You’ve probably binge-watched a gazillion TV shows about cooking and food. From Gordon Ramsay’s MasterChef to Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown, you’ve seen it all. And you’ve probably been inspired by these TV chefs, dicing onions deftly and giving that finishing touch to your signature dish. In fact, your passion for cooking is a known fact among your family and friends!

But… are you ready to cook like a pro? Find out if you’ve got any of these key elements to become a chef!

#1. You’re good with your hands

Do you always have the urge to create and design? Whether it’s painting on a blank canvas, assembling blocks of Lego or whipping up a glorious plate of omelette au fromage, you’re a practical person with a boundless desire to create something new.

When it boils down to cooking, your highly ambitious nature means that you’re always willing to take whatever you cook to the next level. And no, you don’t take presentation and aesthetics lightly, even if it’s just a plate of mi goreng!

Besides dishing up good food, you also know your way around kitchen tools and cooking appliances, from standard knives and sauté pans to immersion blenders and sophisticated ovens. You even know how to unclog a sink! Simply put, the kitchen is your territory.

#2. You're an obnoxious food critic

Being an absolute foodie, you’ve most likely visited every single restaurant and cafe in your neighbourhood just to cross out your foodie checklist. You know which restaurant serves the best rib-eye steak or char koay teow, and which is a rip-off and a disappointment to your taste buds!

And although your friends love to tag along on your food escapades, they are also terrified of taking you to new eating spots — simply because they fear that you would pare their favourite dining place down to the bone.

But you can’t help it! You only give credit where it’s due. Otherwise, the inner Gordon Ramsay in you unleashes! To you, badly prepared food is the greatest sin known to mankind.

#3. You’re always whipping up new recipes

When you have time to spare, your family and friends will find you cooking up a storm in the kitchen with an array of food from the East to the West. No one is allowed near the kitchen until you’re done perfecting the concoction of success. But once you’re done, the next person you see will be your victim for a taste test (oh yes!).

And when you’re not wearing your chef’s hat, you’re probably checking out cookbooks or Pinterest for recipes to follow and recreate. With your meticulous research, it’s no surprise that you’re probably well-versed with the 5 fundamental Mother Sauces — béchamel, velouté, brown or espagnole, hollandaise and tomato sauce. You even know how and when to use each sauce for your recipes!

Bottom line is, you can’t stop thinking about what to cook next!

#4. Your friends love having you over at parties

If there’s ever a person who should never go uninvited for home gatherings, it will be you. When having a dinner party, your friends can always count on you to bring the pièce de résistance — even if you weren’t asked to bring anything. You never cease to amaze everybody at the party. And you certainly don’t mind getting showers of compliments on the amazing chicken rendang or lasagna you spent hours preparing.

On the other hand, should there be a lack of food at the table for everyone, there’s no need to fear, because you’re there! Regardless of where you are, you’re always ready to cook up a meal. Whipping up a dish with whatever ingredients you have in the kitchen is always effortless. It’s no wonder your friends enjoy having you around at parties.

#5. You can take the heat

When multiple homework and assignments start hopping onto your plate, do you make it or break it?

Working in the kitchen can be extremely stressful. You may be able to take your time to cook a scrumptious meal for your patient family members, but in a restaurant, it won’t be long before hungry customers start hitting the complaint button. So you’ll need to be calm and composed, even if you’ve scalded your hand or accidentally burnt food to a crisp.

And when the orders start to pile up during rush hour, you’ll find that you need to be speedy yet careful at the same time. One wrong move on your part could risk jeopardising the chef and the restaurant’s reputation!

So, if you’re able to handle the pressure when the heat turns up, then you’re definitely suited to be a chef!

#6. You have great time management and multitasking skills

Do your friends tell you that you are organised and systematic? Do you treasure cleanliness and lead a disciplined lifestyle? Perhaps you’re quick on your feet and can multitask like a pro.

As a chef in a professional setting, you’ll need to know more than just how to cook. It involves plenty of time management and multitasking. For instance, you’ll have to master the mise en place — a method of preparing and organising ingredients to maximise a recipe’s efficiency before cooking. You’ll also need to be able to juggle a variety of tasks. This could mean having to sear a fish in one pan while preparing all the side condiments.

So, if you do great organisation and multitasking skills, you’re well-crafted for a chef position!

#7. You’re good at maths and business

If you thought that cooking and mathematics have absolutely zero common ground, you’re awfully mistaken. In order to become a chef, you have to be good with calculation and doing business.

And why is that so?

Well, besides knowing how to dish up a delicious plate of pasta, a chef needs to understand the business and administrative part of the kitchen so that they can make good food while being cost-effective. This means being able to handle aspects such as the budget, labour costs, cost reduction, food pricing and inventory management. The last thing you want is to be operating at a loss for your restaurant (gasp!).

If you can relate to the points above, congratulations! You’re already a step closer to getting your own toque blanche. Now, all you’ve got to do is enrol yourself in a global culinary arts school and you’ll be on your way to becoming the next Master Chef!

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