Personal Chef does not a chef make
I recently just got certified as a personal chef. It allows me to start up a business designed to cook meals for people in their own homes and get compensated for it. The only aspect, aside from the loneliness, is that I could be packaging these meals for about two people for a week or up to two weeks. Everything is placed in a container so that when the person gets home they can place it on a plate and reheat it.
Now, as a classically trained chef, I immediately felt some kind of well "sell out" sensation. I felt that all the stress and hard work I had gone through was now being dumb downed so that any home maker can throw on a chef jacket and toque and call themselves a chef. Years of experience and you still aren’t a chef. You have to earn that title and it doesn’t come by passing a two-day course. It comes with knowledge and discipline. I digress. But yes, I was left with an odd feeling of guilt. Hell, this job wouldn’t even let me be creative with plating dishes.... because I can't plate in a tupperware.
I spent the money and got certified. I learned a lot. And while I understand the need for personal chefs, we have to remember that back in the 1800s and 1900s personal chefs were the ones living in the homes of royalty, politicians, and the wealthy. They had one role and they were held with the highest regard to perform grand, elegant, food; not, to place them in zip locks.
Now, as a classically trained chef, I immediately felt some kind of well "sell out" sensation. I felt that all the stress and hard work I had gone through was now being dumb downed so that any home maker can throw on a chef jacket and toque and call themselves a chef. Years of experience and you still aren’t a chef. You have to earn that title and it doesn’t come by passing a two-day course. It comes with knowledge and discipline. I digress. But yes, I was left with an odd feeling of guilt. Hell, this job wouldn’t even let me be creative with plating dishes.... because I can't plate in a tupperware.
I spent the money and got certified. I learned a lot. And while I understand the need for personal chefs, we have to remember that back in the 1800s and 1900s personal chefs were the ones living in the homes of royalty, politicians, and the wealthy. They had one role and they were held with the highest regard to perform grand, elegant, food; not, to place them in zip locks.
posted by Allison at
12:57 PM
1 Comments:
Ah well, Allison, you must understand that there are still positions available for "private chefs," which are the professionals who work for single families at their beck and call. Personal chefs work for many families and also have expanded services such as dinner parties, where one is certainly able to "cook-to-serve" instead of "cook-to-store." Who says you can't be creative in presenting food in storageware?
I'm a personal chef and if you have any questions about our profession, please feel free to email me.
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