Ask George: How often do chefs and chef/owners actually cook?

Ask George: How often do chefs and chef/owners actually cook? —George G., St. Louis

If diners think the executive chef is on the cooking line, manning the burners each and every night their restaurant is open, they’re mistaken. Chefs indeed wear many hats, and with each day comes a new challenge and another fire to put out. The exec chef is the quarterback, but also the utility man (and please don’t write me letters because this implies “utility woman” as well).   

Some chefs schedule themselves to work a station on the cooking line—some do so a lot, others hardly at all. You’ll see a chef filling in on the line for someone who’s sick, or injured, or in need—there’s no better feeling for a line cook “in the weeds” to see the chef step onto the line and play the savior fireman.  

Some chefs work predominantly in the daytime, creating the day’s specials, whipping up sauces, making sure the mise en place is, in fact, en place, entrusting a chef de cuisine-type to execute what (s)he’s put into motion. A chef works hard and hires well to get to this point. Many never do.  

Some chefs spend a great deal of time “at the pass,” playing expeditor (arguably the most crucial job in a restaurant), garnishing and blessing each dish before it’s sent out. A good expeditor eyeballs every plate that gets returned as well, looking for items left on the plate, as customers often do not register their displeasure verbally, but they sure as hell will leave any problem food behind. Many times, this is the only way a kitchen knows the string beans were oversalted.  

Chefs will work prep, wash dishes, sweep and mop, clean grease traps—all willingly. No better way to earn the respect of one’s staff than to get down and dirty with them.     

With increasing frequency, guests will see chefs working the FOH (front of the house aka the dining room and bar), in their crisp whites, schmoozing, explaining dishes, proudly serving their creations du jour. Customers love the interaction which usually means the chefs love it, too. Being able to “meet the chef” can be the high point of a meal, especially when (s)he’s received some notoriety, as many of our local chefs have.

Which brings up something fairly new on the scene: when a chef takes a day or two off to play guest chef at a dinner or event in some other city, usually extolling the virtues of his hometown in the process. Chef as city ambassador… How the heck do you put a value on that? The CVB oughta be writing Gerard Craft and Kevin Nashan checks…  

I’ll never forget the night a restaurant owner approached a server who had just clocked in, paid him in cash what he’d make for the evening, told him to take the night off, and worked his station that evening. I thought that was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. Until I saw a chef do it.

So do chefs actually cook? You betcha, in every sense of the word.