The Controversy That's Tearing the Restaurant World Apart

[mdt]

Interesting read. I think there was some discussion of this in the career switching thread.

[Pat]

I've got no culinary training at all, but don't you run a fairly high risk of fish falling apart if you flip it with tongs?

[mdt]

I've got no culinary training at all, but don't you run a fairly high risk of fish falling apart if you flip it with tongs?

Depends on the fish and the cut.

[jpschust]

I'm of the belief you can teach anyone to cook, and while things might not be done conventionally, they can be done right. What matters most is what the dish looks like in front of the patron and what it tastes like. If you want to flip fish with tongs, I don't really care, I just want it to look nice and taste great.

[Heather]

Without an effective apprentice system, a culinary degree is the only thing that tells a potential employer whether you know WTF you're doing in a kitchen. An alternative is auditioning every applicant, but that's usually reserved for high-level hires.

[Pat]

Depends on the fish and the cut.

I've done it, and I've done it successfully. I've also done it not successfully. Maybe I don't have a deft enough touch.

When I use tongs for something like that, it's that I'm using what seems like a less appropriate instrument because I can't find what I want. It seems like something where you generally would want something flat, such as a spatula, rather than tongs. If somebody can use tongs reliably to flip fish, it doesn't bother me. Maybe a spatula isn't the right instrument either .

[mdt]

I've done it, and I've done it successfully. I've also done it not successfully. Maybe I don't have a deft enough touch.

When I use tongs for something like that, it's that I'm using what seems like a less appropriate instrument because I can't find what I want. It seems like something where you generally would want something flat, such as a spatula, rather than tongs. If somebody can use tongs reliably to flip fish, it doesn't bother me. Maybe a spatula isn't the right instrument either .

You want a fish spatula!

[Heather]

I'm of the belief you can teach anyone to cook

You've never met my sister.

What matters most is what the dish looks like in front of the patron and what it tastes like. If you want to flip fish with tongs, I don't really care, I just want it to look nice and taste great.

I have no problem taking a relativist view many areas, but I believe there's a right way and a wrong way to do things in the kitchen. And that in addition to knowing the "how," it's also important to know the "why."

[Pat]

You want a fish spatula!

Another implement to cram into my kitchen drawers! The long metal spatulas I have are solid, and the spatulas that are slotted are much shorter...It would be good to have the correct equipment, though. Thank you, sir .

[xcanuck]

You want a fish spatula!

Why am I thinking of alternative uses for this implement?

[monavano]

On Oprah today, the executive chef of Cafe Bellagio has done his time.

[rappahannock]

I just love my pork spatula!!

[monavano]

I have a pancake flipper that's bigger than my head.

[Heather]

Why am I thinking of alternative uses for this implement?

The Aunt Jemima Treatment?

Monovano, eGullet is currently running an excerpt from that chef's book. Fascinating stuff.