How to Know a Good Chef From a Bum Whose Only Cooking Talent is Burning Water

You may not agree with me, but I have a lot of respect for master chef, Gordon Ramsay, whose show, "Hell's Kitchen," shocked me the first time I watched the show. Ramsay, not known for his patience, didn't waste time scolding the chef wannabe's who agreed to appear on his show for a number of weeks, win various cooking challenges with the hope of winning a brand-new restaurant (built by Ramsay)for their very own.

Not a bad gig. And not too many contestants went without an angry outburst or a nasty remark about how ugly and harsh Ramsay acted from week to week, but fact is. It was their own good. On one show he explained, "When you are the boss in your own restaurant, you too will experience a dislike and have no patience with employees who only show-up for a paycheck and not respect you as well as their work."

Some contestants used that nugget of wisdom for furthering their careers. Some didn't.

What I am driving at is this: You could tell by the way these future chef's talked, dressed, and interacted with others who would and wouldn't be a good chef when the show was over. I suppose Ramsay had "that" special sense to know how to separate the serious-minded from the silly.

Ramsay's love for cooking is far beyond "just" cooking a good steak for someone. He drives himself to continually-reach higher levels of perfection if possible. I respect that.

Did you also know that being a master chef requires all of one's self? From knowing something about most of the foods we eat, how to mix the right food with the right spices to make a dish that is extra-delicious to knowing how to handle the pressure that can break the strongest man or woman.

So if you in the process of buying your own restaurant and you are preparing to hire your chef, you are going to need some advice on . . .

How to Know a Good Chef From a Bum Whose Only Cooking Talent is Burning Water

HIS APPEARANCE -- can make or break this chef no matter how talented he may be. If we are judged on our appearance, imagine you hiring a talented chef who was "dressed tp the nines" at his interview, then on his first day of work in your restaurant, he shows up with tobacco juice running out of the side of his mouth and catsup stains on his white uniform. To be safe, you, the restaurant owner, had best take a few cooking courses.

HIS SPEECH -- is just as important as his appearance. An ugly and profane tongue can not only wreck this chef's promising-career, but your restaurant in the process. Do you know anything about selling used cars?

HIS DEMEANOR -- goes a long way when preparing food for the public. If this talented chef gets easily-distracted by every pretty woman customer he sees and serves her half-cooked pork causing her some severe food poisoning, you best tell him right off that making great food is not just his main priority, but his ONLY priority.

HIS KNOWLEDGE -- about everything food-related from A to Z, would be my main concern. I would ask him, "So, 'Chef Benoir Gwen L.,' what cooking institute did you train?" And if his answer is, "Huh?" or "Institute?" Quickly say, "This interview is over."

THIS TOPICS OF CONVERSATION -- should be important to you as the restaurant owner. If all this dazzling chef talks about are his endless adventures at various truckstops, then you best tell him, "We are not going in the same direction as you. So here is your compensation. One-hundred bucks. Spend it wisely."

IF THIS CHEF'S MAIN DISH -- for impressing your customers is meatloaf, then it looks like you got duped.

HIS ATTENTION -- to details while in your kitchen makes a world of sense. If a pattern of him yakking to every employee in sight--allowing dinner orders to back-up and customers leaving, hire another chef.

IF YOU CHECK THE CHEF'S -- background and find out that he has a long "rap sheet" for petty theft; shoplifting; car theft; breaking and entering, then call him and tell him not to show-up at the interview.

IF YOUR HEAD WAITER -- complains about "the golden boy" chef spitting some yellow-looking substance into the food, do not wait. Can you say, "You are fired?"

YOUR "SUPER" CHEF -- is at work one evening. Then as you walk by the kitchen, you hear a dog growl. Upon further investigation, you find a Doberman tied up to the stove, you have a huge problem. And a bigger problem if you ask him why the dog and him knowing that dogs are not allowed on the premises---and his answer is that he is blind. You best get your attorney NOW.

AFTER YOU EXPLAIN -- your restaurant policy about NO alcohol consumption by the employees while on duty and you find your newest chef so drunk that he tries to cook his feet, call AA. You will be doing him a huge favor.

BE SURE THAT -- your new chef's memory is okay. But if he keeps calling you "Tom," when your name is "Howard," get busy and let this guy out your door FAST.

Oh, do you want that hub with or without mayo?

Are you hungry? Okay. Take off and eat and a sincere thank you for reading my hubs. Kenneth

THIS CHEF IS DEDICATED

to making sure that her dishes are prepared past the level of "delicious," to something like "scrumptious" and "mouth-watering." It has taken her years of studying as well as trial and error in some areas of her craft to be called a "Master Chef."