Jill and I were sitting in the Executive Lunchroom this chilly morning and out of the blue, she waxes eloquent: “You can be an Executive Chef and practically learn every cooking technique you’ll ever need, all the food chemistry, plating—you name it—for free, solely on the Internet.” Now I say that’s a fine bit of hyperbole, so let’s examine this claim.
I admit there’s truth to what my Jillaroo says! Want to perfect your chopping technique? Or learn how to make your own perfect English muffins with a CIA video? Imagine the delight of learning that classic Crème Brulee is incredibly simpler than pie to make, without cracking a book! Impress your friends by being the first to chat up the hottest food trends, like umami! Want to specialize in a really exotic cuisine, say, Australian? “Righteo, let’s do it all!”, Jill says, nearly spilling her extra yummy Swiss Hazelnut cuppa! (Warning, it’s addictive!) White House Hazelnut Coffee, Ground Coffee, 12-Ounce Bags (Pack of 3)
I had the fun of a complete tour of a huge commercial kitchen (yes, the Cooks tour), complete with multi-level bobbing white chef hats and I can tell you, the Chef du Cuisine has to do a lot more than whip up beautiful, scrumptious food! She’s like a conductor—driving a horde of chefettes, planning the menu, buying the best chanterelles, negotiating, accounting…you’d definitely benefit from having an MBA.
You may be asking yourself, “Why in the world would I want to be an Executive Chef—sounds like work to me!” And I say to you—you are brilliant. And I can show you how to be an Eclectic Chef, a Wiley Chef, a Minister of World Cuisine—and they don’t teach those in business school!
