Cooking
is not chef-ing, although it seems that chefs are everywhere. Chefs
run kitchens, create signature dishes, host television programs, sign
their cookbooks and generally live the life of the adulated few.
Cooks, on the other hand, may or may not aspire to that high wire
upon which a chef balances, where a lapse may be career-ending and
not just an unsuccessful stutter. It is true that all chefs were
cooks at one time, laboring for long hours in the hot sweaty line of
pressured production for little money and no recognition. A chef's
life isn't for everyone and not everyone aspires to it, although some
cooks may admire the apparent rewards lavished on the most successful
chefs. This doesn't deny that chefs have attendant headaches behind
all the glamor and they might say “Oy, you have no idea”
to that. But today's American food culture places an extraordinary
value on the accomplishments of chefs and by doing so hints that the
contribution of the cook is of lesser value. How wrong-headed is
that? Many cooks have undergone extensive and exquisite training in
particular specialties, and have served ably with loyalty and
distinction on the battle line in the kitchen. They have been
responsible for the presentation of countless tables of richness and
worth that have pleased customers of the most, and of the least,
discriminating taste. These are the professional cooks of whom I
speak, whether their work tables are barbeque or blue ribbon.
Then
there are the dedicated and superior amateurs who not only serve
their families on a daily basis but also their friends and guests in
an unselfish effort to entertain, amuse and beguile in addition to
satisfying them. To be good at that requires dedication among other
qualities including creativity if not artistry, technical skill,
improvisational deftness, concentrated organization and, not least of
all, a caring nature. For someone to cook a meal with the particular
desires and preferences of the recipient in mind is a process that
involves time and effort both in and outside the kitchen. The menu
planning, the ingredient gathering and the recipe selections are not
a small part of this performance and can require as much attention to
detail as time spent in the kitchen. To do this with excellence on a
daily basis is an exhibition of remarkable love and caring, no doubt
about it. You may know what I mean. To create these little essential
artworks of tribute regularly is a sign of great devotion. It doesn't
matter whether the dish is potage or pheasant, as any cook
will tell you. Cooks undertake these tasks willingly with the hopeful
attitude of aiming to please. Just the accommodation for varied
dietary preferences, let alone requirements, at a single table can be
daunting. There is nothing easy or simple about it and a lack of
appreciation for this can sting terribly. Praise is not expected at
forkful but an acknowledgment of the effort that goes into the entire
presentation is always gratefully received in my experience. The
simplest sincere expression by a guest or a family member can make
all the difference to the cook's assessment of achievement.
To
those cooks who identify with this description, I say thank you and
can only say that I trust that your loving care does not go
unnoticed, nor should it ever.
Biggest
Smooches, Celeste
