by Joseph Kelley

Created on: November 18, 2008

How Celebrity Chefs are Ruining the Culinary Industry

Susan Sampson, Food Editor for "The Star" (a magazine published in Toronto, Canada) has become well known for her controversial news articles pertaining to the downward spiral of knowledge in the field of culinary arts. In her article Recipes for Dummies, she discusses on how many people are inexperienced and are actually afraid of cooking. This lack of knowledge can be problematic in numerous ways. For example, side effects of this ignorance are; poorly cooked meals at home, the dumbing down of creativity and knowledge, the development of a fear in cooking, (generally) negatively influencing the culinary field as a whole, and actually has a lot to do with obesity as well.

According to Susan, the evolution of cookbooks and their now user friendly approach to cooking is playing a big role in how consumers are reacting to the culinary world. Many consumers begin testing the waters with simple recipes, watching the food network, and then try fiddling around with some techniques. However, when they decide they have had enough of the simple steps they want to try and walk on their own two feet and try some trickier recipes. All of a sudden, they hit a brick wall head on. They see confusing words like julienne and saut, and this scares them away. No longer are they looking at simple words like "cut in to matchstick strips" or "cook in a little bit of oil, stirring occasionally". They are afraid to try new things, they miss the safety of their comfortable bed of ignorance and simplicity. This new found cooking phobia also keeps the consumer from experimenting. Many people consider cooking to be an exact science, and that is true to a certain extent.

One thing that many young/beginning chefs have in common is their love for experimenting, trying out new flavors and textures. However, because the consumer cannot understand this "passion" they do not get to experience the true fun that is supposed to be involved in cooking. So never again will they try to make a Quiche Lorraine, a vegetable medley with a tempura style batter, or a Sole Francese. Instead it will be Hot Dogs, Mac and Cheese, Sheppard's Pie, or McDonalds. "Back in the fifties and sixties," Susan observes "we as Americans did not have this problem of not being able to cook". However due to the innovation brought about by fast food service and microwave TV dinners, convenience has taken its place over taste and hard work. Since there is normally no one home

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