What makes an excellent cook?

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First of all, you have to like to cook...if you don't like to, you won't care whether you produce a quality product and people will notice.

The best techniques will not cover up a person's dislike of cookng.
 
Satisfied diners.

Like I don't know what sort of grade or objective evaluation my mother would get, but she's an excellent cook, I think.

As for professional cooks, I can't really say, but I could taste a bounty of generosity in some of my best meal experiences. Some years ago, my brother's family came for the holidays. He's a foodie who once considered restaurateur for a career, and instead has become a bit of a dining snob. It was Christmas Eve, and he didn't want my home cooking for such an occasion. I told him, good luck finding a restaurant that's open. A bit of web searching, and he found one, owned by a TV celebrity chef. While dining there, my 2-yr old nephew at the time became fussy, crying and screaming. The chef came over to our table, made friends with the kid, picked him up, and gave him a tour of his back kitchen. My wide-eyed nephew returned calmed down and ate his Christmas Eve dinner with enthusiasm. The food was excellent! But, I ate wondering whether I might get a tour of his kitchen too, if I started a tantrum.
 
An excellent cook keeps in mind the needs of the people for whom they are cooking then produces healthy meals that the people enjoy eating. This is true from the chef in the restaurant to the person who cooks only for himself.
 
What makes an excellent cook?

The people who love to eat their cooking!
 
what makes a good cook?

If I look at the cooks around me, including my hubbie who is a master chef extraordinaire (In my books) :LOL:
I would say that a good cook is:
passionate about all things foodie,
loves being in the kitchen,
has fun with food,
is experimental and a risk taker yet knowledgable in most aspects of cooking,
has a desire to please the palate,
worries about what the food looks like on the plate as much as what it tastes like,
and desires to know more, try more, and grow daily. :angel:

Obviously, there are techniques and skills one can learn and master but ultimately a good cook, for me, is someone with a love and heart for food!
:chef:
 
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