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Chef Or Cook: What Are You ?

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Comments

  • Beli
    Beli Posts: 10,751
    TKS my friend, The garden keeps me busy on weekends as well, just finished changing the damaged plants from the last frost in January, I'm happy with the result but I know this is a neverending task
  • Beli
    Beli Posts: 10,751
    And my wife takes advantage of it.... :laugh: :ohmy: Made my day Gary!!!!
  • Austin  Egghead
    Austin Egghead Posts: 3,966
    I am neither, but I do love to eat (therefore, I learned to cook). I don't have a Culinary Arts degree, so I am not a Chef.
    I love to learn and apply that learning to my passions (whether it be biking, cooking, music and now guns and I enjoy this forum because it gives me the opportunity to learn and share.
    Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx
  • Jeffersonian
    Jeffersonian Posts: 4,244
    Cook, and a fairly good one, but definitely not a chef.
  • Jeffersonian
    Jeffersonian Posts: 4,244
    See ya there, Jeff!
  • Village Idiot
    Village Idiot Posts: 6,959
    I'm sure there are real chefs here, but the only "card carrying" chef I knew on this forum was Pato (pwise). But, as Don McLean said, "He caught the last train for the coast ". :(

    OT: Speaking of which, check out this cool video !!!
    http://video.yahoo.com/editorspicks-12135647/featured-24306389/grand-rapids-makes-5-000-person-music-video-25402516.html

    Viva Buddy Holly
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


  • Bear 007
    Bear 007 Posts: 382
    My mom cooked her entire life, she could cook for one or 500 without measuring a thing. She never went to school for it, but she worked at some pretty fancy restaurants in Connecticut. When someone called her a Chef she would always laugh at them and tell them what a real Chef was. To me she was a real Chef.
  • elzbth
    elzbth Posts: 2,075
    I'm with you all the way. I love to cook, and for the most part my family and friends would agree that I'm fairly decent. You are right about folks trying to pretend and give you directions on dishes that they have absolutely no idea of what they are talking. Sometimes it's hard to know the difference - thankfully there are a loyal group of regulars here who can be counted on to help....some of them are chefs, some are cooks - I'm thankful for them all. I'm thankful for you too - that turkey gravy recipe you posted last Thanksgiving was great!!! :)
  • Little Chef
    Little Chef Posts: 4,725
    Having experienced the intense, humbling, and at times humiliating rigors of Culinary School, I believe that is an absolute pre-requisite to being able to call yourself "Chef", though you are not a Chef just because you completed schooling. It is my opinion that the title of Chef comes not only from schooling, but through years of professional experience, leadership, skill, and responsiblility of knowing you are providing healthy sustenance.
    There are two other Chefs (that I am aware of) on this forum: Bobby Q and HossBBQ. They, and I, use the Title with absolute humility. It took many years before we felt 'worthy'. "Chef" is a title that is earned, not assigned.
    Just my two cents...
  • Well said, Little Chef. I salute you and the others here that have traveled the Culinary School path.

    I consider myself a chef wanna-be. Also, a foodie that is always interested in learning new things about cooking.
    Happily egging on my original large BGE since 1996... now the owner of 5 eggs. Call me crazy, everyone else does!
     
    3 Large, 1 Small, 1 well-used Mini
  • Mainegg
    Mainegg Posts: 7,787
    that is what i was trying to say in my ramblings... :blush:
  • lowercasebill
    lowercasebill Posts: 5,218
    leaving out the derogatory things i am often called i think foodie best sums it up.
  • You have prepared some impressive meals in your posts! I plan on preparing the Mango and Celantro Mahi Mahi today. I hope mine turns out as good as yours looked!
  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
    Just a guy that likes to cook/gril and visit with the MANY talented people on this forum. ;)
  • Beli
    Beli Posts: 10,751
    You should be fine David, I'm sure, will look for your post....have a great sunday!!
  • I'm not going to be able to use the Maple Flakes since I have hunted everywhere for them. But I am grilling them on maple planks, so hopefully the maple favor will come off the plank.
  • snake701uk
    snake701uk Posts: 187
    I am given names and titles all of the while. However when cooking on the BGE most are nice. Chefs are chefs, simple. I just want a smile off my guest when they eat!
    We should all respect a real, professional chef. Most of us will never be close.
    Andy
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    I see you couldn't find the A-hole option either B)

