Seriously.
I have a hard time believing that the same guy who whips up Lobsters Thermidor, Coq’a-Vin(sp?), Fois de Gras, Broccoli Rob, Sweetbreads with truffle sauce, etc. at work makes chicken soup, PB&J, Hamburger Helper®, etc. when he gets home. But I could be wrong.
So, chefs of the SDMB (or those who know chefs), what do you guys do at home? Do you prefer to keep it simple? Or do you whip up the same exotic dishes that you do at work when you get home?
Chef checking in.
Honestly, when I’m at home, it’s totally simple stuff. Pasta, grilled chicken/sausage/fish, salads, etc–I have been known to break out a box of Rice-a-roni or Kraft Mac & Cheese when I’ve had a long day and don’t feel like cooking much. I have a lousy kitchen at home (electric burner, no oven–I rent out a guest house), so I don’t have the space or equipment to do some of the fancier things at home.
Also, after cooking all day long for work, sometimes the last thing I want to do is cook another meal. Those days it’s take out or a sammich.
Besides, the sad fact is that most chefs (unless you’re an executive chef or own your own place) get paid a wage that doesn’t necessarily let you afford things like foie gras and truffles.
BTW, it’s spelled Coq au Vin.
My grandfather, who has been both an executive chef and a restaurant, cooks simple but yummy things at home. Pasta, crêpes drool, sauteed food, sauces. He will go all out on holidays though. Only family I know that has carrot soufle, roast duck, rare cheeses, and a watermelon carved into the shape of a rose bouquet at Easter dinner.
My brother would love to cook foie gras every day at home but he can’t afford it. Even if he could he probably wouldn’t let any of use have some, the piker.
But when at home he cooks like he does at work albeit with less exotic ingredients. Very tasty too I might add. I invite myself to dinner quite often. He also hates to cook the same thing twice as a rule so the menu is quite varied. This sort of bugs my Mother because she sometimes wants an especially tasty morsel more than once.
…any of us…
Perfectly good post down the drain. yeesh.
yah, I figured it was something like that episode of Seinfeld - in which Jerry is dating a masseuse (sp?) and she won’t give him a massage when they’re alone together. It was thought that that was the case because she does it all day for a living and doesn’t want to ‘bring her work home’…I’m thinking most chefs would rather unwind at home; making something simpler than restaurant dishes. Chefs, does that apply to recipes that you came across at work that you find REALLY delicious or interesting?
Would you make an exception?
My dad is the manager of a private golf club, where they have a world-class chef. Dad has generally worked in the hotel/resttaurant industry for 30+ years. He spends his week at the club, then comes home weekends during the sumemr (its too much of a drive to bother just overnight) and gets to eat lots of fantastic restauraunt food. When he comes home, he asks for things like Shepherds Pie, and meatballs, peas and potatoes. He specifically asks NOT for anything more fancy. He gets sick of it. We never go out for his birthday because he wouldn’t enjoy it nearly as much as a simple meal at home, with a newspaper and his Labatt 0.5%.
Oh, of course, if I can afford the ingredients and it’s rather simple to prepare. I make hummous often at work (I for a caterer), and I like making it at home, too. Another recipe I’ve made at work is a Persian Rice salad, and I’ve made that a few times at home, too.
And, I just wanted to add that I do cook more at home during the holidays and when I have company over–I do love to make Thanksgiving dinner.
My father was a chef in the Royal Navy; started off in the ships’ galleys, and eventually ended up working as head chef at the private residence of an Admiral. So, he was dealing with some pretty fancy food, and even cooking for royalty (Princess Anne, IIRC) on a few occasions.
On the rare occasions he cooks something really special at home, he does it amazingly well. As for everyday meals which don’t involve such a large degree of work, forget it - his pasta sauce is especially bad, IMHO, and I’d sooner buy it ready-made in a jar. Overall, I think my mother handles the everyday stuff far better, and I honestly can’t remember her ever turning out a bad meal.
LOL. My brother eats cheerios. Out of the box. No milk.
My boyfriend is a chef… and LOVES to cook for me, even when he gets home from work. Usually nothing fancy… but hearty. He makes a lot of T-Bone steaks marinated in 10 suaces with homemade onion rings, lots of spicy mexican dishes, lots of Italian… maybe it’s just the fact that he loves to eat…
If you haven’t read “Kitchen Confidential” by Anthony Bourdain, you should- it’s the “Ball Four” of the restaurant industry.
In the book, Bourdain speaks for himself (and many other chefs, I imagine) when he says that people are often intimidated to have him, as a chef at a fancy restaurant, come over for dinner. His own mother-in-law is usually terrified he’s going to rip her to shreds if dinner isn’t up to his (presumably) high standards. But in reality, Bourdain says, when he’s not at work, a simple meatloaf with lumpy gravy and some ordinary mashed potatoes is absolutely wonderful.
Broccoli Rob?
That’s the guy with the ponytail who works down at the greengrocer, isn’t it?
Hey, Ike, I think you shop at the same store I do! 
My husband and I are both chefs. Before I had the kids, I worked pastry and Leifsdad runs a kitchen. We eat better than the average joe. Our work inspiration comes from home. It’s really a shame that we’re so broke right now and can’t spend what we’d like on food. Though you wouldn’t believe what you can do with flank steak and rice! For holidays we go all out. Last year for Thanksgiving we did a turkey ballentine (bone out a turkey leaving the meat and skin intact, butterfly and pound out the meat to cover the skin evenly, stuff with sausage, roll, tie, roast.) Very yummy.
We’ve been known to make dishes from work, though not usually the place we’re currently working as your pretty much sick of it. The last place I worked served aparagus and turned carrots with everything. I still can’t eat either.
Broccoli rabe–half way in between broccoli and spinach. Not my favorite personally.
Another typical results: my brother is a sous chef. If you stop by his house and look in his fridge, practically the only thing you’ll find is Shiner Bock.
He tells me that he’s not really interested in cooking at home anymore. In fact, when he’s interested in eating a home cooked meal, he’ll just drop by the folks’ and have what they’re having.
I’ve often heard that simply because of the hours they have to work, chefs are frequently at work during the dinner hour and therefore, the family does their own thing. Chef gets leftovers when he gets home.
My son wants to be a chef. He’s a whiz in the kitchen. I hope he finally signs up and gets started with it.
I’ve often heard that simply because of the hours they have to work, chefs are frequently at work during the dinner hour and therefore, the family does their own thing. Chef gets leftovers when he gets home.
My son wants to be a chef. He’s a whiz in the kitchen. I hope he finally signs up and gets started with it.
EchoKitty make sure before you or your son spend too much money on culinary school that he’s OK with never spending a holiday at home again, working 6 days a week in 120 degree kitchens and being screamed at for every little mistake (and I mean screamed at, threatened and even possibly having things thrown at him.) Of course, that’s not every kitchen any more, but there are still plenty out there like that. Have him get a job working in a place that does the kind of food he’s interested in and let him work there for a year before he signs up for school. He’ll have a better idea of what he’s getting into and if he does end up in school, he’ll get more out of it for having worked in a kitchen before.
When I first moved here, my roommates were excited: “A chef for a roommate, we’re gonna eat like kings!”
Uh, not hardly. On rare occasions I’d whip up something fancy, but cooking was the last thing I wanted to do when I got home.
Oh, and what Leifsmama said. I’ll NEVER go back to cooking for a living. Aside from working your sweating ass off on nights, weekends and holidays, the pay sucks too… unless you live in a big city. Well, or maybe I just worked for cheapskates. Anyway, I’m well out of it.