What is it really like to be a chef?

With the advent of many chef-driven reality shows, pulling the curtain back on restaurant operations, in general, would still surprise many. Back in the day, as with many practices and actions, chefs threw pans, screamed, yelled, and made servers cry for fun. Although the culture changed slowly but surely, the old days of working oneself to the bone, sacrificing family, mental and physical health degradation, and having some fun were the order of the day. Maybe not secrets but many practices and pushes on the front line and on shift, in general, required a certain intestinal fortitude that many “civilians” just didn't, and still don't get in this chef’s opinion. Restaurant corporations developed huge chains that, back in the late 1980s and ’90s exploded as the country grew. It is obvious now, especially with social media, that one of the biggest secrets that we share that would surprise many is the unbridled passion that kept many of us coming back for more. Abuse of our livers, mental health, and “normal” life was disregarded as the anticipation and adrenaline rush of pumping out 300 covers or a wedding on a busy shift was what we lived for. This answer may have taken a turn onto a side road, but it needs to be said. Chef Anthony Bourdain pulled back the curtains a few times, but it has always been a taboo subject. There were never support groups, no one cared how tired you were, how many doubles you worked, and how you were treated by the managers. You just put your head down and power through, working like a dog for someone else's benefit, oh sure the paycheck was good in many cases, but hindsight is 20/20, and oh if we knew then what we know now. The industry has made leaps and bounds in the last 10 years, and, 2020-21 has changed things forever. There is much to be said and gained from a solid work ethic, including the hard work and long hours it takes to be successful. Working for yourself, or mentoring under an experienced chef, should be a challenge, and filled with stress and pushing oneself beyond creative limits.

Battle Tested- the plethora of “private” chefs that have surfaced in recent times is an interesting dichotomy of drive, opportunity, and a generation of cooks that may have never cut their teeth in a commercial kitchen being mentored by an experienced. The title chef has become a rubber stamp in my opinion, which leads me to ask the modern cook/chef, “what does the term chef mean to you”? It really shouldn’t mean many things to many people, leave that to the food bloggers.