It’s Foodie Friday and today I want you to think about if you’re a cook or if you’re a baker. Your immediate response, assuming you spend time in the kitchen, might be “Gee, I do both.” That’s probably true. When I’m preparing the Thanksgiving feast, I bake pies and the occasional cake but I am definitely NOT a baker.
(Credit: Wikipedia)
Maybe it’s my rebellious nature (those of use who lived through the 1960’s have that streak) but baking is way too rigid for me. Baking is chemistry. It’s Baroque music to cooking’s jazz. One has specific formulas and rules; the other encourages improvisation. I know how certain flavors go together and armed with just an idea and my tools I can usually make something pretty good. Try that with baking.
When you make a baking mistake it’s pretty obvious. Not so with cooking. I can eyeball a tablespoon of oil for a pan. Try eyeballing a tablespoon of baking powder armed with the knowledge that if you’re off the whole project fails. This is not to say I think less of bakers. They are far more precise and patient than I tend to be in the kitchen. I can’t see very many bakers I know or see on TV going off on a rant while many of the chefs appear to be aggressive, anxious, and on edge. Walk in to any restaurant and you’ll see them both. Which is, of course, the business point.
Like a restaurant, any business needs both bakers and cooks on the team to produce a complete product. You need the team members who try new things and crave pushing the boundaries. You also need the ones who are calmer and more grounded in the “recipes” that make your business go. Which brings us back to my initial question. Are you a baker or a cook? There is no right answer, but whatever your answer is should remind you that you need someone to make the other half of the menu. You might be a cook who can bake a little (me) or a baker who has kitchen skills but finding both types are what will make your business well-rounded and last.
Consult Keith 