Lee High School

Innovative Techniques : Culinary Arts

Final Draft

Kendall Rodriguez
Mr. Foote
Senior Capstone
April 18 , 2016

Kendall Rodriguez
Peter Foote
Senior Capstone

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April 18, 2016

How to excel In the Culinary Arts
To progress in the culinary arts one must master many different elements that must be
achieved to succeed in the future. Majority of those elements aren't just focusing on the food, but
more on the satisfaction of the consumer all together. Did the customer leave satisfied? Are the
customers comfortable with with the establishment? Does the customer appreciate the
presentation of the menu and are they pleased with the selection they have? These are just some
of the questions that a chef must incorporate in their work, but it all starts in the kitchen.
Innovative techniques that chefs need to possess include never- ending imagination with a
creative spirit, well understood kitchen standards/regulations and solid food preparation
and execution.
When it comes to creative innovation, it doesn't come easy to a chef. Most chefs have a
certain style or dish they have perfected, and that style or dish comes with practice and
perfection. ... all culinary chefs have deep domain-specific knowledge, a much needed
prerequisite for creative innovation.(Aubke). This happens when a chef gets a ... breakthrough
only after having developed a deep understanding of the common practices in their chosen field
of expertise(Gladwell). A chef must look for inspiration to keep achieving higher goals and
stimulate the mind with new ideas. For a chef influence is not hard to discover, and in this age
now one could say inspiration grows on trees.
One of the key qualities of a great chef is creativity.(Thorington). From the start chef
develop a signature style that they stick with for the rest of their careers, they master their art
work. The way chefs appeal to people with their food determines how far they go in the industry.
A chef must keep his mind flowing with new ideas and creations, because cooking is all about

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new ways to expand your skill. Chefs never use the same dishes for too long because the people
will, in time, grow for something more. A chef must use his craft to experiment on new food that
will keep the customer satisfied with every bite. It is important that a chef uses different types of
fields when coming up with new ideas. That includes different types of sauces, meats and
vegetables and more. Most chefs say that they it takes hours and hours of practice to master a
signature style of cooking that becomes familiar in a lot of their dishes. Keep in mind, there are
so many different cultures, the possibilities are vast. Cuisine all over the world could inspire a
chef's dishes in almost an infinite amount of ways. From sushi from Japan to pasta in France, a
chef's creativity should never expire. Ones creativity should be boundless when it comes to
different foods around the world.
When in the kitchen a chef must know and understand who is in the kitchen with you and
help contribute to their team. Chefs must work together and understand their task at hand based
on their field of expertise.In the U.S, a chef's role isn't as important or significant as the French
brigade system, which is used to give chefs a certain task to their specific expertise in the
kitchen. Even though this is true, most restaurants in the U.S use a team system in the kitchen
that can compare. In French brigade system, the Chef or Executive Chef is the manager of
everything that goes on in the kitchen. After the Chef comes the Sous-Chef which is the one in
charge while the Exec. Chef is busy or not around, but still takes direct orders from them. All
other chefs have their own specific responsibilities. The Executive chef is the chef in charge and
he manages the entire establishment, so all decisions are made by them. Executive Chef:
responsible for all kitchen operations and all those under him. He developed the menus, the
theme of the restaurant and set the tempo and tone.(Murnan). If the Exec. Chef is wrong or
makes a mistake, they will be held responsible for their actions.

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When chef is in the kitchen you must handle yourself with the proper etiquette and skills.
In a kitchen you must stay aware, keep a sharp track of time, and keep your station as clean as
possible at all times. Preparation is key to a successful kitchen, as said by Jonas Mikka Luster, a
critically acclaimed chef in Europe. Don't screw with my mise Ninety percent of a kitchen's
efficiency and quality of food can be attributed to the hours before the doors open, when
everything is readied for the actual cooking hours. That's called "mise en place,".(Lust).You
also must learn self control when at work, keeping your composure is essential when at work.
The kitchen can get really rowdy, and it's your job to stay at task, try to minimize mistakes and
overlook any distractions. These are basic rules that should automatically apply when you step
into the kitchen. A chef must get the job done with no complaints, just do the job and contribute
to the rest of the team and the outcome will be success. A chef must also feel good to make good
food, and creating unnecessary stress can sabotage their work. One rule that goes above all else
is listen to the Executive or Sous chef, no matter what. You may think the chef is wrong, but a
chef never go against the word of the ones in charge.It doesn't matter that you know it better, it
doesn't matter that you know more...if you're 45 and came from a high flying investment broker
job, that 19 year old girl is still your freaking boss and if she tells you to cut one way, you cut
one way.(Luster).
Food presentation is essential when it comes to practicing and perfecting their skills. The
time and effort that a chef spend will lead up to a mastery of food visuals along with great taste.
When combined all together , the food a chef makes will be criticized as food quality overall.
The smell, the color, the taste and the texture, it all falls into place when executed correctly. One
of the primary purposes of food presentation is to be functional and practical. You also must
follow all safety guidelines and make sure your customers don't obtain any food poisoning from

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spoiled food or undercooked meat. Food preparation is very important, other than just being
safe, but it must meet the USDA regulations.(Mcclure).It is good to carefully pick and sanitize
all food before you begin.
In conclusion , there are many elements that a chef must consider to excel in their field.
With imagination comes curiosity, and if a chef does not show his curious side then a chef will
not create new ideas and progress from mistakes. It is key to have the mindset of always moving
forward, always finding new styles and combinations when being a chef. A chef must also
understand their surroundings and play their role in the kitchen.The many different roles a chef
plays could determine the progression that one makes . Regulations and Standards should be
imprinted into a chef's head, keeping focus and skill intact when accomplishing their goals.
Composure can judge and interpret a chefs will and determination, it shows what a chef can
really do against all odds in the kitchen. Finally the food must be clean and checked all the time
with no exceptions. The food must all fall into place when put under the categories of taste,
aroma, texture etc. These are the innovative techniques that a chef must use when designing
platters and preparing food, an effortless drive for new ideas, advanced comprehension of the
kitchen guidelines, and exceptional food preparation and execution.
Dijk, Menno Van. "Deep Expertise and Divergence: Key Lessons from Culinary
Innovation | Innovation Management." Innovation Management. 2015. Web. 28 Mar. 2016.
<http://www.innovationmanagement.se/2015/09/02/cl-deep-expertise-and-divergence/>.
Luster, Jonas Mikka. "What Are Some Rules of Restaurant Kitchen Etiquette That Most
People Don't Know About?" Quora. 30 Sept. 2015. Web. 28 Mar. 2016.
<https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-rules-of-restaurant-kitchen-etiquette-that-most-peopledont-know-about>.
Murnan, Tom. "Auguste Escoffier: Founder of Modern Cuisine." - The International
Wine & Food Society (IW&FS). Web. 18 Apr. 2016. <http://www.iwfs.org/americas/winefood---friends-1/articles/auguste-escoffier--founder-of-modern-cuisine>.

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Mcclure, Daniela. Personal interview. 18 Apr. 2016.

Thorington, Lance. "Creativity: The Key Ingredient for a Great Chef." Creativity: The
Key Ingredient for a Great Chef. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
<http://www.streetdirectory.com/food_editorials/cooking/cooking_tips/creativity_the_key_ingre
dient_for_a_great_chef.html>.