What are the qualities a person must have to make a good chef?
Discipline, punctuality, determination. They must also be open to the spirit of world cuisines and be a team player. And, obviously, passion. Do you think it’s a good way to earn a living? No. It’s the same for painters and musicians. It’s about passion. In Quebec, no one in haute cuisine is making a fortune. But feeding the world is the best thing you can do. Do you think there are too many chefs out there who don’t know what they are doing? Yes, yes. I call them “des gargotiers” (low-end cooks) and it is because the profession is not recognized by the Quebec government, the Ordres des Professions gouvernementale. I worked tirelessly for 15 years to change that, and I got nowhere. They are deregulating the professions. It’s now all about free enterprise. What is the advantage of young cooks going on stage to France? It confirms that cooking is about passion, because in France it’s a profession, but here cooking is a job. What is the difference between a young French cook and a young Q
