To the uninitiated, a chef and a cook may be one and the same. But in the culinary world, they’re two different entities. Both are adept in the kitchen and have the ability to serve delicious food. But the differences all boil down to qualifications.
Generally speaking, a chef will have 2-4 years of proper culinary education. A cook, on the other hand, is someone who enjoys preparing food.
In a professional kitchen, you’ll often see a chef in charge of a team of people. Each person in the team will be assigned a task so as to ensure the dishes are prepared to the highest standards. A cook, on the other hand, often works alone.
There are different classifications of a chef. These are:
- Executive Chef – This is the head chef, also known as Chef de Cuisine.
- Sous Chef – The second in command, this chef assists the head chef and supervises the kitchen staff.
- Pastry Chef – This creative chef is in charge of the breads, pastries and desserts.
- Garde Manger – In large kitchens/restaurants, there’s a chef responsible for the cold dishes like terrines and salads.
- Chef de Partie – This refers to the line cooks, who are in charge of one specific section like the sauces or meats.
- Commis Chef – This often refers to trainees who do mostly dicing, slicing and chopping of the ingredients.
The Most Famous Michelin Star Chefs
There’s no denying the fact that there are many talented chefs around the world. However, only a select few have lead their restaurants to garnering a Michelin Star.
Michelin stars are given to restaurants that meet Michelin guide’s set of criteria such as the quality of the food, the creativity of the dishes, freshness of the ingredients and others.
There are three Michelin star levels: 1, 2, and 3-stars. Three-star restaurants are deemed the best in the world and there are only less than 150 of them.
In this article, let’s take a look at the top chefs who made it possible for their restaurants to get Michelin stars.
Alain Ducasse (17 stars)
Alain Ducasse is a French chef who runs several luxurious restaurants in prestigious locations including Palace of Versailles and the Dorchester in London. His restaurants have received a total of 17 Michelin stars. He specializes in French cuisine with elements of Japanese cuisine. He has also published quite a few cookbooks.
Martin Berasategui (12 stars)
Another multi-awarded Michelin star chef, Martin Berasategui garnered three Michelin stars at Restaurante Martin Berasategui and then another 3 stars in Lasarte Barcelona. He specializes in traditional Basque techniques and ingredients, known for beautiful presentations and amazing dining experience.
Pierre Gagnaire (12 stars)
Pierre Gagnaire owns 2 restaurants each with 3 Michelin stars – Sketch (London) and Pierre Gagnaire (Paris). He is famous for his innovative and creative French dishes that are always cooked and prepared to perfection.
Yannick Alléno (12 stars)
It’s not surprising that this list of top chefs includes mostly French chefs. Yannick Alléno is the head chef of Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen. He trained with Jacky Fréon and Martial Enguehard, and uses modern cooking techniques like sous-vide. He is also an author and was part of a TV show called Top Chef. Pavillon Ledoyen currently holds the title of the world’s most star-rated restaurant with six Michelin stars.
Anne-Sophie Pic (10 stars)
In France, Anne-Sophie Pic is a celebrity. She’s the world’s only female chef to hold 10 Michelin stars. Her restaurant Maison Pic in Valence, France has 3 Michelin stars. Born in 1969 her father was a renowned chef Jacques Pic, and her grandfather Andre Pic was also a prestigious name in the culinary world, having earned 3 stars for Maison Pic.
In the United States there are just as many talented chefs, though very few ever earned Michelin stars from the restaurants they run and operate. But this doesn’t mean the food they prepare are subpar. In fact, many restaurants in the US such as Benihana and Mastro’s serve really good food, for a lot less than what you’d pay in Michelin starred restaurants.
You can watch a video of this amazing chef here: