What Are The Qualities Needed To Become A Great Chef?

The famous French Chef Gusteau said “anyone can cook”, but it takes a well motivated and multi talented cook to become a “Great Chef”. For those who wish to become a Great Chef, developing the following qualities would greatly assist their endeavors:

• Creativity and imagination

Without a doubt being creative and imaginative are important traits any artist needs, a chef also a unique appreciation of food and tastes. Being a great chef is all about creating new and enticing dishes that will impress and satisfy dinners, about taking risks, doing new things, and being passionate about cooking.

• Technical Excellency

Being a chef, you need the best technical skills, but also know how to balance these with the “art of cooking” just like a successful Barista creating the perfect coffee, a chef strives to create the best meals possible.

• Teamwork

Every kitchen is made up of a team, from the smallest establishments to the largest commercial caterers, them teamwork is vital. You need to be able to work with and respect everyone in the kitchen from kitchen hands wearing their barista aprons and porters to the Executive Chef.

Your teamwork abilities will be a major factor in determining your success in the culinary world, this is one of your keys to your future as a Great Chef.

• Multitasking

Every day in the kitchen there are new challenges from getting your apron dirty doing dishes or taking out the garbage, if there is no one to do the job, the chef steps in to fill any gaps.

The kitchen is a go-go-go area and your responsibility as a chef is keeping things going by delegating jobs or doing them yourself.

The main attribute required is being able to keep a level head and temperament while managing a hundred small jobs at the same time and still keeping all your customers satisfied.

• Attention to Detail

Attention to detail is the mark of a Great Chef, your ability to keep things together from your staffs barista aprons to the supplies due tomorrow. You must measure and mix everything to create those masterpieces expected of you every minute. You need to check the front staff’s aprons are clean, notice that missing garnish, taste that sauce and not overcook anything while ensuring everything is on time.

• Handle Criticism

No one can ever be perfect, in the high-pressure atmosphere of a busy kitchen, mistakes happen and people are hard to please. Not everyone will like everything you do or cook, so a great chef needs to be tolerant of others and understand that some things will not always go the way they planned or want. Finding alternatives and compromises to problems is the mark of a good chef and kitchen organizer. Criticism should be met gracefully and a good chef should ready, be willing and able to accept any criticism and use it in a positive way to improve themselves and their kitchen.