Cooking as a legit profession in the New World

[Fat Guy]

It has been observed often over the past few years that cooking is, more and more, considered to be a legitimate career path in North America, as it long has been in Europe. But I don't think we've ever had a topic here that focuses on the issue.

There's a story in this month's New York Restaurant Insider that contains an insightful quote from chef Waldy Malouf:

“I can go back long enough to when chefs never came out of the kitchen,” Malouf said. “They were kept back behind the stove. Many were drunken maniacs. But then look at what happened in the 1960-1980s food culture revolution. It was our revolt against Wonder Bread and things from WWII that our families embraced. Travel exploded, food magazines became more popular, and there was a movement of American chefs who came out of culinary schools; guys like Rick Moonen, David Burke, Charlie Palmer, Larry Forgione - they weren’t types to be sequestered. They had articulate thoughts and were presentable, and there was a culture shift. Before then, and before schools like CIA and City Tech exploded, chefs weren’t afforded much respect. But if you say you’re a sous chef now, you get respect. Working in the food industry has become legitimized, and now I know 15 year old kids who want to be chefs.”

The article, about C-CAP (Careers Through Culinary Arts Program), is here. Definitely worth reading, and discussing.