It takes that many to prep, peel, chop, blend, etc. all of the dishes that are pre-made. They also set up the set so that he has what he needs at this fingertips. They also cook for the studio audience.
Haha it doesnt take that many people to do all that, that takes 4 or 5 people, less if they`re really good cooks. And not all the celebrity chefs have a studio audience for their show either.
My point is that people like Emeril don't do their own prepping on camera. You will often see him chop or prep food, but for the most part most of it is done off camera.
And everything has to come out looking good.
I wasnt trying to take anything away from the point, was just saying its ridiculous if theres that many people. I could see if it included cameramen and stagehands to handle the setting and audience, not just the cooking, cleaning and taking care of the kitchen and setting up for the chef. And everything has to come out looking good in fine dining, too.
You are comparing a restaurant to a cooking show. The two do not have a direct correlation. For one dish in a cooking show they will often prepare it many times and pick the best looking end result. Just because they are making a roast chicken does not mean that only one will be made. They may also prepare the dish in different stages of completion. At a restaurant if someone orders a dish it gets made once. On a cooking show for one dish it is made a lot more than once.
I know theyre obviously not the same, but it still don`t take 15 people. TV cooking is probably a lot more relaxed and slow paced than restaurant cooking. And that`s easier anyway, cause in a restaurant youre right, you make the dish once... for one person, then gotta make it again for the next person who orders it, and again after that for the next person who orders it. It`s not like you cook one big roast chicken and serve it to everyone, unless it`s a function. Functions are a breeze (usually). Not to mention the fact that there`s many items on a menu, and often many menus in a kitchen, not just one different thing every day unless it`s a California style menu.
And if like what was said above there`s a studio audience eating as well, my guess is they`ll just get plated the ones that ``aren`t the best looking ones`` that were also prepared because its not appearing on camera and once something is plated you can often cover up inconsistencies in the appearance of a main part of a dish anyway.
You know what, if you guys are right maybe I`ll take a different path with this career after all. I could slack off all day on a TV set, sounds more fun than busting my *** in a real kitchen.