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Guest writer Chef Eugene Lee of Tanzini Restaurant squashes a few stereotypes about chefs.
Chefs are usually uneducated
No, though going into a culinary programme does not typically require high CGPAs and grades. Some chefs even hold degrees in science programmes and then decided to major in food services and enter the culinary industry. They may not be drilled with the fundamentals of cooking but they’re equipped with marketing skills, budgeting, economics and even down to the molecular studies of food ingredients.
Foreign chefs are better than homegrown chefs
This comes down to "the grass is greener on the other side". And this is not only in the restaurant realm. All chefs carry a certain character that simply cannot be compared to that of another. Simply because food is very subjective and ingredients are so diverse - the local chef will never be like the foreign chef and at the same time, the foreign chef can never be like local chef.
Chefs are very fussy when eating out
I have to agree to this one, but only to a certain extent. There’s a fine line between a fussy food snob and an analytical tongue.
Personally, when eating out, I try my best to see what the cook/chef is trying to say through the dish rather than sit at a dinner and start picking out the chef’s mistakes immediately.
A lot of my friends do this at the dinner table very often and turn to ask me, “So what do you think?” I usually go, “Um, well, I kind of enjoy the dish!” and shock would wash over their faces.
It’s only when we see the good in another chef’s dish that we begin to get inspiration. I don’t buy into reviews, either. I’ll go to a restaurant with an open mind and usually what happens is, I’ll get more inspired after.
If you ask me what my favourite food is, I like food that is unpretentious – food that you’ll find in a pasar malam, by the roadside or wrapped in banana leaves. I secretly love eating instant noodles with plenty of additional ingredients like prawns, scallops, kimchi, poached egg, you name it. If you still don’t believe me, just look at what chefs cook for their crew meal.
Chefs are chubby, don’t trust the skinny ones!
Trust me, someone who eats a lot may not necessarily be overweight or cook well. The new breed of chefs can be skinny and skillful because cooking comes down to your experience and more importantly, your drive. Absolutely nothing to do with weight at all.
Chefs are lens-shy, so leave the PR to the front of the house
In this modern era of social media frenzy, hiding in the kitchen is not an option anymore. Chefs are required to interact with their guests, people from the press etc. So for chefs who are shy, I guess it is high time to learn to come out of the shell.
In the Tanzini kitchen, all crew members are not only trained to cook, they’re also equipped with the skills to carry themselves outside of the kitchen. I encourage them to be themselves and to not worry so much about being in front of the camera. It is when we start to love ourselves then we gain that confidence and are able to love our job and the people around us!
Chefs are always enraged
Do not buy into television. Some shows actually ask the chefs to create the drama. The real reason that chefs are impatient is because of the pressure and stress, but not all chefs lose it in the kitchen. Sure, there’ll be scolding and shouting, but it’s never as aggressive as what you see on television.
I’d rather leave the drama for the telenovelas and reality TV shows. We have guests to feed! When mistakes are made, fix it, move on. Shouting doesn’t help and only creates panic in the kitchen, which then leads to more mistakes. No chef or crewmember is invincible.
(Images: Thinkstock)
Chef Eugene Lee is the senior sous chef at Tanzini Restaurant. One of Malaysia Tatler’s Best Restaurants winner, Tanzini is located at G Tower, Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur.
More guest articles from Chef Eugene Lee:
How to prevent a chef from going into Gordon Ramsay mode
