow myself to drink unless I have a day off the following day and then I will tend to binge. A demanding profession no doubt, even more so if you have children waiting for you at home. Would never care about looking like a bad ass, quality and consistency are the most important things to focus on. The only chefs I ever knew who had bad tempers were usually old school Europeans working in our country.
I've known a couple of guys from CIA, not going to stereo type, but these guys couldn't keep a job to save their marriages. Too much ego. Ended up out of the business.
Of course there's the guy how loves working 18 hours a day, 6 days a week making 1800 lbs of ravioli plus 15 other wonderful tasty hotel pans of food for a Las Vegas Hotel buffett for $30,000 a year but that isn't the average chef that this article is referring to.
Get to watch your kids play soccer on the weekends? Hows open house working out for you? Seen a doctor lately? If yes to all of these questions, I question your actual occupation being a chef.
I've hired and couple CIA guys in my time and let me tell you, not one of them could work the line on a Friday or Saturday. That means you are useless to me. Their technique may be spot on, but none of them could handle the constant barrage of tickets.
Eating all the butter and salt we put in your food makes us laugh. Idiot.
Smoking makes you look like an addict. Which you are, idiot.
Bottom line is that UNLESS you've done it you can NEVER understand. This is that type of career. Sorry to put it like that but it's true.
I cooked in restaurants for around 15 years. Though I'm not a Chef, I can only speak for myself.
I do have a bad temper, but I can keep it in check most of the time, and never take it out on anyone. However, when you're cooking in the middle of a busy night, it's important to keep focused and not let emotions get in the way, or else you'll end up drowning. I do drink, probably more than I should, though I've been trying to cut it down to only the weekends. I only smoke 3-4 packs per year. Though I do admit to not having the best eating habits as well as being guilty of stopping at fast food places after work. I've had great relationships (mostly), and so far on my first marriage (of 14 years) she was a server at a restaurant I worked at when we met. It really all depends on the person. For the most part, I've known more level headed people that cook, but also a few psycho's out there. I absolutely hate egotistical Chefs and Cooks, they piss me off more than anything. I think everyone should work in a restaurant at least once in their lives.
Amen brother
Got that right Leonard. I've been a line cook, sous, head, back to line and back to head but line cooks are the true warriors. Bourdain put it best when he said the best French chefs in the world are all Latino line cooks. Flay and the celebrechefs might make the bucks but none of them have set foot in a working kitchen for years. The blood, sweat and panic would kill them at this stage in their lives. Cook or Die!
Chefs have to be able to handle pressure well, & be people oriented. They should also take pride in what they prepare.
Well, obviously not EVERY SINGLE chef in the world is an alcoholic.
And no, smoking makes you look gross. Having a stick in your mouth is far from badass. This is the 21st century... catch up.
Sounds like she admits most of these things are true of most chefs. Stereotypes are mostly true but NEVER apply to EVERYone.
No kidding. Really? Just figuring that out? You must me 19. First year of college? No?... every single person in the world has a different story. No two people are alike. Every snow flake is different. Maybe we just not bother.
I've been "on the line" for 12 years now and I have two degrees neither of which have anything to do with cooking. Being in charge of hundreds of dinners a night is not a job most people could handle but, for those of us in the life, it's as much to do about the adrenaline rush as it is about the food. Imagine being on a roller coaster for twelve hours a day, six days a week and you might have a clue. If we smoke and toss back a few after hours, who could blame us. As for you boring 9 to 5ers, we're the ones partying with your daughters at the after hours clubs. Peace
You hit it on the head my friend. One of the toughest jobs around. I dare anyone to try it. Anyone who has this experience can usually handle any other job. If you aren't drinking and smoking, you aren't a chef.
I want to back that up with, you don't have to be a chef to have this experience, being a line cook is just as hard if not harder. All kitchen work is hard. I started as a dishwasher, 5 years later I was "The Chef". 4 star restaruant. I'm a graphic artist now but kitchen workers are my heros. My job is cake.
