Wednesday 30 January 2013

Chefs Vs. City Bankers


Chefs Vs. City Bankers
(The next step in evolution??)
Evolution in humans is defined by the tools we use as part of our society.
Chefs as we all well know, train for many years and hone their skills to use their tools (Knives, amongst others) to create mouth-watering, delicious essentials of life;  Food.
City Bankers (Insert W where necessary) on the other hand, what tools do they possess? They would say their tool is their brain. If that is the case and they are indeed their brain, then they are tools; No argument there.
I bring this argument to you today to highlight something that I feel has been left out of the public domain for far too long but is something that has been discussed in professional kitchens for as long as memory serves.
Why is it that these Bankers (Insert W) insist that by watching and no doubt salivating over Nigella Lawson cooking shows that they know more about the food they order than the people cooking it? I'm sure that not all the people in this position of obvious knowledge are all Bankers (You know what to do by now) But a large portion are, due to the huge disposable income generated by guesswork, at best.
Now I can already hear the protests, denials and I'm sure the "What the hell would an uneducated chef know about what we do anyway" In my defence I DO know what you do and like most chefs take an interest in other topics outside our field and have an opinion. I have been lucky? Enough to attend gatherings with the forenamed and what a pleasurable evening was to be had listening to people obviously very HIGH on Life? Discussing how much money they made this week and showing everyone by buying the most expensive bubbly to prove it. Hedge-funds anyone?
Like surgeons, chefs must make hundreds of decisions every minute lest your food be ruined, and also like surgeons sometimes we get it wrong. I use this analogy because to US food is not life or death, but the way these people react when something does go wrong; it would seem it is.
When money is no longer the driving force in this world ask yourself, "What would you do?" Most chefs would do as they do now because they have passion, determination and skill that they practise even when not working. Bankers???? Perhaps they would play with their tool; as they do now.
Now all I ask you to take from this Rant is this; when evolution comes calling which side will you ally yourself with? Life giving nourishment FOOD, or Bankers?

No comments:

Post a Comment