You're now the Culinary Chairman at Sullivan University. Well, I still consider myself a cook and getting involved in education has been an education in itself. Chefs, however, are constantly training new personnel due to the turnover rates in our business and once you get used to the academic lingo, teaching isn't much different from the chef's job. I do feel that prospective students should work in the industry a little prior to going to a culinary school to make sure they understand the passion and drive needed in cooking to be successful. That is a good question.
Chefs do much more than just cooking.
We are craftsmen who can influence people's lives, health and well-being and we should always be aware of that. The tool that I use most in the kitchen is my brain. You have to mentally figure out the sequence of events in setting up and serving a buffet, catering or a meal period without the use of notes, reference books, etc. Besides my brain, I would say that most Chefs couldn't live without their favorite chef's knife. With the proper use of this tool you can meet just about any need you may have.