Two thumbs up on your post Doug
Smoking isn't the best of ideas if you are a chef. It affects your sense of taste, which is crucial to the whole chef thing. If you don't believe me ask Chef Ramsay, he will tell you all about the negatives of being a chef that smokes. Personally I believe anyone serious about cooking would quit smoking to pursue their culinary dream. But that is just me, what do I know about anything.
Of course taste buds are an advantage....but Grant Achatz still cooks wonderful food with out taste buds.
Exactly
I've been a chef for more than 10yrs. I smoke and I tip a few now and then. But the bottom line for me is that I will not present any dish to anyone that isn't up to my standards. Yes there are druggies and alkies out here, but that is part of the biz. If they perform what is necessary and I don't know about their habits.... what does that matter? As long as what I plate is what I want going out, it is done. Yes, the hours are gruelling, the pay is not usually worth the effort, but the smiles and the belly rubs you see make it all worthwhile. It's a matter of principal. That's all it is. Making smiles happen.
All I know about a chef is on my plate. That's how I judge him/her. As long as they keep the screaming in the kitchen, what do I care? I just came here to eat good food.
Both my daughter and son-in-law are chefs. Neither of them smokes.Smoking kills taste buds, so it's hard to cook good food, and taste it. One of them yells in the kitchen sometimes, the other never loses their temper, they raise a two and a half year old together, while running two restaurants. I do think it's difficult for chefs to have relationships with non-chefs, because of the life style.
I never smoked as a chef but after 13 years of being a chef I do now. Things still taste the same. Do you smoke and can you tell that you can't taste or is this something you read? I used to have waitresses say the soup was salty. Well they were just comong home from the beach and weren't drinking. My customers were. They thought the soup was great!
Smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages is bad for you. It will kill you. If you want to be a chef for a long time, it's good for you. Otherwise, be a teacher or something else. This isn't a job for the weak of heart. Being a chef wil kill you.
Chef Todd is the Man!!!!!
My own personal experience is actually quite at odds with the general theme of the article and subsequent comments. To be clear, I only worked a combined total of 2 years in the culinary industry. But in those two years I met a variety of people that ran the gamut from belligerently ignorant to thoughtful and informed.
I got an undergraduate degree (BS in physics) at an early age, thanks to accelerated courses and unrelenting parents. Then after graduation, my parents paid for education in my 'chosen' profession: cooking.
My father had urged me to actually, you know, work in a kitchen before they dropped 40 grand on an associates program. At the time, I figured I knew better, and wanted to enter at the 'top-of-the-game'. Anyways, fourteen months and forty thousand dollars later, I entered the culinary world through an internship with a relatIvely prestigious pacific northwest establishment.
Surprise! It was nothing like cooking and baking at home. But the chef at the restaurant was not particularly cross with me, even though it seemed like I was physically incapable of hitting their fire times. In fact, he just seemed to decide to use my strengths (math, communication and attention to detail) and tailor my duties towards storage, purchasing, scheduling and such.
Long and short of it is, I think it takes all kinds.. Some people that gravitate towards that occupation definitely lead a transient lifestyle. Others, like me, simply approached the industry with a certain naivete. Others still are genuinely drawn to the artistry and vIbrant history of food and cooking.
That's my two cents, anyways.
Wow – some of you posting are amazing... Do you have any idea who James Beard was / what it means / what it takes to win this award??? People in charge of kitchens / pace of menus, etc are amazing to be around/watch. Very sad that so many have so much low regard for the people that can do this kind of work at high levels...
Let me put a lol! in there too.
The bad temper part is true... I throw a fit everytime I eat my wife's cooking.
This is a "fluff" article CNN had in response to all the comments posted regarding the last couple of articles......let's see – the Texan chef running a steak house that hates vegetarians. And then there was the jerk chef who hates customers and thinks they should be on their knees thanking him for allowing them into his restaurant.
Hope both of those idiots lost business for their rants.
I absolutely hate customers. I can not wait to be out of the food industry.
I make a mean Chicken Fried Steak with some bad **s country gravy. Bet you'al would be my best customers.
There are lots of professions full of ill-tempered, alcoholic, chain smoking jerks. Law comes to mind
Accountants are even worst !
