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Confidence is vividly apparent with musicians, athletes, actors, carpenters, and other trades, and certainly with cooks and chefs. It’s that point in time when they are comfortable working side by side with their peers and mentors. Confidence is a wonderful feeling when it can be backed up with skill and knowledge. You know – that moment when you know it’s possible to “hold your own” with those you respect and admire. 

When a musician can take the stage with an accomplished master and feel that their chops are worthy of standing elbow to elbow, instrument to instrument with someone they admire, that’s confidence. When a carpenter can walk on to a construction job and fit in immediately, an electrician can pick up where another has left off, an understudy can fill in the lead role of a Broadway play without missing a step, or the second-string quarterback is able to run out on the field at a critical point in the game as the starter is limping to the sidelines. Confidence prevails when competence is in play.

Those cooks and chefs who are reading this article understand what I am referring to. It’s that ability to jump on the line of an unfamiliar restaurant and hold your own with a menu that you have not worked before but are acutely aware of the methods used. The ability to function is only surpassed by the confidence to do so.

I remember reading about a concert by the group The Who years ago when in the middle of a concert their drummer – Keith Moon became ill. Pete Townsend grabbed the microphone and asked if there was anyone in the audience who could fill in? A guy ran up on stage, sat at Keith Moon’s drum kit and proceeded to finish the set without missing a beat. Now that’s confidence. Could you do the same as a cook or chef? What if your phone rang tomorrow and Danny Meyer from The Union Square Restaurant Group called and asked if you could fill in at Gramercy Tavern tonight. Could you, do it? Would you, do it? Are you COMPETENT enough to have the CONFIDENCE to shine in that moment?

What stands behind the confidence to fit in and perform at a high level in any profession? What would it take for YOU to be able to walk into that situation with a smile on your face, holding your head high, and say: “bring it on!”

THE FOUNDATIONS:

There is a reason why chefs and cooks are so meticulous about caring for their knives, so determined to master the established steps used in all the basic cooking methods, and so inflexible when it comes to how products are handled, vegetables are cut, and flavors are built. THE FOUNDATIONS WILL ALWAYS SERVE YOU WELL! Every cuisine, every style of cooking is built from those foundations. This is what allows a cook to quickly adapt to another kitchen and a different menu. Work on those foundations and you will build the confidence you need.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT:

How does that second string quarterback fit in at a critical moment’s notice? They practice alongside the starter, know all the plays inside and out, build relationships with the offensive line, running backs, and receivers, and kibitz constantly with QB#1 even if they never see a minute of play in a game. Practice builds confidence!

ORGANIZATION:

There is an acceptable way to set up a station whether you are a drummer for the Who, a master carpenter, or a line cook. Organization is essential if a person is to build confidence. A pilot can sit in the cockpit of a different plane and know where critical controls and gauges are located. When you know where the furniture is positioned then you can feel confident that you won’t trip and fall. Being impeccably organized is a critical component of confidence.

RESPECT:

One should never confuse confidence with ego. There is no place in a successful kitchen for overzealous egotists. Respect your place in the kitchen and that of others and you will find a warm welcome from the rest of the team. Respect for others, respect for the space and equipment, and respect for the ingredients is paramount to confidence. Respect equals acceptance and acceptance is a key to confidence and performance.

BE CURIOUS:

Confident cooks and chefs, like their counterparts in other professions are curious people, always looking to see how others approach the craft, problem solve, and create. They are always looking to add a different technique to their bag of tricks. The interesting thing about curiosity is that if you inquire about how another craftsperson does something they are almost always pleased to show you how. This is how we learn, and this is how we become competent and confident craftspeople.

KNOW WHAT INGREDIENTS ARE CAPABLE OF:

The designation of a cooking method and a list of ingredients is oftentimes enough information for a confident cook or chef to work in even unfamiliar territory with a totally different menu item. What helps to do this with confidence is a deep understanding of the ingredients, their traditional flavor profile, how they marry with other ingredients, and what can impact results. Knowing that Roma tomatoes in February may look like those in July, but the texture and flavor are totally different will help the cook adjust a method and seasoning to compensate. A full understanding of ingredients and how they work is essential if confidence is to prevail.

WORK ON THAT PALATE:

So much of cooking stems from an educated palate. Knowing how a dish is designed to taste, smell, and feel in the mouth is everything when it comes to confidence. Confident cooks are constantly tasting and building flavor memory. The palate needs to be exercised just like an athlete focuses on muscle development. Is your palate in good shape?

After five decades of working in kitchens I was comfortable enough with my skills and knowledge and thus confident enough to feel I could work alongside anyone. Oftentimes I would invite guest chefs to share a space in my kitchen and occasionally worked in an unfamiliar kitchen with very accomplished chefs whom I held in high regard. I never proclaimed to be as good as the admired chef I worked with, but always felt that I could hold my own and as such didn’t feel unprepared to contribute. It took a long time, but it allowed me to enjoy those experiences. You know you have it when you know you have it. Confidence comes from a baseline level of competence.

How’s your confidence level?

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

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