Gabriel Evans
Dr. Kaschock
English 102
11 March 2016
The Inspirations of a Chef
The image of a chef has been engrained into our heads as a foul-mouthed, tough, knife-wielding, lunatic who’s constantly struggling for a breath of air. A chef is seen as a master of his craft; The steward of the art of gastronomy. They are driven, unstoppable and sometimes quite crazy. These images have been painted accurately by cooking shows and movies where chefs are glamorized for their skill, their personality, and their drive to be the best in the world. In my experience, many of this reigns true. The chefs I’ve had the pleasure of working for have not only displayed their drive to be the best in the world in the truest sense, but they actively make efforts to differentiate themselves from others in the industry. This differentiation is a prime motivator to improve and one of the most important sources of inspiration for the many great chefs in the culinary industry that we will be exploring.
A chef comes to realize their goal in the industry from both experience and failure. In the documentary “Spinning Plates,” The chef of three Michelin star restaurant “Alinea” in Chicago, Grant Achatz, realized his goal after leaving “A temple of gastronomy, Charlie Trotters Restaurant.” He commented on his experience after leaving, “I didn’t leave there on great terms… Charlie told me ‘If I leave this restaurant that I was nobody and I wouldn’t amount to anything.’ As a young cook, that’s crushing. He was probably the most influential person in American gastronomy ever to this point. And knowing me, I wanted to crush that” (Levy 44:45). For chef Grant Achatz, this crushing exchange of words prompted him to seek higher achievement. Drawing upon a similar experience, when I was fired from my first restaurant job as a busser, I was crushed and disappointed in myself. I felt I hadn’t performed to the degree with which I was expected to. This was partly due to my lack of adaptability and my manager’s failure of training me in the proper manner. This similarly crushing experience benefitted me, though, when I started my second restaurant job. I used the experience of getting fired due to underperformance to ensure that I would exceed the higher standards expected of the prestigious restaurant with which I now worked, and I excelled because of it. In a similar experience if excessive failure, chef Mogan Anthony comments on his worst day as a chef, “The [Village] Social was open for 2 weeks and we had a packed house. The line was packed and I went to the walk-in to grab some ingredients and every shelf fell in front of my face. At the same time, Allison (the manager) was looking for me to greet guests. I was covered in sauces and all of my ingredients were now useless. I was so close to breaking down” (Evans 5). Failure is a constructive measure for future success. Every chef experiences it, and those who are able to use it to grow stronger can find great success.
Once a chef establishes their goal and method of differentiation, they draw upon different forms of inspiration to achieve their goal. Some chefs are raised with a culinary background. For example, my interviewee, Chef Mogan Anthony, describes his most important culinary experience as when “[My mama] would take me to the open-air markets and we would pick ingredients for dinner. I would walk around smelling all the spices. That was my first exposure to food and it has grown from there” (Evans 8). This important cultural moment influenced Mogan’s cooking from here on out. Today, he uses ingredients and methods from his hometown market and his mama’s kitchen. It’s safe to say that growing up with a strong culinary influence has a profound effect on a chef. For me, it proves true. My father has cooked every meal in our household for as long as I can remember. He differentiates his dishes and incorporates new ingredients as an inspiration each season. During winter, he focuses on russet potatoes and grains like quinoa and lentils. In summer, he uses fresh fruits and vegetables from farmer’s markets like heirloom tomatoes, basil, and fruits like blueberries and papaya. I have since taken after his methods. I even push him to try new things based on my experience at my restaurant job. From using grape seed oil in place of olive oil and sautéing a Jean-Georges version of a tuna burger on Brioche with Chipotle mayo and red leaf lettuce, my father and I have discovered totally new things in the kitchen and it inspires us each and every time to out do our previous creation.
Chefs also find inspiration from the intersection of culture and food. This intersection has such a profound impact that it affects nearly every accomplished chef. Chefs use their culture to influence not only how they cook, but how they think about cooking. In certain instances, a chef realizes the importance of their culture after the realization of the lack of it in their life. This was the reality for Teresa Corção, a Brazilian chef, who only discovered the importance of incorporating heritage ingredients after she saw the employees of her restaurant doing something that hurt her pride. “She remembers the ‘Frenchified’ food the employees of O Navegador would prepare for themselves at staff meals” (Franklin 42). To her, “Depending on how you look at it, it was either fusion or confusion.” It took the realization that she and her employees were trying to do things with food that had no affiliation with the pride of their culture to discover the importance of a Brazilian root called Manioc. This root is a traditional Brazilian staple that was used by inhabitants of Brazil for over 1000 years, but with the influx of international ingredients, has since been abandoned. After discovering the versatility and benefits of Manioc, she now uses this root in almost all of the cultural dishes on her menu. Corção is now world-renowned for her use of the Manioc root. She has used it to revitalize households and communities in Brazil through the power of education in cooking and has formed an initiative to revitalize similar cultural ingredients in her home country. In my experience, coming from a Jewish background has greatly influenced how I think about food. From the first days of my life that I can remember, I recall the matzo ball soup my grandmother and father would make together. I always enjoyed the opportunity for each matzo ball to taste different than the next. I also recall the yearly “Break Fast” dinner after a day of fasting on Yom Kippur. An entire table of bagels, freshly smoked lox, cream cheese, vegetables and more would always, without fail, make my taste buds salivate. I am proud of my heritage and its wonderful food.
