Culinary Apprenticeships Return After Covid-19

Richard Grausman, educator, author and founder of C-CAP (Careers through Culinary Arts Program) has been involved and an advocate for culinary apprenticeship, education and training for the past 52 years. He takes a stab at forecasting what is to come in the wake of COVID-19, but first a few observations from over the years that might be of interest.

When I started my studies in Paris in 1968, I was fortunate to meet and become friends with Michael Oliver, chef/owner of Bistro de Paris. He was also the son of Raymond Oliver, the chef/owner of Le Grand Véfour and perhaps the most famous chef in France at the time.  They both entertained in their restaurants, and Michael often invited other young chefs over for lunch or dinner and I was lucky at times to be able to join them.

Much of the conversation was centered around some of the things they were doing to counter the problem of getting young workers. Most of them had gotten their training through a culinary apprenticeship (and those interested should read Jacques Pepin’s book The Apprentice) and had worked in large hotels with massive kitchens and staffs. Recently, however, the young French boys who might have chosen the culinary profession in the past were now choosing to take factory jobs which had better hours and pay. Hence, the chefs weren’t able to hire enough staff and no one wanted to work the long hours they had become used to.

Because of this problem, they were all finding ways to do things faster and with less prep time. Over the next few years, with the help of food critics Henri Gault and Christian Millau of the restaurant guide Gault et Millau, these chefs became famous for their Nouvelle Cuisine.

Many of their techniques are still used today, but something else happened at that time: Up until Paul Bocuse put his name on his restaurant, most restaurants were not chef- driven. Diners rarely ever got to see or meet the chef. “My compliments to the chef” was a common expression used to let the chef know you appreciated his food, but it was usually given to the owner of the restaurant as you departed. Gault et Millau was making the restaurant chef known and famous!