[Sca-cooks] Rant: And speaking of cooking equipment...

[Michael Gunter]

Well, in many ways we can blame Food Network for this.

Cooking used to be the domain of housewives, fry-cooks, immigrants
and some high-end French guys.

But Julia Child came along and showed these housewives how to
cook this new fancy food called, "French". Then in the 60's and 70's
dinner parties started being held that were cooked by the said housewife.
This opened the era of hobbyist, especially when more and more people
began eating out or getting delivery because the wife started working
as well.

Once having dinner was no longer a requirement people began to make
it for "special occasions".

Then came the cult of the chef and more and more products came out
to appeal to the part timer. Also, since dinner was no longer a requirement
more men started cooking. Men like tools. The bigger the gadget the better.

Along came Food Network and all you see are these "chefs" who are relaxed
and happily cooking along their one prepared recipe and never showing the
horrible work environment that real restaurant cooking is. So now we have
executives attending culinary schools to get away from their high pressure
jobs to the relaxed and joyous atmosphere of running a restaurant.

Anthony Bourdain really put it well in "Kitchen Confidential" about the new
era of dilettante "chefs".

Now, cooking IS a hobby. One that many people take quite seriously but
don't do restaurant style. Personally, as a person who has spent his time
on everything from fry-cook, salad station, line cook and pastry chef I am
happy being a hobbyist.

And, Master A (the cook I admire greatly and have unending respect for)
unless you are making your living cooking for folk or are the only source of
dinner on the table every day, you are a hobbyist as well. You are extremely
serious and knowledgeable. But, really you are. Now there is a difference
between hobbyist and dilettante and maybe that is your take on the word.

Just a thought.

Gunthar

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