A kitchen is a special place where people work, learn and evolve their skills for a better tomorrow. However, like any other workplace, there will be some people that you’ll come across that can be either great for the kitchen, or bad. Let me get my list out for you guys:

• The passionate newbie- this rookie cook I don’t tend to have an issue with because they want to become better. But for some, it can be troublesome. The passionate newbie is the person that has watched Masterchef, top chef, or hells kitchen and wants to be a cook, or recently just graduated from culinary school and put their skills to the test. These types of people are a rare find because they are hungry for learning, whether in or out of the workplace. However, potential skills come with a price. The people around this new blood will have to be patient with them and help them correct their mistakes. Sure, they will drive you a bit crazy at times, but in the end, their passionate drive will push them to become a much better asset in the kitchen.

• The lazy cook- there’s nothing to say to this other than this person doesn’t come in on time, is always late, is not committed, and has no drive. These useless fucks in the kitchen are a 100% liability in the kitchen and should either be a cleaner or not be a cook in the first place. Anyone that has experienced this pain, knows how annoying it is

• “Thinks that they are better than they really are” cook- these types of people have nothing but an ego issue. Probably because either they are a straight-A student in culinary school, have worked with a celebrity chef so they think they know everything, or even dated an executive chef. Yea, there’s nothing really much to say but they need a reality check. If your ego is higher than your skillset, you shouldn’t be talking shit. Period. I always go by the rule that a man’s biggest weapon is his ego. You may think you’re better, in reality, you’re just burning everyone around you. 

• The toxic cook- lucky for me I have not worked with or encountered a toxic cook. But what I guessed (through playing League of Legends), these types of people are manipulative, rude, dishonest, and negative. It’s basically a toxic relationship, but at work. Thank God I haven’t encountered one yet.

• The solid cook- this is what I’m striving for but it’s so hard. A solid cook is always consistent, resourceful, unbelievably intelligent, and will do whatever it takes for the kitchen to succeed from working 20 hours overtime to picking up certain tasks that not everyone wants to do. They are hands down the Jesus in the kitchen and I always look up and learn from them because they’re so experienced in what they do. Oh. And did I tell you that they learn outside the kitchen? Yup. These elite individuals always study through either books, videos, and classes to get ahead of the competition. What a legend. 

• The veteran cook- this one I want to put in a separate category. Just because they’re both good and bad veterans. Veterans have years or decades of experience in the kitchen. They probably have stayed in the kitchen since its opening days many years ago. Whoever they are, it just depends on the person. A good veteran cook will educate their rookies in the kitchen while the bad ones just either have to step up or need to be put out of their misery.