DON'T Cook like a Chef
I cook a lot. For myself. For the man and me. For friends and family. I will not go so far as to say I LOVE cooking. I view it as a wonderful and necessary skill, and I just happen to be very good at it.
It follows therefore that I also enjoy watching cooking shows. There is always some clever tip to pick up from the experts. And of course, there is always the entertainment factor to these shows.
I particularly enjoy watching cooks who are also artists with their craft. The ones who create something extraordinary out of the ordinary so that their final presentation is a feast for the eyes as well as for the stomach.
Then, along comes Cook like a Chef - a series about how to cook, as opposed to what to cook.
I must admit the chefs (not lowly cooks, mind you) are, for the most part, brilliant in their take on any food. And I would most happily have accepted their generosity in showing us how those exquisite dishes are made in the world's best restaurants.
Except that they seem to be saying to the lay man (yes, the armchair-chef-wanna-be sitting next to you in front of the telly), that anyone, simply anyone, can do this magic at home.
Watch - the chef snaps his fingers and 3 of the 8 prep chefs on standby leap to do his bidding. The chef now goes on to make and then leave behind a horrific mess every where he turns.
By the end of the show, there is this exquisite dish. There are also all these tired prep chefs and messy work surface.
You know, this show should really make a distinction between what is feasible in a professional kitchen and what is do-able in a home kitchen.
I cook out of necessity. I also cook out of enjoyment on occasions for friends and family. I will work to the extent that I can still enjoy the company I have invited for dinner.
I-am-not-a-restaurant.
I will be doing everything from planning the menu, to grocery shopping, to preparation, to cooking, to serving dinner, and finally cleaning up.
So get real, Cook-like-a-Chef. Please do tell your audience to NOT attempt what you do in our homes unless we too have a team of elves to do our bidding and clean up after us.
6 comments:
I love cooking, it's the preparation and the cleaning up part which I hate. ^^
i don't cook. but the man put me into cooking slavery when he cooks. and i tell u, it's no fun!!! it's no magic! it's so tiring!!! bah.
i agree! cooking shows shouldn't glamorize it and say 'you can do this at home too!'
Will be glad to be little elf when I go over to eat; if I don't hinder more than I help. :P
aelgtoer - like they say, somebody's got to do it :)
imp - show support mah *grin*.
but seriously, there is a lot of scud labor involved in cooking so no need for cook shows of the watch-and-learn genre to encourage bad habits.
wildgoose - u make such a good little elf :)
Makes me very guilty that everytime I'm invited I really never help in pre-preaparation not cleaning up :(
but that doesn't mean I'll do it the next time..:D (but you being the terrific host always never allow us to do also la)
suziewong - not want guests to be soing thecleaning up after dinner because it spoils the mood of a nice evening. Just getting the dishes to the kitchen and leaving it there is enough. Really, i truly like that.
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