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • transversal
    transversal Posts: 719
    I'm available for mockin if anybody needs a target.I'm just here to have fun and enjoy BBQ'n. So, mock away. I'm easy.
  • Austin Smoker
    Austin Smoker Posts: 1,467
    stike wrote:
    if we are going to go after someone because they used the wrong knife, we aren't really going to be taken as 'friendly and helpful' as we might like to think we are.

    we can start making fun of stuff, if that's what everyone wants. i mean, publicly. because an awful lot of mocking goes on behind the scenes via skype, email, and FB chat. why should we just mock the newbies here? :evil:

    I sure find myself agreeing with Stike alot these days! :ohmy:

    His first post on the topic was dead on, IMO.

    This one? Well, if people really are spending time mocking other forum members on skype, etc.... my thought is it might be time for them to find another new hobby to take up all the spare time. I am willing and able to assist in the following ones: Duck Hunting, Dog Training, Golf, getting a Polaris Ranger stuck, snow skiing.

    I am not even CLOSE to being a professional at any of these, but have a lot of fun with all, and willing to introduce anyone to any or all of the above. Please note, for most of these activities, your iPhone Skype app won't do you any good as there is no cell signal where we do these things, so do yourself a favor an leave it in the car. ;)

    As for the question, I enjoy cooking and really enjoy egging in the company of others who like the same.
  • Egg Juju
    Egg Juju Posts: 658
    I am not a chef, but I play one on my porch. :laugh: I have a couple of friends that are trained chefs and they go crazy for my cooking, but that doesn't make me a chef. My son started calling me chef a couple of years ago and I ended that real quick. Chef's are well trained professionals and the title should be used with respect. Using Chef in your name, when you are not, and then trying to teach folks to cook is akin to putting MD or Esq after your name and then hanging out a shingle. DrBBQ makes great Que, but none of us would seek his help if we needed surgery. When guests call you the chef we understand that they are paying us a compliment and having a little fun too. If most of us tried to represent ourselves as chef's and teach others how to prepare dishes above our abilities those same folks would be the first to check us on our attitudes. Humorous titles are just that in the correct situation. In the wrong situation they are disrespectful to those that have paid their dues.

    I believe any Chef on the forum will tell you the kitchen is no place for thin skin. I don't think anyone should be offended because the friends on the forum checked an unqualified person for calling themselves Chef. I suspect those same folks would be the first to come to their defense should they be unfairly attacked. That's what friends do. :)

    Oh... and just to cover all my bases... I remember when this used to be a friendlier place. :evil:
    Large and Small BGE * www.quelfood.com
  • PWise
    PWise Posts: 1,173
    Hey but I still cook! I have to eat don't I? hehe....

    This is a very old topic and there are many points of view and I consider it to be a matter of perspective...

    I don't consider myself to BE a chef although I have worked as one (being the boss in the kitchen designing menus and recipes, controlling costs, etc)...

    I think and truly believe that going to culinary school makes you a chef just as much as doing an MBA makes you a CEO/GM...

    There are many chefs in the industry who are considered chefs by the community and also work as one who have not attended culinary school, as well as there are many culinary school graduates who are not even close to either working as a chef nor being acknowledged by their community as one...
    Similarly there are many CEOs/GMs who have never had formal business education and even less, an MBA or some sort of graduate studies, and they are still CEOs/GMs...

    A whole different thing is to be a "World renowned famous chef", or a "Michelin starred chef" or a "San Pellegrino top 100 chef"... and I guess no one in this forum fills those shoes... But I'm sure there are plenty chefs, cooks, grillsmen/women, entertainers (hey there Beli!), etc, etc... and I'm sure it's all relative...

    I couldn't find the original post about the newbie... but still welcome! we should all be always open to learn new things...

    I remember when I first posted... nobody liked me :P and still think many don't... but that's their problem! B) :woohoo:

    Cheers!