My accountant eats at McDonalds ( god forbid) every lunch our. I invited him to a party and he drank a 5th of absolute and was coherant as helll after that. Smoke, god ! the outside sand tray has a pack of butts every day. The worst temper and string of slang words come from accountants, MF, this, and MF that and the son of a beetch is on wife number 4, but he is one helll of a sharp accountant.
When he was being interviewed about 3 years ago, I interviewed him first, and another person interviewed him second.. Very impressive, sauma cum laud, all of that. But I finish interviews like this. Up on being interviewed by a second person I slip out. I look at his car and look through the windows at the interior of the car and look for bumper stickers etc... His car was full of beer cans, trash everywhere, a plate with his favorite football team on the front of hid car and I said to myself, that's our guy !
@ Restauranteur: "I've found very few intelligent, balanced and talented chefs who have the nuts to act like an adult while having the patience to deal with the directionless and substance abusing staff they're forced to bring in (as few people are desperate or damaged enough to take on cooking as a profession)."
The perfectly put one-sentence summary of the industry and its players.
Bravo.
ummm.... Ive never heard these "misconceptions" before... where did they get them? TV?
Yes, as long as I can remember chefs have been portrayed this way on television. Not far from the truth either, because we all know that stereotype is always going to be true ;)
WTF is your problem? I'm from Houston and not one person (from and living) here wears spurs or cowboy hats or chaps, rides horses around the streets, talks like Billy Ray Cyrus, or jizzes their pants when the comes to Reliant Stadium.
WTF is your problem? I'm from Houston and not one person (from and living) here wears spurs or cowboy hats or chaps, rides horses around the streets, talks like Billy Ray Cyrus, or jizzes their pants when the rodeo comes to Reliant Stadium.
Alright calm down billy the kid, we were talking about kitchen stereotypes.
I jizz my pants all the time. Or is that Jdizzle in my pants? Either way, it's all good.
As someone who has hired and fired in my own restaurants (all upscale or fine dining establishments) this is about right. The saddest part is that most of them don't have a proper role model, like Thomas Keller for instance.
I've found very few intelligent, balanced and talented chefs who have the nuts to act like an adult while having the patience to deal with the directionless and substance abusing staff they're forced to bring in (as few people are desperate or damaged enough to take on cooking as a profession). It's tough to criticize the talent of some of them at the highest level, the tragedy that it takes machiavellian tactics and a cat herding mentality to achieve it is simply what makes this industry so damned entertaining (it has it's own channel, two in some regions).
It is itself a vice, this business, and try as I may, i can't kick it either. At least my cellar is stocked :)
Maybe if people who own restaurants like yourself would actually pay their kitchen staff a decent amount of money then it would definitely be a field of interest for many Americans. The reason all American youth who abuse drugs happen to do that because what else do we have to be happy about? The capitalist pigs in this country have ruined this country beyond repair(does not matter how much money Obama throws at it), because of their greed. Now we have to work from morning until night wasting our lives away so we can feed people so that someone else makes money and gives us minimum wage. What do we have to be happy about? Nothing! We need drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol to create a short moment of happiness.
Weav, do you realize that more than half of all restaurants fail in their first year? The main reason is because they don't understand how to control their labor cost. Restaurants operate on a razor-thin margin. Trust me, in most restaurants the owners aren't taking home much more than their staff, very often less. And they're often the ones in the kitchen cooking and cleaning with them. Do a little research.
Krull, anytime someone buttonholes an entire group of people, whatever they may be, then it's time to take a closer look at yourself. This is how bad things happen to good people. Remember WWII? Now it's Muslims and chefs......geez.
Uh, what? WWII and muslims and chefs?
i was expecting more out of this article lol
Been in the biz for 10 years, Chef for 4 and to all you haters, make sure no one (I mean no one!!) at the next restaurant you eat at hears you say anything bad/rude/snotty/ect about the chef, kitchen staff, front of house or even the dishwashers. WE MAKE YOUR FOOD people, you really want to gamble w/ that. Remember, you could have gone somewhere else And.. dishwashers are above busboys badcyclist ;)
Maybe that was just busboy hubris, then
Dishwashers are generally the hardest-working and lowest-paid employees in a restaurant. It's a hard physical job (these are generally the folks who have to take out the many bags of trash each night, mop the floors, etc), and often pretty gross, and it usually pays minimum wage or just above, even in the best restaurants.
