Chef vs Cook: What's The Difference?

The difference really depends on who you ask. The old school boy's of the profession claim proper schooling, while the new generation stand by experience and talent. I can tell you one thing they both agree on is the pay. Many of you that are in to the reality cooking shows may have witnessed casual cooks whipping up chef like discoveries. Proclaiming their unchefness proudly, yet their salaries do tell a different story. And you have the chefs telling tales in graphic detail how they had to climb a rugged ladder to achieve such status. There's the word in the culinary world that bears all hidden approval, status. There are about a dozen different types of chef titles off the tip of my brain, chef de cuisine, sous chef, executive sous, chef de garde, chef de party, pastry chef, corporate chef, executive chef and so on. Then you break down the line crew and the confusion grows even more: lead line, line cook, pantry cook, saute cook, grill cook, prep cook, steward, and so on. So really is there a difference? Is one more valuable to the fundamentals of running a kitchen? For me, during my reign as an executive chef, during the blood, sweat, tears, and long long hours away from my family, I say no, we were a unified team, all as valuable as the next.

For me a steward is just as valuable as my sous chef, it if was not for the steward washing dishes, doing primal prep, we as a whole would fall behind. Or if it was not for my lead line cook pulling me aside and telling me that the new menu item I designed was not executable, you the customer, would not come back.

There are some phenomenal culinary arts schools out there, offering a two year, four year, and masters degree. You can major in restaurant management or become the next master pastry chef. This I love about culinary schools versus general universities, there is no two year lag of general studies, oh no they make you grab the bull by the horns and if you can't perform, then here's a refund don't let the door hit you on the way out. Culinary schools run their curriculum similar to boot camp, they detest tardiness as well as dirty wrinkled uniforms. If you are a hands on learner then this is the school for you, forget the computer, grab some knives and start chopping. Though you may graduate with honors and high recommendations from your professors it does not mean you have what it takes to run a kitchen. This is where the street smarts outweigh the book smarts.

Experience will always win when it come to hiring a head chef. Whether you are school trained or self taught in the industry, the hands on hours spent in a restaurant kitchen will always prevail. Here is an entertaining example. I was the chef de cuisine in a luxury hotel and we had an intern from a prominent culinary school compete for a position with the company. He was a fast learner and hard worker, he never complained and was always willing to do the mundane dirty work. Upon completing his internship he was granted an offer as the banquet chef. This duty entailed running the banquet department with a few prep cooks as his employees, working 16 hour days. We decided to throw him on the line to see if he could be utilized in an another avenue. During a particularly busy lunch rush the poor kid looked lost and terrified, having no prior experience on the line, he really had no concept of timing or cooking more than one thing at a time, which is not tolerable on a kitchen line, you will lose customers. Now take a line cook who has 5 years experience working on the line, he is efficient with executing multiple orders, while remaining consistent in his production of the final product, although he prevails in this unique gift, he may not have the knowledge of food and labor cost, creating a budget, and most important leading a kitchen while maintaining a diplomatic demeanor.

Taking ownership of a situation, showing leadership, and remaining to keep your head attached with out ripping some one's off is really what comes down too. Some are natural born leaders and able to adapt quickly to new challenges, while others fall apart at the seams when something goes against the grain.

As for myself, I was mostly self taught, absorbing as much information anyone was willing to give. Throwing myself onto the line emerging in the high stress chaotic scene and loving every minute of it. I did take pastry and baking courses to make myself more valuable and raise my rate of pay, which may be the main difference of a cook and a chef. The pay. Most cooks are paid at an hourly rate, usually with little or no perks, while chefs are salary, good one at that, and do receive perks, like vacations, medical, sick, and investment options. Sounds good to the outside looking in, although we the chef's at the end of the day are the punching bag for our superior, we take all the blame if the kitchen some how fails on a particular day. We have to hold face in front of the public eye when there is a complaint as well as absorb the heat if a fellow employee fails at their job.

Now any cooks out there reading this, may have a different take on what a chef means. Maybe their chef is the type that won't even consider working the line, or assisting in the daily prep. He may just point a finger with his clipboard in hand and bark orders. Sorry for those who have this kind of guy, I refuse to ever detach myself from the main event. This is the thing I love the most about working in a kitchen, the necessary teamwork it requires, all of us working together, relying on one another to get the job done.