What is the difference between a cook and a chef?

I was watching "A Cook's Tour". He looked professional to me.

The way you look a person is different. Don't you think so? LOL!

So you mean he is an amateur cook with a show of his own? I think you need to read between the lines.

Anthony Bourdain is a chef. A Cook's Tour is the show he did about traveling to different countries and eating local cuisine from cooks.

That clears me up. I hope that will clear up dexter's impression on the way i look at people. How's that, the "cook" turned out to be a chef?

So it's on the matter of degree or level of expertise right?

Yes the piece of paper is all. As the chef does boss everyone. And makes up his own meals and you know most of them are mistakes to begin with. That is how we do it in my house a little of this a nd a little of that. So does that make a chef or a woman who is sick of all the samethings. YOur friend onlydia

Ahh i get it now. It could be that the host of "A Cook's Tour" is looking for ideas fro chefs around the world.

With enough knowledge and experience, good cooks can certainly become great chefs. And of course, great chefs are worth their weight in...chocolate. You knew I had to sneak that in there, didn't you?

I don't believe all that. As I make my own up and I'm sure you do as well. Hey we are chefs. I'm under paid I knew there was something wrong with this pic. How are you doing had to pick on you. Your friend onlydia

Sneak in the donuts too! Let's make a show, "Iron Cook". Lol!

Sounds good to me! As long as it's not followed by a show called, "Cast Iron Stomach".

Short but precise! Lol!

A Good Cooki is a Natrual no one has to tell them how to cook.

Yeah that's why recipe books don't exist.

What a stupid statement

Chefs can specialise if the wish. The simple difference is that a chef is someone who has completed his/her cooking apprenticeship. A cook is someone who has had the schooling but not done the on the job training. It is also possible that it could be applied to someone who learned on the job but never did the schooling.

To complete an apprenticeship and become a chef you must do both. It is a 3 year course of study involving schooling and working for a chef. Not much has changed except that they no long have to journey to become qualified.

As for the specialisation, that can come later if they have an interest in one particular area. Most restaurants just have chefs but some big hotels and large fancy restaurants may employ more than one chef. These places do have people who just do one area, such as main dishes, pastry chef, deserts etc.

Hi myra, i'm learning from your posts too! Maybe i should be Chef de Cabrito or goat. Lol! So i guess the title "Chef" is a lot harder to attain, Shar. Whew! Long hard road. Thank you ladies!

hi there:)

LOL... yeah i think a chef is kinda if a "highness"
thanks too!:)

happy myLotting!

Godabless!0=)

*of a "highness":D

thanks!:)

Godabless!0=)

Ah huh, so the chefs has done everything the cook has and he's someone we can call complete. I get it now. Hehe..

Thank you for the best response. My job used to be to set up curriculum into the institute database so I have come into contact with the structure of many trade courses.

The cookery course also includes subjects about restaurant accounting and bulk food purchases etc and many cooks have worked in restaurants but chefs are usually found in high class restaurants. The quality of the person the apprentice worked for could also make a difference. It is hard to get these apprenticeships and our institute also ran a course to give students the skills they needed to get that important start. We did that for lots of trade courses and the students could do it as part of their schooling if the wanted to go technical rather than academic. I think it is a good system.

It is just like the difference between waiters who learn on the job and ones who have done the apprenticeship. We also ran a bar and waiting course for people who wanted to be able to work in pubs and needed a licence to do so.

The ones who learn on the job can take orders and set tables etc but the apprentice waiter learns many more skills that you will only find in 5 star restaurants. I think they call it the full silver service. Our institute has its own restaurant where the students practise their skills as part of their training.

It is a wonderful place, open to the public and charges very good prices. I loved the place as we could get 5 star food and service for a very cheap price, including full bar service with cocktails. The only catch was that the workers were all students so there was a risk of mistakes but I think they were mostly 3rd year and there were not many problems. Occasionally they would have a bar and waiting course going through or some other course and they would have really cheap specials.

The perks of being in the culinary industry huh? You deserved the best response!

Ah yes! That's quite a common scene. There's always one personality in the kitchen which is a stand-out. More like the maestro in the kitchen.

That's a possibility! But we can't deny the chef's knowledge in the kitchen is more complex.

Yes, you are correct bombshell!