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What Makes a Great Chef?

There are numerous traits that make every chef unique, but some of the best chefs and culinary experts in the world will share similar qualities. The title of “chef” holds an honor that is achieved by spending countless hours of learning, honing and refining cooking skills day in and day out. The main thing that differentiates a chef from a cook is that a chef typically runs the kitchen and the menu at all times. A chef is the ultimate boss in the kitchen and sets the tone and mood. While not all chefs will have the same personality, and some may be bolder than others, you will find that the best of the best share specific characteristics that contribute to their success.

Whether you are an inspiring culinary enthusiast, or you’re looking to hire an incredible chef for your next event in Southern California, what do you look for?

These are 10 of the top traits that contribute to making a Great Chef in the culinary world.

  • #1 – Commitment

Being a chef is more than just a desire to cook and create – it’s a commitment to the kitchen staff, to the success and growth of the restaurant or business, and a commitment to continue to be the best they can be. A committed chef is more than just a creative cook, it’s someone who is also business savvy, who is committed to continuously learning, challenging their skills and techniques, and earning the respect of their team. A great chef is one that finishes a product to its conclusion – cleaning every piece of equipment and putting everything away in the right place so you can begin again with a fresh place to make more culinary magic. A lot of people are too lazy to clean everything and it shows.

  • #2 – Leadership

A great chef is also a great leader. It takes a lot to build a thriving business in the hospitality industry, and it’s important to have a supportive team that is also dedicated to the company’s goals and vision. A true chef is a team builder with outstanding communication skills who delegates, inspires, and mentors his or her staff.

  • #3 – Creativity

Cooking is the perfect blend of art and science. There are certain skills and techniques that need to be learned and perfected, but these are the tools that a great chef will use to create their own unique culinary masterpieces to impress even the most critical dinner guest. The best part about working in a kitchen is coming up with new ideas and taking risks – a great chef is always willing to be creative and try something new. Creativity is important because it inspires different flavor combinations as well as presentation, which is essential to any dining experience. When a chef is passionate and creative, and when they challenge themselves outside their comfort zone, is when they will truly come up with culinary greatness.

Short rib on top of purple and broccolini on a pink plate on a wooden table for event catering in Los Angeles and event catering in Orange County
Focused Chef Meg preparing dishes holding a pot in one hand and a spoon in another for an event
  • #4 – Intuition

The food and beverage industry is incredibly fast paced, with trends constantly evolving and the need for efficiency with every action, so it’s important for a great chef to be a quick-thinker who can make good decisions as they go. It’s not uncommon for a tricky situation to arise, which is when it is most important for a chef’s intuition to kick in and confidently lead their team to success. 

  • #5 – Excellent Palate

If it’s delicious to them, they’re saying it will be delicious to you. My favorite meals are sitting down in a chef’s restaurant that I trust and admire and know no matter what I order, it will be delicious, even things I won’t regularly eat. You know you’re in the presence of a great chef when you can trust and order according to people’s talents.

  • #6 – Mentorship

A good chef will have had a good mentor, and a great chef will serve as an outstanding mentor to their staff to help them grow in their culinary career as well. A great chef is eager to pass down their knowledge to aspiring cooks and will enthusiastically educate their entire team. There have been many line cooks who have gone on to become executive chefs and award-winning Michelin-star chefs, who at one point learned from the chef(s) they had as their own mentor(s).

Chef cooking chicken on a grill before transferring to a pan in a industrial kitchen for an event in Southern California
  • #7 – Attention to Detail

Cooking in a fast-paced kitchen environment can be an intricate process, from selecting and measuring out the necessary ingredients to combining them in the best order to utilizing the perfect temperature-to-time, to then result in creating a flavorful and extraordinary culinary masterpiece. If a chef leaves a piece of steak to cook for a minute too long, forgets a garnish, or puts too much dressing on an otherwise perfect salad, it can ruin a perfect meal. There are many details that a chef needs to pay attention to during the cooking process in order to achieve a perfect meal.

  • #8 – Efficiency

While the fastest chef is usually everyone’s preference, there is only so much multitasking that can be done before quality starts to suffer. It’s the mix of understanding efficiency and excellence, and a great chef can put together ingredients and it tastes like the perfect song, all the right notes are in it and it makes the perfect sound. Otherwise, with mediocre chefs, you just taste the ingredients and not why they work together. 

  • #9 – Multitasking

In a busy kitchen, it is important for a great chef to be able to maintain control of the environment while also handling a myriad of tasks related to preparing a meal. All at once, a chef may be cutting up vegetables, sautéing chicken, grabbing additional ingredients and also making sure that everything else is running smoothly with all dishes. A great chef will remain calm under pressure while navigating these multiple tasks and managing the full kitchen staff.

  • #10 – Humbleness & Honesty

A great chef is humble because the flavor and guest satisfaction come first, not their ego. It’s extremely important to always make good & honest choices, with everything from your product, food safety, and the kitchen team. If you start with the right building blocks of excellent technique and product, half of the work is done.

Vegetarian entree on a black plate with quinoa sauce and asparagus available for events in Southern California via full service catering

In closing, there is no one set definition of what makes the perfect chef, but ultimately it takes a balance of skills, qualities and characteristics to be a great chef in today’s culinary industry. If you’re looking for an extraordinary catering vendor for your next So Cal event, check out our team of chefs who have trained at Michelin star restaurants and Le Cordon Bleu to learn more about us. Our entire team is not only passionate about food, but we love bringing our client’s visions to life and seeing everyone fully enjoy their event.

Contact us to learn more about our services or to inquire about our variety of menus options!

Comments

  1. mbl to idr says

    June 18, 2023 at 12:20 am

    Reading your article helped me a lot and I agree with you. But I still have some doubts, can you clarify for me? I’ll keep an eye out for your answers.

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