Chef ( Enterprise NX - 01 ) " Chef " was the head cook aboard . Captain Jonathan Archer had to call in a number of favors just to get Chef onto " Enterprise " . ( ) In 2151 , Chef made a pecan pie , which delighted Commander Tucker . ( ) Later that year , after a group of Ferengi pirate s commandeered " Enterprise " , Krem , upon trying a sandwich that Chef had made earlier , was impressed and suggested that they take the ship ' s cook with them . ( ) Ensign Hoshi Sato mentioned that Chef would be a better choice than herself to get information from Lieutenant Malcolm Reed about his favorite food , but Captain Archer decided that Sato was the better choice and made it her top priority . Complying with this , Sato asked Reed if he thought the meals in the mess hall could use a more " personal touch , " but Reed responded by stating Chef was a fine cook – a sentiment Sato shared . ( ) Chef became accustomed to making many Vulcan dishes , such as the pok tar ; " Enterprise " science officer T ' Pol stated , during the latter part of 2151 , that he had become quite good at making Vulcan food . ( ) Chef was known for his famous breakfast dish , eggs Benedict . ( ) In August 2152 , Chef became ill , so Sato , who enjoyed spending time in the galley , offered to serve as his replacement until he recovered . ( ) While the ship ' s crew was forced to temporarily relocate to " Enterprise " s catwalk in September 2152 , Chef continued to serve in his role as ship ' s cook . His meal of choice , at the time , was pot roast , a dish he served three times in three day s , much to Lieutenant Reed ' s annoyance . Chef was serving pot roast for the third time while a triumvirate of Takret , who were also temporarily living in the catwalk , were dangerously barbecuing a meal for themselves . Moments after Commander Tucker prevented them from continuing to cook the meal , he suggested he would ask Chef if he ( Chef ) could heat it for them . ( ) In February 2154 , Chef was the only person to complain about how long it took damage to the ship ' s galley to be repaired after an attack at Azati Prime . ( ) Serving aboard a starship with no counselor s or psychologist s , " Enterprise " crew members often found solace in Chef and often discussed their problems with him . For this reason , in 2370 , Deanna Troi compared the chef ' s position to hers , and advised Commander William T . Riker to assume the role of Chef while observing an historic holoprogram detailing " Enterprise " s last mission , to better interact with the crew . ( ) Background information . Chef was never given a name beyond his title . He was almost never seen and was never heard . The only exception was in the episode , in which Chef was played by regular background actor and stand - in Richard Sarstedt in an uncredited appearance . In the writers ' second draft script of " Breaking the Ice " , Chef was referred to as having invented a meatball sandwich called a " Comet Special " , in reference to the fact that " Enterprise " was meanwhile studying a rogue comet . In " The Catwalk " , Chef appears in only one shot , which was purposely cropped . The episode ' s final draft script described the character thus ; " " He ' s dressed in a white Chef ' s uniform . His face and torso will remain off - camera . " " The fact that Richard Sarstedt played Chef in " The Catwalk " is from the episode ' s call sheet , where he was credited as Richard " " Sarstedt , a reference to singer Isaac Hayes , who portrayed the character " " on " South Park " for nine seasons . Sarstedt was one of the regular stand - in s for Jonathan Frakes , who portrayed Riker as Chef in a hologram which features in ENT series finale . In a potential story pitched by Mike Sussman , Chef , played by William Shatner , would have been brought by into the 23rd century , preserving the timeline by impersonating a legendary descendant during an important historical event .