Dishwashers are right up there with hotel housekeepers. Tough job, rotten pay, little respect.
Started out as a dishwasher. Became chef in 5 years. It just gets harder. If you can't handle it, stay a dishwasher. If you can, pay attention and show some potential. Otherwise, go to college and get a real job making real money! It's the easiest thing you can do. Working hard sucks!!!
I couldn't agree with you more.
I worked in food service for a decade and actually was the general manager of a restaurant of a well known chain. There is a ton of things that the person running the shift has to be consistently thinking about. Shifts are rarely shorter then 12 hours and sometimes the only way to get breaks is to take up smoking. I never smoked before I started running shifts at the restaurant, once I was stuck in there for 12 hours stretches and rarely getting a chance to sit let alone even take a second to think – I took up smoking. It gave me a couple of breaks of about 5 minutes where i didn't have to yell, answer customers or listen to whiny workers. It was a few moments of bliss in a hectic day. Once I was able to quit my job and work normal 8 hour shifts – I quit smoking and have never looked back. It really is a thankless job. The people calling the shots above you rarely care about your workload and the people working for you rarely care about their job.
i agree, when we get those few minutes outside cooling off having a smoke, it is so tranquil, 9-5ers would never know the feeling
I feel for you. I quit the chef business and became a graphic artist so I could have a mellow job .. but it turns out, it's just as hard, just not as hot and without the danger of cuts and burns, and I can't yell at or be yelled at by someone and end up being friends at the end of the day, I get a warning that I can't behave this way.
At this point in my life, I couldn't handle the restaruant business but I yearn for the good old days. It was real. If you are in the business, get out of it what you can and then get out of it. Anything else will be easier.
I have to say I could not agree with you more. That is what it is like. Working in a commercial kitchen takes a lot way from actual cooking. Once i was a manager I worked 12 hour days or longer and had so many things to contend with that cooking really took a back seat. What is really sad is that it is the paying customer that loses. Because customers what great food , fast, and cheap they are the ones paying for all the labor costs, and less than the best quality food. These chain restaurants spend so much time and money trying to turn tables that food quality suffers. There are no real chefs it is a kitchen full of line cooks.
Here's another misconception which is completely true - chefs/cooks require NO education to be in the industry.
The industry is rife with unintelligence.
Anyone with half a brain can be a cook, the problem is, cooks usually only have half a brain (i.e. "Smoking makes you look bad ass").
Wow- you pretty much made yourself look the fool there. Ignorant SOB.
#1 – How can a misconception be completely true? How contradictory...
#2 – Are you sure you're a chef and not a cook? Because; by your own definition, you sure sound like a cook.
I've worked with jackholes like you in the past; that's why I got out of commercial kitchens.
To be a successful chef you have to know a lot more than how to cook. You have to understand cost percentage, labor cost and management, organizational behavior, inventory control, supply chain management, facilities management and maintenance, how to read financial statements, all the stuff they teach you in an Ivy-League business school. On top of that, you're in an environment during service that appears to an outsider to be absolute chaos, and you're in charge. A decision you make now becomes completely irrelevant in less than a minute, but it has to be made.
I'm not a chef, and could never handle that kind of pressure. I'm an accountant, and I've worked with a lot of chefs. I have a respect for them that parallels very few other professions.
Thank you ProfJeff! Well said.
In every job category there is the winners and the loosers. We are just hearing a lot about the looser here in this blog!
Intelligence and education do NOT go hand in hand. All industries have a fair amount of "un-intelligence" in the work force. Nothing to do with the job, the population is just stupid, buddy.
Most chefs are coke head losers. They smoke cigarettes because most stupid people do. There is a lot of good chefs, non smoking free of drugs, just not most. And almost every kitchen has a Bad Luck Johhny who's crappy life is the fault of everything but his penchant for getting loser drunk, and using cocaine to get throught the work day. Just the way it is. Maybe it's a regional thing.
