Rate Yourself as a Cook

[Muhammed]

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One is missing because someone couldn't wait for a pic to get taken.

It's a quality control thing. After all, how could the cook know whether they are delicious enough to meet quality standards unless they eat one?

 

[JohnDB]

It's a quality control thing. After all, how could the cook know whether they are delicious enough to meet quality standards unless they eat one?

I'm the cook....but I don't eat or drink in the kitchen.

 

[JohnDB]

Opening Day!
Ready to sell all the goodies from Cumberland Pies (hand pies) to scones and Strawberry Savarin.

 

[Muhammed]

Sure, I had a few things that I could cook good. well. Like my grandmother's way of cooking pot roast, and cooking great home fries that I learned from the cook at a little 24/7 greasy spoon near where I lived called Ramblers.

But it wasn't until my 5 youngest kids grew up and moved out and I realized that I was an empty nester and decided that me and my tummy to fend for ourselves and learn how cook.

I learn very quickly when I put my mind to something. I read a lot of books about the science and art of cooking, got some quality cooking equipment and watched a lot of videos by good chefs.

I even built my own brick pizza oven/smoker in my back yard.

I also delved heavily into gardening so that I could use the freshest possible herbs and veggies.

I became a much better cook very quickly.

Several friends and family members have exclaimed that I should open a restaurant. But I just don't think I would have the same passion for cooking if I was doing it for just random strangers. That would be a lot different than cooking for the loved ones in my life.

 

[JohnDB]

Sure, I had a few things that I could cook good. well. Like my grandmother's way of cooking pot roast, and cooking great home fries that I learned from the cook at a little 24/7 greasy spoon near where I lived called Ramblers.

But it wasn't until my 5 youngest kids grew up and moved out and I realized that I was an empty nester and decided that me and my tummy to fend for ourselves and learn how cook.

I learn very quickly when I put my mind to something. I read a lot of books about the science and art of cooking, got some quality cooking equipment and watched a lot of videos by good chefs.

I even built my own brick pizza oven/smoker in my back yard.

I also delved heavily into gardening so that I could use the freshest possible herbs and veggies.

I became a much better cook very quickly.

Several friends and family members have exclaimed that I should open a restaurant. But I just don't think I would have the same passion for cooking if I was doing it for just random strangers. That would be a lot different than cooking for the loved ones in my life.

Cooking professionally is different than for yourself and friends.
Hey, some of my funnest, best times were where I would cook a meal and share it informally with friends at their home or mine. No pressure, no need to dress all nice and stiff. Just hanging out with their kids acting wild because there's people to show out for. And the fantastic food makes everyone food drunk.

Sure you can make money...but it's a lot of work for low pay. It's honest work though. And your hard work for reasonable prices is going to get compared to every burger joint, fern bar, and grocery store that serves heat and eat food made by machines with every chemical possible.

But

Some people are tired of the "perfect" photo quality food with no taste. Those little imperfections mean the food or whatever was prepared by a craftsman. The flavors can be wonderful of scratch cooking compared with machine food. Mass produced food is a shadow of the real thing. And if you don't mind the long, stressful hours...it can be fun and rewarding.

I do batch cooking which is different than short order. But I have a bakery. I make enough to sell for the day and keep going to make a huge batch of something else...always in motion and forever washing dishes and pots and pans.

Sitting back and enjoying what I've done? HA!
I get my enjoyment from hearing the door chime. Meaning someone is coming in to get some more goodies. I'm earning my paycheck one customer at a time. My food, while simple, is very addictive because of the quality that stands out head and shoulders above mass produced machine made food. And I can change menus at the drop of a hat unlike Panera or Einstein.

You don't have to do paragraph food with exotic ingredients to make it special and wonderful. Eclairs don't sound so exciting....until you taste a fresh one made with fresh baked pate choux and fresh creme Patisserie made with a vanilla bean.
Then you understand why this stuff is desired above those boxes of frozen ones in the freezer section of your grocery store.

And that's why I still like cooking everything from scratch. After a while of chemical free food...you can taste the chemicals put in processed food. It isn't pleasant.

 

[Disir]

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Opening Day!
Ready to sell all the goodies from Cumberland Pies (hand pies) to scones and Strawberry Savarin.

That is freaking awesome! Good on you!

You ship?

 

[JohnDB]

That is freaking awesome! Good on you!

You ship?

Nope...gotta show up in person and get served by one of the bubbly, smiling and
Beautiful ladies in the front.

My partner and I have been working on this since December/January.

We want to be successful. The reality is that 80+% of all new bakeries close inside the first 6 months. 95% in the first five years.
80% of all business failures are due to poor management.
So, yes...we are wanting to beat the odds.
We think we have a good chance. Not a perfect chance...but a good one.

Currently we are in the 'quiet open " phase where we do guerrilla marketing and WOM.

Grand opening with media blitz is coming. We have to get fully staffed and all equipment installed before we can do that part. But it's in the works.

 

[Disir]

Nope...gotta show up in person and get served by one of the bubbly, smiling and
Beautiful ladies in the front.

My partner and I have been working on this since December/January.

We want to be successful. The reality is that 80+% of all new bakeries close inside the first 6 months. 95% in the first five years.
80% of all business failures are due to poor management.
So, yes...we are wanting to beat the odds.
We think we have a good chance. Not a perfect chance...but a good one.

Currently we are in the 'quiet open " phase where we do guerrilla marketing and WOM.

Grand opening with media blitz is coming. We have to get fully staffed and all equipment installed before we can do that part. But it's in the works.

Very cool!

 

[Baron Von Murderpaws]

How do I rate myself?

What is your rating system? Novice to Five Star Chef? Home Cook to Restaurant Cook?

Can't rate myself if there's no scale to go by.

 

[Canon Shooter]

I impressed the Hell out of myself the other night: