The Cult of the Celebrity Chef
Contrasting the glamor of TV and the true grit of the real world
In the past 2 decades, the culinary world has gripped the imagination of audiences through TV cooking and competition shows such as Chopped, Master Chef, and so on and so on and…. well lets just say there is a ton of shows out there that involve cooking or the culinary experience in one way or another.
Charismatic and seemingly talented chefs enter our homes through our screens effortlessly creating elegant and skillful dishes that leave us mesmerized and wondering what kind of magic tricks that these chefs must possess. We can’t help but ask the question, what is actually going on behind this culinary perfection?
Today we are looking into the differences between the life of a TV chef and the blood, sweat, and tears of a real world master of the culinary arts.
When it comes to the celebrity chef it would seem that they are always in the spotlight. They navigate their way through a pristine kitchen that is usually equipped with the newest state-of-the-art equipment that doesn’t have a blemish on it and looks like it has never been used. Well it looks this way because it probably hasn’t ever been used and if it has, it’s been professionally cleaned or restored back to it’s original glory just in time for the next show.
These chefs showcase their culinary prowess in front of a captivated audience. This glamorous setting and highly polished presentation make it seem like a dream job. That’s because this is a complete fantasy that only exists in your dreams. The real culinary world is far different from the bright lights and controlled environment that is the TV kitchen.
The real world chef works long hours in a sweaty cramped environment usually for very little pay. With the hungry customer demanding perfection and the company that you work for demanding the fastest ticket times possible this can make for an at times chaotic environment.
In the world of TV cooking shows the time is usually compressed to fit within a 1 hour episode or less giving the viewer the impression that something like a braised fall off the bone pork shoulder can be done in an hour without a pressure cooker, which is for the most part completely unrealistic but you could probably say the same for any other competition show out there.
In a real world kitchen time is a precious commodity and must be managed accordingly or else the shit is going to hit the fan. Unlike the TV Chef the real world chef must cook multiple orders at a time and often direct the cooks who are alongside them. The chef is also a cheerleader who is charged with keeping morale and production high.
The kitchen can be a boring place sometimes when it’s slow. When there aren’t any orders coming in you are either prepping for the next rush or cleaning. In a professional kitchen there isn’t any time to stand around, you are always moving. If you got time to lean, you got time to clean.
The Chefs on TV usually have complete creative control of the menu which is simply not the case in most food establishments. Either you are working in a corporate environment where the menu was developed by corporate chefs who don’t actually work in a kitchen. You can tell these types by their bright and shiny chef coats and their immaculate shoes. If you shake one of their hands I guarantee it will be soft.
Or you are working for a small chef owned restaurant by where the egotistical chef/owner has given him or herself complete creative control. Occasionally you come across kitchens where you are tasked with creating daily or seasonal specials, in this case you should take this opportunity to be as creative as your talent will allow.
Let’s talk about receiving feedback:
TV chefs usually receive feedback from the audience or a panel of judges that craft an immediate and critically constructed response to whatever the chef has prepared. Henceforth they have the opportunity to refine their skills based on expert advice in real time.
In the real world a chef often won’t hear any feedback from a customer unless the customer was dissatisfied. In my experience yes, you do get positive feedback or sometimes constructive criticism but normally if the customer is saying something about your food it is not so positive to say the least and sometimes it’s downright rude!
While the world of TV chefs captivate our imagination with all of it’s glamour, the reality of working as a chef in the real world is far more complex and demanding. Chefs face trials and tribulations of time constraints, corporate budgets, customer satisfaction as well as all of the other pressures of running a profitable business.
Despite these differences, both TV and real-world chefs share a common love for the culinary arts, striving to create memorable dining experiences for their audiences or patrons. At the end of the day, the culinary world and all of it’s mystique and variation continues to wow and inspire, reminding us of the extraordinary talents that lie within.