Who is that Guy with the Tall Hat On?

A professional chef is quite simply the world's greatest master at multi-tasking. Just stand back and watch him for a moment. There he is guarding the front line and poaching salmon with grilled tornadoes of beef and fresh thyme-scented new potatoes with braised baby greens for a party of 200. All the while he has sweet dough proofing for tomorrow's breakfast pastries. Still, he is dutifully on post expediting the ala carte rush hour, while calling in the produce order. Even before he can hang up the phone, he is handed a Pop-Up BEO. It is crab cakes for 350 in less than 12 hours; and of course the client has also requested 100 signature pecan sherry stuffed shrimp with this order. Think about it. A chef's simultaneous attentions may quite simply dwarf the imagination of the average individual.

How many people do you actually know that can just simply drive a car and talk on their cell phone at the very same time? Or talk on the phone while working the cash register and providing you with the appropriate change in a timely fashion? Just wave your $5 bill as if it is more important than it really should be; and then inadvertently begin a conversation with them for a moment as they begin counting your change. You may be surprised at how much more money you will often receive. Some people simply appear as if they find it difficult just to walk and chew gum at the very same time. But, a Chef's life is constantly involved in multi-tasking.

A chef is like the designer and the creator of a line of automobiles; and then like the foreman of the plant that makes them. Imagine that the food service facility is Chrysler and let's say that it's one hundred or so vehicles and products represent the full offering of a gourmet menu. It is the Chef who not only designs and creates every aspect of each automobile, but it is also he or she who actually supervises the total processing operation and the complete assembly of thousands of individual parts that make up each car that is offered for sale. It is the chef's job to completely execute and satisfy the entire specifications of the 'brand'in expression of the distinct 'style' of the business. This is all in the hopes of building greater 'brand equity' while of course guaranteeing a sizable profit off of a popular array of individual items. Naturally he or she would have to constantly keep in mind the varied relationship of each of the ingredients towards the total array of inventory; requisitioning them appropriately and hoping to successfully 'cross-utilize hundreds maybe thousands of individually mass-produced products that are the actual processed platform inventoryof the plant; like stocks, sauces, condiments, and such. Every item that is purchased has its own varied life span which must be constantly monitored during each and every phase of the processing cycle, and then delivered 'ala minute' the very same way to every patron who patronizes the brand. Not many occupations maintain such a frenzied level of responsibility.