The Chefs Thread

Illgresi

Illgresi

Illgresi

Associate
Joined
18 Feb 2013
Posts
1,125
Location
Perth
I've had a look, and there doesn't appear to be anything of this kind on the forum.

I thought it would be a nice idea to start a thread where chefs (current, former or aspiring) could talk about cheffy related topics, and of course where home cooks can come in and learn tricks of the trade. I've no idea how many professionals are on this forum, but many people seem to have a good grasp of the culinary arts, so I guess we'll see if it kicks off.

I figure we could start off by telling everyone your experience, favourite cuisine, perhaps a dish/ingredient you love, and maybe a chef that inspires you, and hopefully we'll start a good conversation with that. Of course, some stories about life as a chef, and recipes/ideas for dishes would be great. And no ban on photos either. ;)

I was a chef for 4 years, culminating in a stint at a five star hotel (1 AA rosette) kitchen. Officially as a demi, although due to the (useless) chef de partie I was under being off on the sick for most of my time there, you could say I was essentially a chef de partie (not that I was paid for it). During that period of employment I decided the career wasn't for me, and I've since went back to uni as a mature student to do engineering. I have, as of this afternoon, just gone and gotten myself a job in another hotel part time, so we'll see how that works out.

I'm a massive fan of Thai cuisine, and David Thompson's 'Thai Food' is one of my most well thumbed books. I'm not sure I'd like to work in a Thai restaurant however, as having been to Nahm, I've no doubt that anything in Aberdeen would simply frustrate me.

I love using seasonal produce, and hate sloppy, thrown together dishes, that said, over-complicated and pretentious food doesn't sit well with me either. I'm not the quickest or the most organised chef, but I like to think that whatever I produce is worth the wait, as perfection is always my goal.

I suppose that's something I've picked up from my favourite chef Thomas Keller. His unerring drive to attain the perfect dish is a philosophy I think people can take into any walk of life.

So...go! :cool:
 
Not a chef but awesome thread - I lived with a Canadian guy who cooked at Smiths of Smithfields for a couple of years and learnt loads of cool stuff :cool:
 
Was a KP in a French restaurant for 5 years.

Learnt loads lots of basics, lots of prep, lots about quality ingredients and lots about a kitchen. Have to say there's nothing quite like working in full blown kitchen with kitchen staff head chefs, front of house staff and restaurant managers, the atmosphere is electric.
 
Burnsy2023 said:
I'll add this now, I don't want any of the filth said in a pro kitchen on this forum ;)
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**** ***** ****** ****!

;)

Was a KP in a French restaurant for 5 years.

Learnt loads lots of basics, lots of prep, lots about quality ingredients and lots about a kitchen. Have to say there's nothing quite like working in full blown kitchen with kitchen staff head chefs, front of house staff and restaurant managers, the atmosphere is electric.
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Have to agree, it's a stressful business, but the feeling when everything goes well is unbeatable. And it's addictive. You're working 75 hours a week, and you hate it, but you crave it. Very strange.
 
I'd like to copy out a passage from Thomas Keller's 'Bouchon Bakery'. I hope that doesn't contravene any copyright laws, but I think it's a fundamental aspect of cooking.

I get asked by a lot of young chefs just starting out in a kitchen, "Hey, chef, how do I become a great chef?"

This is what a I tell them: "Make sure your workstation is clean and organised at the end of the night."

They wait. They look at me and say, "And?"

I say, "And: Translate that into everything you do."

Working clean isn't a skill. It's not really even an act. It's a philosophy. And it's probably the most important thing a young chef can learn. It's what allows Sebastien [Rouxel, Keller's head patisserie chef] to be as good as he is. It's the reason for the success of the chefs in all my restaurants and for the success of those restaurants. And working clean also enhances your ability to be efficient.
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Great idea for a thread.

I always wanted to be a chef when I was younger (and still at times wish i pushed a bit harder to follow that dream) but now with a wife and 2 young daughters its not a wise move to leave a well paid job that i enjoy and gives me a very nice lifestyle to start at the bottom and possibly need to go to college to get some sort of qualifications beforehand.

unfortunatly i did the stupid thing at school and 6th form and took the lessons we decided as a group of mates to take and not what i personally wanted, which ended up with me leaving 6th form half way through the first year as i just didnt enjoy it... interesting in heinsight as the most i see of them now is the occational status update and comment on facebook.

not much of a post as my experience as a chef so sorry for that but it did give reasons as to why im not a chef.

its still is a hobby i absolutely love with a passion but yet another thing of having children is i dont get the time to spend a whole day starting with going shopping, prepping and cooking a 3 course meal for me and the misses and when we actually get that free time (maybe 2 days a year) we end up going out for a meal instead.

edit: just to mention i left 6th form for a job not just quitting for the sake of it
 
Been a chef for 5 years currently holding a job as junior sous learning from a sous with 30 years experiance classically trained, amazing the thugs he can cobble together, work in a very weird restaurant though, it's a coffee shop that has evolved Into a bit of a bistro serving traditional English meals all home made though I do get to experiment with our rotational specials board.


Unsure how log ill do it to though, fell into the job and I'm very good under pressure ( we have about 120 tables which are permenantly full and turning during lunch service) but until then ill keep learning new things
 
I'm not trained as a chef, but have worked in kitchen's and learnt from others. I worked as a commis chef during the summer after sixth form, this was at a large bar/restaurant in Brighton learnt a lot of the basics.
Then in a pub in Bournemouth center which was straight forward pub food, burgers and roasts with more responsibility such as being left to do the close down shift.
Then I worked in a small Italian restaurant, the position was kitchen assistant but ended up doing starters and pizzas.

I learnt quite a lot and have a lot of confidence when it comes to prepping and cooking but I wouldn't work in one again unless I owned the place.

The point illgresi makes is a good one, at the Italian place it was a tiny kitchen and working alongside someone who made a hell of a mess slowed things down.
 
Well, I've just completed my first four shifts in my new kitchen. Forgot how good the banter is. They've put me in as part-time Chef de Partie, so that's a bit of a bump from Demi.

The menu is all over the place, but the longest serving chef (the head chef) has been there for 3 months, so it's not his fault to be fair. It's getting changed in late May or early June, and we're all being asked for input, which is great. I'll be pushing for Morel Soup.
 
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