The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-04-01
Why A CHEF GETS
$4,000 A YEAR


draws a salary OF SlU,o0G a year. II
can easily be shown that chef wi,
serves large hotel may easily Is
worth this sum or more. says an eA-
chef in the Minneapolis Tribune.
Many New York hotels are payin"
from Slo,0oo TO sls.0oU year Tor
their chefs.
The good chef must be a natural
list. an economist, a disciplinarian,
d butcher. an artist, "A sculptor and
an epicure.
He is a naturalist because OF tat
intimate knowledge OF all kinds Of
meat animals; birds, both wild and
domestic; fish, crustaceOus and
shell; OF fruits. vegetables, spices
and condiments.
He must know in what season
each kind OF food is at its best; in
what country or section ii is pro-
duced.
lie must be an anatomist because
i: is necessary to know the location
OF every bone and Joint in animals.
birds and fish which he handles. In
some dishes small birds, such as
quail, have all their bones removed
and this requires special know
lese of anatomy
He must be an economist, because
upon his ability in this way de-
ponds the prOfitableness OF the hotel.
He knows that potatoes, be they
ever SO cheap, should be peeled with
as little waste as possible. A large
hotel uses about 80 bushels day.
and the net profit will be increased
$1,000 to $4,000 a year by a chef
who uses potatoes economically as
compared with one who doesn't.
Then there are cases where five
dozen eggs will answer the purpose
OF ten dozen, provided they are
properly handled by the chef, and
the dish be in no way impaired. The
same principle applies to milk.
butter and hundreds of supplies that
pass through the cooks hands daily.
He must be a disciplinarian, be-
cause the success of the hotel de-
ponds upon each man doing his
work properly. II banquet is
scheduled for certain hour, it is
impossible for chef to be Over
seeing every department at the same
time He must have trained his
men to do their work promptly
without overseeing.
This kitchen discipline is vital,
for ii anything is made ready to-
soon its attractive appearance and
flavor are injured. II 1t IL late, the
trouble is equally serious. Each
course is prepared by different de-
partment and must be finished on
the moment, SO that 1t may be sent
to the banqueters without Interrupt
ton OF the scheduled time of SER
vice.
The chef in great hotel has up
ward of a hundred skilled assist
ants, with as many more unskilled
ones. The skilled included sauce
cooks. vegetable cooks, ice cream
makers, confecticners, butchers.
carvers, salad makers, etc.
The chez must be butcher, be-
cause he must know how to cut up
large pieces OF meat into steaks,
chops, roasts, stew, etc.
In storing foods the good chef
knows that raw fish must not come |
IN contact with iron or tin; that |
butter or milk must be kept in |
compartments, cheese in
inother and meat in another, and
attracts. olive oil and syrup must
Dc kept in dark, cool place or their
ielieatc flavor will be impaired.
In the preparation of certain
'auces including brodelais and piqu-
'nte. evaporation plays an important
part in producing the necessary
iavor. Others, including bernaise,
md mayonnaise, are made by emul-
ifying the ingredients. If they are
lot sealed at the proper tempera-
ure the cooks work has gone for
lothing.