swiss school
The Swiss Culinary Institute
Vocabulary
achievement | mastery | field |
require | hard work | hardly working |
resolve | advanced | in advance |
invest | whatever | excellent |
patient (2) | anything | worthwhile |
long time | accomplish | reach |
level | expertise | require |
culinary | institute | peel |
gradually | developed | complete |
understand | deep (2) | sensitivity |
texture | feel (2) | state (2) |
fresh | flavor | composition |
entire | move on | prepare |
simple | dish (2) | subsequent |
individual | spices | sauce |
ingredient | recipe | rigorous |
graduate | perhaps | respect |
degree (2) | internship | under (2) |
demand | receive | offer |
all over | qualify | head up |
attract | hire | highly paid |
retire | independent | point (3) |
before | creative | innovative |
such as | famous | every part |
stage (2) | pass on | over the years |
change | high level | skill |
start | work up | hurry |
bother | basics | trade |
realize | long-term | success |
direct | result | excellent |
Mastery and Excellence
The achievement of mastery in any field requires months and years of hard work on yourself and your job. Resolve in advance that you will invest whatever time it takes to become excellent at what you do.
And be patient — anything worthwhile takes a long time to accomplish.
The Master Chef
Regis Bouchard is a master chef at a five-star hotel in Melbourne, Australia.
To reach this level of expertise, he was required to study for seven years at the Swiss Culinary Institute in Geneva.
The First Year
Regis began by peeling fruits and vegetables. Gradually, he developed a complete understanding and a deep sensitivity for the texture and feel of fruits and vegetables in all states of freshness, flavor, and composition.
He did this for his entire first year!
Seven Years
In the second year, Regis moved on to salads and the preparation of fruits and vegetables in simple dishes.
In each subsequent year of training, he spent hundred of hours working with individual spices, sauces, ingredients, and recipes.
At the end of seven years, after rigorous testing, he had graduated with perhaps the most respected culinary degree in the world.
Internship
Regis then worked in an internship under a master chef in one of the top restaurants of Europe.
After another five years, he was in demand, receiving job offers from all over Europe and America. He was qualified to head up the kitchen of a top hotel or restaurant, if not start his own.
Swiss School
The finest hotels and restaurants in the world are those that have been able to attract and hire a graduate of what is called the “Swiss School”. These chefs are highly paid and can eventually retire financially independent.
Wolfgang Puck of Beverly Hills
The point is this: before they became creative, innovative cooks, such as the famous Wolfgang Puck of Beverly Hills, they had to completely master every part of the culinary art.
They had to learn each stage of cooking as it had been learned and passed on over the years by the finest chefs in the world. They did not begin to innovate or change the recipes they were taught until they had reached a very high level of skill and mastery.
Becoming Absolutely Excellent
Many people in business today think they can start at the top and work up. They are in a hurry. They cannot be bothered mastering the basics of their trade. They don’t realize that long-term success is the direct result of becoming absolutely excellent at what they do.
But successful people know this. And so do you!
1. It’s easy to become a master, to be absolutely excellent. What do you think?
2. Regis just “worked his way up” from “lower” to “higher” class restaurants. True or false?
3. Describe his culinary schooling and training.
4. What happened after he graduated from the Culitary Institute?
5. After his internship, was it easy to find work?
6. What can you say about the Swiss School?
7. Are master chefs poor, working-class, middle-class, upper-middle-class, or rich?
8. What is the relationship between innovation and learning and training?
9. What do many people in business think?
A. Is there a culinary academy or institute in your city or country?
B. What are the finest, most expensive restaurants in your city?
C. Do chefs earn lots of money?
D. Are there celebrity chefs on TV? Are there many cooking and culinary shows and programs on TV?