Burning Question: How Much Time Do Chefs Spend In The Kitchen?

Earlier this fall, chef Nobu Matsuhisa passed through for a
well publicized book signing…and rare visit to his restaurant. Sometime in the
next few weeks, Wolfgang Puck’s people–not the great man himself–holds a meet
and greet session for the real chef at his soon to open Dallas
venue.

At least that’s what our web guy tells us. Puck’s PR machine
sent him the invitation, apparently hoping to keep us away from the festivities.
Not that the Burning Question crew would, say, take undue advantage of all that
free booze.

Nobu and Wolfgang Puck are, of course, nationally ranked
brands, culinary idols in charge of franchises spread across the country. It
would be impossible for their ilk to run kitchens in Miami,
Vegas and Dallas at the same time. But even the local names gallivant a bit. Kent
Rathbun jaunts off for an appearance on Iron Chef America. Pyramid’s J. W.
Foster joins the line up for Stephan Pyles’ celebrity chef dinner–every week
some event begs for the services of well known cooks.

So how much time do top chefs really spend in their
kitchens?

“I don’t have the big bucks,” says Blythe Beck of Hector’s
On Henderson. “I have to work.”

Indeed, she had an arm jammed halfway up a turkey’s
hindquarters as we spoke…although, come to think of it, the bird wasn’t on that
evening’s menu. Um, anyway, at the moment, Hector’s is down a sous chef. Chef Beck and a
crew of five handle all the line duties. Yet, she admits, attending charity
events “is like playing hooky”–a welcome respite from the everyday grind.

“I’ve come to learn they spend as much time as they want to,”
says the aforementioned Stephan Pyles, one of the toppest chefs and owner of an
eponymous downtown destination. “It’s very exciting to do events,” he
continues, reflecting back on the days when he promoted books and stopped by
functions on a regular basis. “But today I can’t think of anything better than
to be in the restaurant.

Still, he often serves more in the role of executive and
front man, touring the dining room to chat with guests and checking in on
progress in the kitchen. Although many patrons imagine the chef huddled over a
stove, personally finishing each and every dish, most establishments of any
size rely on a sous and thoroughly trained line cooks to prepare appetizers and
entrees, even when the chef is in the building. In smaller restaurants like
Beck’s, the chef still spends more time expediting–an industry term for the
role of overseeing, double-checking and (when necessary) throwing tantrums–than
working a grill.

“If I’m gone, it should run just as well,” explains French
Room’s Jason Weaver of his line. “I trust my staff–but,” he adds, “I should be
there.”

Simply put, chefs spend as much time as possible in their loud,
steaming, crowded little rooms. But they pick and choose time off for events or
travel. Pyles plans vacation for January or July, when restaurant crowds thin
out. Restaurant Week ruined August as a getaway month, he says. Weaver selects
four weekend charity events a year. Beck as well–limiting her appearances to Taste
of the NFL, Savor Dallas and maybe another.

“You can argue, is it marketing value or charitable value,”
explains Pyles, who will team with Wolfgang Puck for events in Ohio
next year. “I can’t do them all, so we pick first based on charities we feel a
pull toward, then on marketing value–and, of course, if Wolf calls.”

But every chef enjoys playing hooky, even when it involves
some cooking.

“Its fun times when we leave,” Beck admits. “And if we have
to sample some of the liquor, that’s OK.”

Speaking of which, where is that invitation? –Dave Faries