If you have such a problem with the "coke-head" chefs, then why don't you stay home and cook your own food. I bet ther are more coke-heads and worse working at the local McDonalds than at a real restaurant.
Yeah go away Krull. You should have been aborted.
"because most stupid people do. There is a lot of good chefs" The correct response is "There ARE a lot of good chefs.."
Learn your language before calling someone else stupid. Dumbass...
Dude. Did you get fired from your dishwasher job because you couldn't handle it or ws it you just couldn't get to work on time? How's that college education going?
Sorry. "was" not ws.... I didn't go to college. I was a chef. no disrespect to chefs but i wish i had gone to college then i wouldn't have to have worked so hard and would have made a lot more money and wouldn't be on this blog.
Sorry. "was" not ws.... I didn't go to college. I was a chef. no disrespect to chefs but i wish i had gone to college then i wouldn't have to had to work so hard and could have made a lot more money and wouldn't be on this blog.
OK. I wish I would have gone to college so writing this blog wouldn't have been so hard. Too much smoking and drinking. Sorry.
Why dont you ask the offspring of a chef – you'll hear the truth that way the best. My father IS a chef still, 30 years in the making. Its not all butterflies and flowers. He is not a smoker, he IS a drinker, he is NOT a partier (anymore..I think he's too old)...but why defend characteristics and not their qualities. Lets talk about all the showers and weddings we have saved money on? Or how when we go out to eat, he always hides his menu so the waiter/ress cant take it. And sometimes he even takes it home. Or how everything that you (me) make for dinner, is never the right way, and he always has to fix it, which by then we are all behind on dinner.
The most difficult recipes are actually the easiest. He still never will tell though how he makes his goodies.
Ask me how he became a chef, its a phenomenal story. Inspires me everyday. I love my Dad!! Love you Tato!!
This is by far the best comment I've read so far. You brought tears to my eyes. My father always had to correct my sketches, although he had 0 knowledge and training in fashion design :)
Most Chefs are not mean, and I agree 100 percent with Michy.
Chefs like Rick Bayless & Bobbie Flay combine many good qualities. Have studied in detail/ are artistic/ personable & very articulate....also hardworking.
good comment
Did yo really just comment on your own post?
My reply is equally excellent.
You've obviously never met Bobby Flay. The biggest D in the business.
Most chefs are angry, tired, smoke and drink. Work in a busy kitchen one night and you'll understand why we are such a-holes. My brother is a Chef for a large restaurant group in Sydney, Australia and I am a Pastry Chef for a catering company in DC, it's a pressure cooker situation and all the chefs I know drink, smoke and some do drugs, a lot do drugs. You are wound up something terrible and by the time the restaurant closes you don't want to go home to sleep so you go out and drink and wind down.
Love my job, wouldn't change it for the world. Not even the screaming a-hole chefs get to me now. My brother is one of those!! LOL
nice one jeff haha, ill get back to my station as soon as the next ticket comes rollin in. Yea that is pretty much true. And the whole cigarettes making you look like a bad ass statement lighten up bobo its a freakin joke, but the statement is accurate none the less. I fit all those too bad im serving right now, decided id try something new
Her comment on smoking was just a joke. But in my long experience as a busboy growing up, #4 is absolutely true. Most chefs are mean. I kind of understand why– the heat, the pace, the pressure all add up. But most chefs are little Napoleons of the kitchen and best avoided whenever possible, especially if you are a galley slave like I was. Busboys are just a short rung above dishwashers at the bottom of the kitchen hierarchy, so I know all about bad-tempered chefs. Yeesh.
Most chefs actually treat there dishwashers with respect. Its the one job in the restaurant that 90% of people don't want to do.
Waiters are the group that gets the least respect unless they know what they're doing. Not some actor that needs to pay the bills and is only doing this "part time until my career explodes" all the while providing sub par service and incorrect orders then bitching about a table that left only 15% tip.
Order of respect in a chef's eyes – (highest to lowest)
1. dishwasher – because they are elbow deep in a job that no one wants plus they "mostly" know what dish guests don't like since they scrape it off every night
.
2. sous chef – Cause they make the chef's life easier for the most part and everyone needs a person that "gets" their jokes and play the "Would you?" game with and not get sued
3. customer – cause if they ain't buying then we ain't working
4. line cook – the experienced kind, the guy who for the most part can out cook anyone in the restaurant sometimes even the chef and by all means could be a chef but for some reason doesn't seem to know how or want to do any kind of math, ordering, or general managerial responsibilities. Not the culinary "school" grad that thinks he can cook better than everyone in the kitchen but doesn't because he doesn't want to "waste" his talent in someone else's kitchen and "for sure" the chef would steal his "blinged out sick dish"
5. food runner (expo) – if there is one, this is the guy for the most part that is the air traffic controller to the chef's pilot, crazy respect when the job is done well, the bearer of all the expletive laden, degrading humiliation a chef can hurl through the tiny "pass" when he screws up.
6. busboy – because this person has to deal with the primadonna waiters, clean the tables, fill the drinks, clear plates, relay messages, set the table, usually for the whole restaurant, all the while hoping today will be the day the waiters actually tip out correctly
7. bartender – only because of proximity to alcohol and because for the most part, bartenders can be cool people
8. hostess – because they are hot and they flirt with the chef
9. front manager – they are just servers with a suit on
10. server – they are just monkeys with a pen and paper
*read with tongue in cheek all of you overly sensitive type i.e. – entitled servers* I'm just kidding.......sort of
You nailed it Tom!
I hate eating in restuarants where the chefs smokes. They way over season the food. Skoming wrecks your taste buds. Stop smoking and you too will taste what you are sending out.
Well, at least we can spell 'SMOKING' and get it right. Maybe you should start smoking while you learn how to type
You may want to get yourself tested for lysdexlia. (Sorry–"dyslexia")
LOL! What, you've never heard of skoming? All the cool kids are doing it these days!
A chef of 25 years. That's about right. You really nailed it. Now...back to your station!
...and FIRE THE BOARD!
I'm not a professional chef, but I do love to cook and learn new techniques. I do not drink or smoke. I am generally very health conscious about what I eat. Number four though, yeah a bit. I am very picky in the kitchen. Pots, pans and ingredients need to be just right. While I am an easy going in general I am "very focused" when I am cooking.
Although I am not currently married, I think I would make a good spouse. Ladies??
Obviously if you are not a professional chef then this has nothing to do with you. There is a difference between actually running a commercial kitchen and just enjoying making new items that you find in a cook book.
Come on, Gigi, give the guy a break.
Most of it't true. We're generally bitter by nature and cant deal in a civilized work place...I love every bit of my career.
Nice one GIgi. He soundls like a wuss.
You stole the words out of my mouth, ha ha! What's funny is how some people think they 'are' chefs just because they cook at home. There is absolutely NO comparison. Try to stand and cook 5 different entrees by a full on grill and 8 burners and one broiler, have to deal with dumb waiters who mess up your orders and 20 tickets waiting on the line and you'll get a slightly better idea why most chefs or line cooks are heavy drinkers and smokers. They've got to have a smoke break and HAVE to unwind after work, every day. I'm not a chef but a line cook who's worked for years in casual and fine dining at several restaurants in New Orleans.
While
I agree making something new out of a cook book dose not make you a chef, I would say that I have worked in a kitchen where I had to come up with new dishes and specials. this is not an easy task. I love to cook and spend much of time in the kitchen cooking wonderful meals for family and friends. My 8 year old son wants to be a chef and can cook better than most adults I know. The bottem line is that cooking is nothing more than an art. It can be many different things to many different people. The best things come from people with passion rather than knowledge.
If you're not a professional chef, then this list does not apply to you.
Danielle.....The bottom line is cooking is just ONE part of being a chef. Until you've worked in a professional kitchen, you have NO idea.....NONE.....ZERO. So all you home cooks out there, dont comment on things you don't know about.
"Cigarettes help us look like bad asses." That is the least intelligent statement I've heard since Palin was a VP nominee. Just plain dumb!
THANK YOU!!!! I totally agree.
