When can an experienced cook call himself a chef?

[Iceman]

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Forget it phaedrus ... my post has, like some other recent comedic pics of mine, been deleted. ... I'm thinking that maybe someone just might need a little tiny portion of "SENSE OF HUMOR" included in their diet. ... But who am I to say, right?!?​

 

[Iceman]

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[L'uovo vulcanico]

Just be glad I'm not posting my Zucchini bread... --lol--

 

[Iceman]

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[L'uovo vulcanico]

It's good for those on a diet, but is it served cold?

 

[Girlmeetsgrill]

Everybody wants to be called a Chef. Show me the money $$$ I really love how now everyone is an Executive Chef. WOW!! that must come with some big bucks. Chef wasn't good enough Now we have to be Executive Chefs......In my Business it was always my client that liked calling me Chef. Things like when they introduce me to their Corp heads. They would always say, Here's our Chef. It brought a more higher expectation to the quality of lunch that day. People love titles, the thing is you have to live up to them. You need to walk the talk. Walk into any kitchen and you'll know who the Chef is after a few minutes. A Chef carries an air of confidence and control. I remember doing a Catering one time. One of the cooks looked at me and said "You think you know it all" don't you. My answer to him was, you bet your ass I do, some one here has to. I told him he didn't think about this function until he showed up an hour ago. I've been planning this for weeks. There is no making mistakes at this level of your career. When you get here you better know it all. So, IMHO when I felt I should be called a Chef was the day I became a Know it all........ChefBillyB

You will NEVER know it all!! And? If you think you do?? You need to get out of this industry!! Never will I ever work for arrogant people!!! Life’s to short! You either have passion for this or like you, only in it for power reasons!!! So sad!

 

[chefross]

As for me, I've noticed that companies bestow the Chef title to people who aren't experienced enough to own the it.
Just read some of the questions here on our so called professional Chefs forums. The questions asked reek from inexperience, yet there they are "Executive Chef" asking questions on an internet forum...

 

[oldenchef]

I my opinion to be called a chef is a cook of excellence, a head chef is normally a sous, or just a general chef who works themselves up the ladder to become head chef. I have worked in many different food oulets for over 45 years in England. I have been sous chef, chef de partie, and head chef. I have never been asked to show my qualifiations.

 

[foodpump]

Never been to England ( well...I had a 4 hr stopover in Gatwick in '84, but that doesnt really count)
So,... a cook is a chef, a sous is a head chef and a "general" chef is an Exec Chef?

I should really travel more once this pandemic. thingee is over.....

 

[foodpump]

Never been to England--unless you count a 4 hr stopover in aGatwick in '84-- but that doesn't really count, does it?
So... a cook is a chef, but a sous is a headchef, and a "general" chef is an Exec. Chef?

I should really travel more once this pandemic thingee is over....

 

[Koperek97]

Personally, at least in modern society I feel like it's appropriate to use the term "chef" to generally refer to someone in the culinary field, at least one who is decently experienced. My read on society is that "cook" is associated with say, a fast food fry cook, whereas "chef" is understood as someone who is BOH at a higher caliber establishment.

Words evolve, and I think this may be a time where it should.

 

[chefross]

Personally, at least in modern society I feel like it's appropriate to use the term "chef" to generally refer to someone in the culinary field, at least one who is decently experienced. My read on society is that "cook" is associated with say, a fast food fry cook, whereas "chef" is understood as someone who is BOH at a higher caliber establishment.

Words evolve, and I think this may be a time where it should.

True but, here in the USA we have no formal means of bestowing that title on a cook. Not all Chefs are cooks and not all cooks are Chefs unless they manage a kitchen. So I can say that I am a cook and that I have been a Chef several times in my career.

 

[foodpump]

Personally, at least in modern society I feel like it's appropriate to use the term "chef" to generally refer to someone in the culinary field, at least one who is decently experienced. My read on society is that "cook" is associated with say, a fast food fry cook, whereas "chef" is understood as someone who is BOH at a higher caliber establishment.

Words evolve, and I think this may be a time where it should.

My personal experience was different.....
After completing a 3 year formal apprenticeship in Switzerland, my qualifications ( Zeugniss) stated very clearly “ Koch” ( cook in Englisch) not only in German, but in French and Italian too ( Switzerland has 4 national languages...). That made things pretty clear....

 

[Aldente]

Romanticism aside, restaurants are businesses, the goal of any business is to make money, if the Chef can't make money, either the business fails or the Chef gets terminated.

This is really the main "ingredient", if you will pardon the pun. In terms of a professional kitchen where there is a hiarchy, the Chef (Head Chef/Executive Chef) is the position ultimately responsible for the success or failure of the restaurant/eating establishment. Anyone can be called anything, but as far as the position in a professional kitchen, the Chef will take the fall for any failure or the praise for any success. He or she can then pass that on to the staff, whether that is a success or failure. A good Chef (manager) will use either as a teaching opportunity, however many do not and use it to instill fear and intimidation to their staff. I hope to never have to work in that environment, but I have out of necessity at times. It is no shame, and you will gain something from this.