Recipes for Success: A Chef’s Outlook on Online Education

I have loved cooking for as long as I can remember. I confess, I didn’t begin for the creative outlet, sense of accomplishment, or for the zen-like state I feel when I cook now. I started because in my family, if you cooked dinner you don’t have to do the dishes. More importantly I had total control of the menu, which meant I didn’t have to eat green beans! I was about seven or eight when I bravely stepped up to the stove to make spaghetti, and I’ve been hooked ever since.

My passion for cooking took me through culinary school and the restaurant industry. Each experience built on the last, every one of them leaving an imprint on me. There are many resume-friendly skills that you learn while working at restaurants, such as teamwork, sales, persuasion, and how to communicate (so the kitchen doesn’t resent you). What’s more, many lessons from my culinary experience have turned out to be beneficial to me as a student as well.

Here are the lessons that I’ve carried with me.

Lesson 1: Mise en Place

If you love to cook, are a foodie, or know a chef you’ve no doubt come across this phrase a time or two. Mise en place is French for “everything in its place,” and it is probably the most crucial lesson a chef learns. This lesson has followed me everywhere I go and is certainly the cornerstone of my schooling.

To a chef it means gathering all the tools and ingredients necessary so that he can work at his station seamlessly. As a student it’s making sure you have all of the necessary materials at your disposal so that you can focus fully on your work. I can’t count how many times I sat down and then realized I needed a pen, notebook, or the power cord, or that I had forgotten to turn my printer on. Or that I neglected to make a note of something I needed. It’s so frustrating to go searching for an article I intended to paraphrase but couldn’t remember the title of so that I could cite it.

Developing a mise en place for myself has made a huge difference in my schoolwork. In Anthony Bourdain’s first book No Reservations he discusses how important this ritual is. Bourdain worked for a chef that demonstrated what happens when you don’t organize yourself properly by pressing his palms on the messy station. “You see this?” he asked, his palms covered in food debris. “This is what the inside of your head looks like now.”

When you have “everything in its place,” everything else falls into place.

Lesson 2: Creativity is King

For many people the concept of creativity seems like it’s exclusively for those blessed with a muse. Those who produce magical pieces of art, music, or even that scrumptious dinner in ways that they never could. They believe that there are those who are preordained to create something out of rubble and then there are those who look at that same pile of rubble and think, “It’s just trash.”

But creativity is really for everyone. My favorite culinary game is to go to my fridge when there’s barely anything left and try to conjure up dinner. There’s a deep sense of satisfaction when I succeed. This, however, is only one dimension of creativity, and we spend too much time focusing on it.

Creativity doesn’t have to manifest in beautiful works of art or plates of food. It’s how you look at the world and see problems with unique solutions. For many chefs, creativity is an indicator of not only your talent, but also your ability to think critically. It’s how you solve problems and beat boredom.

In school, sometimes I have trouble connecting with the discussion board or critical thinking assignments. And sometimes the monotony of the week can really harsh my creative vibe. But if I look at the assignments as a way to explore a topic I find interesting, or I can find a unique solution to a discussion question, the monotony dissipates. It’s as Jack Sparrow said, “The problem is not the problem; the problem is your attitude about the problem.”

Lesson 3: Write your Recipe

Think of your recipe as a to-do list. It has what you need to cook, times, and notes. It’s one of the best tools to keep you organized and focused throughout your day. Plus, when you’ve crossed everything off on your list you’ll have a tremendous feeling of accomplishment.

Your recipe helps you mindfully multitask by indicating what needs to be done first and allowing for all of the little tasks that need to get done in between. When cooking it could even have notes about how you want it presented, what sauce you want to use, what time food items should be in the oven, and at what temperature they should be cooked. In your personal life, you can be similarly detailed to make sure you get your day just right.

This little practice has been very beneficial for me. With discussion boards, critical thinking assignments, and readings the week can start to seem like one long day. But the recipe keeps me focused (while also proving that days do pass) by breaking up the assignments in order of importance and organization.

For example, on Monday I look over what each assignment is and what the questions are, and I think about how I want to answer them. On Tuesday I do the reading, then outline the critical thinking. Wednesday I consider the discussion board, so on and so forth. This allows me to plan what I need to accomplish through the week, and reminds me of appointments or phone calls that need to be made.

Lesson 4: Ask for Help

This is probably the single most important piece of advice I can give anyone. If you are having a hard time finding the time to accomplish a task, ask for help.

It’s hard, I know. I remember working in restaurants when I would be getting crushed by tables or bar guests and I just couldn’t get caught up. Or getting backed up at the pasta station and drowning in noodles. That feeling of drowning in a sea of unnecessary anxiety can be handled by simply asking for help.

It’s not easy to ask someone to do something that might inconvenience them. I get it. But if it is the difference between feeling worried about your work and getting an A on your portfolio project, ask for help. Your family, friends, and teachers are rooting for you and want to provide you with support you need to learn and succeed! Remind yourself that what you’re achieving is important. You owe it to yourself. Ask for help.

This may not be a long list, but these are four things that keep me from collapsing throughout the week. My experience as a chef has helped shaped the person I am and my outlook on my studies; I hope this list helps you to discover your own recipe for success!