I was enjoying this article and feedback, thinking how refreshing it was to have something where political comments couldn't possibly be injected. Idiot!!
You guys are a bunch of freaking idiots. You have ZERO sense of humor. It's called sarcasm. Get a life.
Was hard not to cuss in this post.
Huh. Weird. Last time I checked smoking makes you look like a dumb ass, not a bad ass.
last time you checked, you might have been on another planet.
Exactly. And I thought smoking interfered with proper tasting.
It does interfere. I was trained in France, a very formal culinary education. They refused to allow any smoking. It's sloppy here.
Agreed, smoking is about the dumbest thing one can do. And who the hell wants nicotine residue and ashes in their pate?
Johnny rebel......We don't smoke on the line and they make soap to wash hands with. I'm a firm believer that if you're a chef and don't smoke and/or drink, then you are not a chef. Walk in our shoes for one dinner service on a Saturday night and you too will be asking for a Newport.
What is a pate?
Not recognizing sarcasm makes you look like more of a dumbass. #facepalm #epicreadingfail #REALLY?!
This is the MOST pointless article I've ever read. I wasn't even aware that any of the five items were stereotypes of chefs. I wasn't even aware people cared enough to have misconceptions of chefs. The only stereotype I have now is that they are AWFUL authors.
Dear CNN...Please take this off the front page and bury it somewhere with all the other junk no one cares about.
@Blue K – - that was too funny! Love your post.
Thank you. I'm still upset about this article. It is keep me up at night. I demand answers. Why was this written? What was the point? I DON'T GET IT!!! LOL
And I really need to restate...I never had ANY misconceptions about chefs. All I ever thought was that they cooked better than I did.
Exactly!!! I'm a chef, and I don't do not drink or smoke (neither of the two do I believe makes anyone look like a "BAD-ASS" They asked a question and she gave an answer that generalized ALL CHEFS. Do all chefs smoke? Yes... #fail #wrong
You need to stop living off hashtags. There was an implied #sarcasm at the 'badass' smoking item in the article.
Buy a Sarcmark!
Would you people learn to read! She is saying that this is a misconception about chefs not that it's true. Her point is that not all chef's eat gourmet food, they're not all alcoholics, they don't all smoke, they don't have bad tempers and that they don't make bad spouses.
Awsome post! I agree with you 100% percent!
I think the article about the mean chef CNN had on the website a week or so ago jaded me to the whole chef business.
Don't let that story influence your decision. He never should have vented like that. Most of us might have to experience the impossible customer or two on a weekly basis but in the end, we feed you well and you support our business. Most chefs take alot of pride in what they do. I do. Personally I think an impossible customer adds color to the day!
LOL! Better not ask too much about how your favorite computer program or service is created :D
I knew I was a Chef, not a Banker. I fit 4 out of 5. (Number 1 is not me, but getting there).
Even with the horse teeth, I'd take this chick out. Looks kind of like a red head, which we all love.
JDizz – Ditto on both counts...I need to work on number one as well, but fit squarely on the rest, though I have since quit the vices.
And for the record, she looks like a blast, and would likely be a fun date.
go away
You're lonely, aren't you?
As a chef for more years than I'd like to count, we Chef's put up with more than our share of issues on a daily basis. From staff to management and customers, yet we manage to handle most of it with a positive attitude, not always but most times. If you can't manage the pressure than stay out of the business. Personally I've never smoked but like how many smoke breaks are taken by those that do, drink Yes, not daily but twice a week and most assuredly on days off. We chefs should & most of us do have a passion for the field we have chosen.
Chef's rule !
dad?
daddy?
Unless you're a woman she's not interested. Fact!
Really? Awesome! =D
Oh and read the title. These are 5 misconceptions of chefs which means that if you meat four of the five qualities you must not be a chef.
*meet
Michelle Bernstein is married...to a man. Fact. His name is David Martinez.
I am not a chef.. but i love to cook.. i didnt know what i was doing though til my gf bought me this hilarious beginners cookbook.. it was a bit politically incorrect, so I can't tell you the name of it, but if you google "whipped and beaten culinary works" you can find it.. but seriously, don't go if you can't take a good joke.