Celebrity Chef Interview

[chefben]

I am currently filling out a simple Q&A for a journalist for an interview I am doing this week. This got me thinking do people actually care what my favorite colour is ?

So I was thinking, what's the ten best food related questions for a chef interview or even a simple Q&A...

I'll start the ball rolling

1. What’s your most important kitchen appliance that you can’t do without?

[Gifted Gourmet]

Who was your inspiration and muse in becoming a chef?

How do you deal with days in which you can find nothing inspiring you to make some new dish?

What is your particular favorite ingredient among those you use that you like to work with best? and your least favorite?

Who, for you, is your best audience or the people for whom you most like to cook?

Do you think some people have un-tested tastebuds that just need to be awakened or if some people just are frightened by "new" foods?

Which cooking technique is the best for you? Are you most into braising, roasting, smoking, etc?

[bandregg]

These are also excellent questions for someone like myself who is considering a career change into the world of cookery and possible culinary school to jumpstart that.

[KatieLoeb]

WHY do you cook? Is it for the artistry? For the recipients of the food? What is the thing that validates it for you?

[rich]

How about: Now that you're a celebrity chef, does cooking just get in the way of your other activities?

[jgm]

I'd like to see some questions about trends...

How important are they?

Which one are you the most tired of?

Which one do you find most exciting?

[Megan Blocker]

I'd like to see some questions about trends...

How important are they?

Which one are you the most tired of?

Which one do you find most exciting?

←

And which do you think will become long-lasting?

[Lyle]

What was the most surprising aspect of the professional kitchen when you first started working?

[Collins]

Favorite type of cuisine to eat when you're not in the kitchen?

Weirdest ingredient you've ever used?

Biggest surprise in terms of taste (what tasted much better/worse than you expected?)?

And of course, the ubiquitous "what would you eat for your last meal/dish on earth" question

[glossyp]

What won't you eat?

[FistFullaRoux]

Ever play Iron Chef? Even at home or with other staff? Even in your head?

It's the 4th of July (or other major summer/grill related holiday), and there's a burn ban. What do you do?

How was your Mom's cooking?

How would you describe food to someone with no sense of taste or smell?

Could you convert a vegan?

Most addictive food on the face of the earth?

(My mind works in strange ways though. There's a bunch more stuff like that.)

[Corinna Dunne]

What advice would you give to:

[a] A young chef starting out

A food critic

A diner

Are all tastebuds created equal, and how can you improve them?

What do you consider to be the most under-rated dish or food?

What do you consider to be the most over-rated dish or food?

What dish is most frequently cooked incorrectly?

What is the most challenging dish you ever made?

What is the most disappointing dish you ever made, and ever tasted?

What are your store cupboard staples at home?

What is your favourite quick and easy meal?

Do you think there is such a thing as a food snob, and if so, what are the worst offences?

What was been the best moment of your life so far, from a culinary perspective?

What was your lowest point, and did you ever consider giving up?

Would you like your children to go into the same business?

At what age would you like to retire, and what do you see yourself doing then?

Edited March 29, 2006 by Corinna Dunne (log)

[Grub]

1) What about your favorite stories -- disasters, accidents and near-accidents, embarrassments, people screwing up or losing their composure, idiocy and incompetence -- you know, the good stuff... Give us a few anecdotes from your professional life. Share some stories.

[FabulousFoodBabe]

What do you do to relax?

[The Chefs Office]

Do you still see yourself standing on the pass when you are 60?

(Hi Ben!)

[chefben]

Wow, what a tonne of great questions.

I think I'll go through on the weekend and develop a Q&A article on my site for journos based on this important egullet study.

Cheers

Benjamin