Our chef is not really a chef

I have encountered a lot of restaurants where the head cook or "chef" is not really a trained "chef". When I say trained, I would define it as somebody who studied in a culinary school.

So if your chef is not really a chef, does this post any problem? My answer would depend on the competencies your chef has acquired.

I have met a lot of head cooks who have the skills to lead a kitchen even though they did not get the chance to study in a culinary school or work for a chef or in a professional kitchen. Let me first tell you what competencies we need to look for in a kitchen head:

CULINARY SKILLS. Of course, that person has to be an excellent cook. He or she must be able to demonstrate correctly how a dish is to be prepared. He or she must also be an example in correct cooking methods, proper ingredient handling, food safety and personal hygiene.

LOVE FOR CONSISTENCY AND STANDARDIZATION. I give utmost importance to these because the skills or tasks to aschieve consistency need dedication and time. This is includes cost control, standardizing recipes and documenting them too, quality control and portion control.

GOOD PLANNING AND ORGANIZING SKILLS. A kitchen needs someone who will keep things in order. Menu planning is a must. It is also important to be organized with documents and to note important dates for restocking, ingredient shelf-life, reorder time and cleaning schedules.

DESIRE TO TEACH AND TO LEARN. People management skills are just as vital in the kitchen. We have heard it all: Leadership by example, Give and Take. All of them important in the kitchen. A nurturing leader in the kitchen needs to know when to encourage and when to reprimand.

ONENESS WITH COMPANY GOAL. A kitchen head needs to properly inform his or her team what the restaurant aims for.

If your chef or kitchen head or head cook has the above competencies, there is a great future at least for this person or his kitchen. I have met kitchen heads who learned to cook from informal means and just from experience but who have the right to lead a kitchen. At the same time, it is necessary to continuously yearn to learn.