Why are Professional Chefs....?!


Question:

Why are Professional Chefs....?

have arrogant attitudes? Why are they so cold and uninviting? Why are they unwilling to admit they are wrong? Why do they think they are better than everyone else?

I'm not saying all chefs are like this. But, most have come across act this way.


Answers:
I agree... however, I also think they create magic on a plate, that's dances on our palette as we enjoy there work...

So let them be whatever they want, just keep cooking it up Chef!
?
?

Some people that are the best at what they do are arrogant. It is human nature. But, most of the chefs I know are great people. I even know one man who says he is just a cook. His wife will tell you he has his culinary degrees from very fine institutions, and a Bachelor Degree in a completely different feild. He is right now a wine distributor here in California and is one of the best "cooks" I have ever known. SO, they are not all that way. But, I know what you mean.

Per;haps you have met chefs who differ from the ones I know. My father and mother owned restaurants for probably 40 years. I never met a chef like the ones you describe. I have also frequented certain restaurants where the chef generally takes time to greet the customers. These are usually small exclusive restaurants, some with a set daily menu of several courses. None were arrogant, but of course, all of these, except in CT, were in the South, where people tend to be friendlier, at least on the surface.

Its because the media loves to make them seem this way, most are actually nice =)

Hi, I am a professional chef, I have had restaurants/cafe and now run a catering company.
we can be arrogant when guests have unreasonable requests, like a dinner party for 30 tonight? with gluten free organic diabetic vegatarians with nut allergies.
Cold and uninvting when then have worked an 80 hour week on their feet with no time to see their family or have a weekend like most folks with 2 days off in a row.
Unwilling to admit they are wrong maybe because a guest has a different view to a recipe, when a chef has designed a menu is is based on his/her many years experience in the industry and some housewife turns up and says her one bible of a cookbook is the one and only way to cook blah blahblah.
They know what workes in their kitchen with their talent/produce/staff/client preferences/budget.
Most industries have those who think they are better than everyone else, it's just when you question the chef, he/she is probably still churning out meals for another 200 in the restaurant, been on his feet in a hot restaurant kitchen for 12 if not 15 hours, with a team of young attitude cooks who all believe they need a payrise there and then, a coolroom that has just broken down, the head waiter is having affair with his souschef and they are having a "moment in the dry store" and the $4000 a kilo truffles have been thrown out because the kitchen hand thought they were just rubbish!
Dont laugh, all this happens in a regular week.
Talk to us in the morning after we have had 2 coffees and a good sleep.
Write an email/letter stating your case/background and then we can deal with it in a reasonable way.

It depends on the chef. In my days as a waiter I've seen just about every type from the one that throws stuff when he's confronted with a substitution to the one more than happy to change his recipe.

For the ones that get pissed off I think it's the "artist" mindset that they fall into. They believe (and in a lot of cases it is justified) in their skill and that they are somehow better than the people around them. They've taken the time to create a wonderful dish with a balance of ingredients, flavours and textures and then get upset when somebody doesn't recognise their genius and asks that it be changed.

And then in other cases they might simply be tired. Working in a kitchen is hot and sweaty work usually with little other than name recognition.

well, I can't say I have known a LOT of professional chefs, but I have know three very well. They have all been wonderful, easy going guys and their kitchens were a fantastic place to work! I always went home with a smile on my face...even after a busy night!

I actually still keep in touch with one of the chefs I used to work for, our families have become great friends over the years...and I LOVE it when he invites us over to dinner!! :)

I understand your question.Many are,it seems. But I would like to think that those are the ones that get the attention. There are many more that aren't. Most important to me is the food. It's the star of the show, not me.I want people to have a delicious,exquisite meal and a beautiful,enjoyable experience.The fact that I am gifted with the ability to be able to do that is wonderful.I love it!I love the produce market,the meat market.I love being in the kitchen and doing this for people.I'm even somewhat uncomfortable when they want me to come out into the dining room. The 'raw materials' I get to work with are amazing.I think you define the job,and the job shouldn't define you. I hope this may help you to know many or most of us love it,and are put off by 'attitudes'.Thanks for reading this.




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