Besides culture that influences a chef’s identity, people also have a profound effect on the moral and creative character of a chef. Chef Mogan Anthony was greatly influenced by his mother and by his mentor, Chef Jean-Georges, a world-renowned chef with over 30 restaurants worldwide and my current employer. He describes Jean-Georges as “similar in background [to him]. He’s from France but uses Asian flavor a lot. I do the same, yet I am from Asia. I love how he mixes ingredients from different cultures like I do” (Evans 9). This inspiration from a legend like Jean-Georges helped Mogan understand his importance in the industry. A chef needs a Jean-Georges figure to guide them in the right direction. Both of these chefs have helped me realize the importance of food more than anyone. I’m fortunate to have been able to see their talent in action. It inspires me to try new things and find my niche at a time where I never thought it would be a possibility. These influencers are an integral part of differentiating yourself and finding inspiration as a chef.
It’s apparent that sometimes the culinary profession can be too overwhelming, though. Between the long hours, the dangerous working conditions and the physical and mental strain it puts on your body, it not only devastates certain chefs, but their families as well. For chef François De Mélogue, this became so apparent that his marriage began to deteriorate because of it. After being married for five years, the chef’s wife said of him, “[he] was more married to the kitchen than to her” (Mélouge 105). What was even more tragic is that he said after the fact, “I wasn’t sad: I still had my kitchen, which was all I had ever wanted or needed.” This is a scary reality some chefs may face. In this profession finding a balance is absolutely essential. Chef Phil Cousineau, Mélogue’s mentor, describes his struggle as “soul loss.” “The joy I once felt for the business had disappeared, and my work began to seem meaningless. I noticed how no one around me liked the hours they worked, how some people hid their woes in womanizing, drinking, drugs, or fragile marriages” (Mélouge 106). Amazingly, I have seen this happen in my own experience at the restaurant I’ve worked. I’ve seen managers come and go based on the highly stressful responsibilities and 60-hour plus work weeks. My last general manager would often sleep on the couch in the bride’s suite at least once a week. He recently left the restaurant because he even thought the job was too much for his health. This example is only one of a long grocery list of examples of those who find the profession too overwhelming. The culinary industry isn’t for everyone.
Being a chef is otherwise a very stimulating and rewarding career. Chefs find satisfaction in making people happy with their food. Angela Billings of Worchester Vocational High School says, "As a chef or caterer," says Angela, "you'll feel fully alive, and you'll know the tremendous satisfaction of making people happy" (Geshelin 1). Chef Mogan Anthony feels similar about the profession. When asked if he loves what he does, he responded, “I absolutely do. I couldn’t think of a better job to have. It’s fulfilling, rewarding and delicious” (Evans 10). Being recognized for your hard work is also a significant motivator to becoming a great chef. Accolades such as Michelin stars and James Beard Awards are what make world-class chefs constantly seek to improve. The pride a chef takes in their cooking is a serious matter. Working for a world-renowned chef has helped me to understand this phenomenon. My employer, Jean-Georges operates over 30 restaurants worldwide, and some of them have 3 Michelin stars, the highest accolade in the industry. To maintain the integrity of his name, he and his team make sure that every employee at his restaurants, including me, understand the pride he takes in his watch. He’s not alone in seeking to demonstrate this importance. One of the greatest chefs in the world, Thomas Keller of the French Laundry and Per Se, said in the documentary “Spinning Plates,” “It has its moments, but at the end of the day, you go home elated. You're excited about coming back tomorrow even though you worked 16 hours and you gotta be up in 6 hours from now. And it's that kind of lifestyle that feeds who we are” (Levy 41:35). Being a chef is absolutely one of the most awe-inspiring professions there is and it truly takes perseverance and a little bit of crazy to love it as much as some do.
It’s easy to say that being a chef is not an easy job, nor a simple identity to claim. Without truly experiencing the energy of the kitchen and the high pressure of the industry that you come to appreciate why these “crazy” individuals do what they do. Through the troubles they experience, to the delight they bring to people’s faces every day, there are negatives and positives to the profession. This begs the question, why are these individuals so enamored by this seemingly overwhelming and destructive profession? I think it is born in certain individuals. The constant need to outdo oneself and overachieve is a definite possibility. Additionally, these individuals seek to be constantly engaged. Being on your feet all day is rewarding for some because it’s a physically and mentally stimulating activity that few professions, a chef being one, can provide. I think some chefs also strive for the recognition of being one of the greatest. Above all, though, you have to love food. The love for food is always the most important motivator for being a chef. Some chefs will see these motivators as reasons for being great, while others may not, but they can always appreciate the creations they concoct on the line every night. That’s where the real magic is.
Works Cited
Evans, Gabriel. “Interview with a Chef.” Telephone Interview. 27 Jan. 2016
Franklin, Sara B. "Manioc: A Brazilian Chef Claims Her Roots." Gastronomia.
University of California Press, Sept. 2012. Web. 1 Feb. 2016.
Geshelin, Hanna Bandes. "Chefs: Cooking Up a Dream Career." Career World, a Weekly Reader Publication.
Scholastic, Nov. 2000. Web. 2 Feb. 2016.
Mélogue, François De. "The Evolution of a Chef." Gastronomica.
University of California Press, June 2004. Web. 3 Feb. 2016.
Spinning Plates. Dir. Joseph Levy. Spinning Plates Movie.
Chaos Theory, 24 Oct. 2013. Web. 2 Mar. 2016.
