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As a chef how do you mange memorizing recipes? time management skills? customers?
Im a high school student that is working on a project for a class. I have questions on how a professional chef deal with recipes, customers and etc.
#culinary #cooking #chef #expert
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3 answers
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Richard’s Answer
Kaylie,
I am certainly no Chef, but I have many years of experience working in Commercial Kitchens as well as technical selling to National Restaurant Chains. From my experience, I can tell you that consistency is key. When I would build the most simple Food Offerings, at some point after repetition, I would memorize it. I directed our Culinary Staff to always have the recipe in front of them while executing the recipe, regardless of how many times they have prepared it. I love to cook Seafood Gumbo for my friends and family. I developed my own recipe years ago, and I am proud of it. That said, I always have that recipe in front of me to insure that I do not fail to include an ingredient or miss a step.
Good luck!
RH
I am certainly no Chef, but I have many years of experience working in Commercial Kitchens as well as technical selling to National Restaurant Chains. From my experience, I can tell you that consistency is key. When I would build the most simple Food Offerings, at some point after repetition, I would memorize it. I directed our Culinary Staff to always have the recipe in front of them while executing the recipe, regardless of how many times they have prepared it. I love to cook Seafood Gumbo for my friends and family. I developed my own recipe years ago, and I am proud of it. That said, I always have that recipe in front of me to insure that I do not fail to include an ingredient or miss a step.
Good luck!
RH
Updated
Jack’s Answer
James is right after you make the same recipe many times you remember it. that said some chefs keep and use a recipe daily. I worked a hospital for years and we all used and followed recipes because they can not vary by a teaspoon it would mess up the nutritional value of the meal. In restaurants chefs learn how to judge the amounts by touch. The best cooks and chefs have to be consistent on a daily bases.
Dealing with a guest is one of the most important duties of a chef. How can you know what the customer is thinking about the food if you do not talk to hi m or her. Getting feed back lick the meal was good or bad does not help- me become better able to please the guest. If i talk to someone in the dinning room I can ask questions about what made the meal good or bad. Like to much or to little garlic etc.
Time management is more difficult. It depends on what type of cooking you are doing. Banquets you star from service time and work backwards so you when to star prep and cooking. Again a lot of time management comes from years of cooking over and over. and knowing how long it takes to do a certain task. As a chef you also have watch the rest of your staff to make sure they are on schudle also and if not resign jobs or jump in and help.
In both your questions you wanted to know whats do but there is unly one chef in each operation. The rest are cooks of varying types up to and including sous chefs.
Chef Batten
Dealing with a guest is one of the most important duties of a chef. How can you know what the customer is thinking about the food if you do not talk to hi m or her. Getting feed back lick the meal was good or bad does not help- me become better able to please the guest. If i talk to someone in the dinning room I can ask questions about what made the meal good or bad. Like to much or to little garlic etc.
Time management is more difficult. It depends on what type of cooking you are doing. Banquets you star from service time and work backwards so you when to star prep and cooking. Again a lot of time management comes from years of cooking over and over. and knowing how long it takes to do a certain task. As a chef you also have watch the rest of your staff to make sure they are on schudle also and if not resign jobs or jump in and help.
In both your questions you wanted to know whats do but there is unly one chef in each operation. The rest are cooks of varying types up to and including sous chefs.
Chef Batten
Updated
James’s Answer
For the question regarding recipe memorization, two big parts are repetition and synergy. In almost all culinary outlets, a big portion of the product range or menu are the same each day and as you continually make the recipe, you end up memorizing it. Also, synergy is a factor because many items are created off a starting base. For example, as a pastry chef, if I am making Vanilla Thyme Ice cream and cream puffs, they both start off with the same recipe as a base for the Ice cream and cream puff filling.
For the customer question, it is a little hard to answer since every outlet is different. In a restaurant setting, a majority of customer relations will be with the servers, sommelier, bar tenders, and managers/geberal managers. However executive and pastry chefs do interact with guests very often and in that case , you should he professional and be enthusiastic about your craft. Usually if someone is asking for the chef instead of a GM, it is for a positive reason or to learn about the food. A chef should always be excited for a chance to explain their craft and appreciate knowing people are intrigued.
For the customer question, it is a little hard to answer since every outlet is different. In a restaurant setting, a majority of customer relations will be with the servers, sommelier, bar tenders, and managers/geberal managers. However executive and pastry chefs do interact with guests very often and in that case , you should he professional and be enthusiastic about your craft. Usually if someone is asking for the chef instead of a GM, it is for a positive reason or to learn about the food. A chef should always be excited for a chance to explain their craft and appreciate knowing people are intrigued.