By now, it should come as no surprise that The Seasoned Chef is pretty familiar with martial arts.  The forward in our cookbook was written by Master Clark of Z-Ultimate Martial Arts Studios and we previously wrote this blog post on how martial arts and cooking are actually more similar than you might think.

So now we’re going to take another lesson from martial arts and apply it to our own cooking lives.  The idea of levels.

What are these levels?

While many might be familiar with the “belt” system in martial arts, there is another, more informal level-style system going on behind the scenes.  The levels are:

Tourist, Amateur, Expert, & Master

These levels are more defined by one’s overall mastery and commitment to the practice than by their ability and/or skill.  Diving deeper into how each level might pertain to cooking:

Tourist

One who tries out a couple of classes, takes our Basic Skills and/or Knife Skills class, and stops there.  Most of these individuals are most interested in just learning the early beginner steps, rather than fully engulfing their life in the art of cooking.  These people know enough to be able to cook healthy and tasty meals for their families, but tend to prefer to follow a recipe than creating their own unique dishes.

Amateur

These individuals tend to consider cooking more of an after-work or after-school activity than anything else, but do tend to cook with some regularity.  They’re often the home cooks that create the fun recipes you read about on blogs or the person in your family that knows how to make your family dinners into something special.  Amateurs like to go “off script” and don’t feel the need to always follow a recipe.  Amateurs prefer to craft a dish in their own unique way, whether it’s combining a fun variety of spices together or adding in a custom ingredient that you typically would expect.

Expert

Expert level is where cooking gets to be really fun! These individuals can cook any dish, any time, anywhere.  Cooking from scratch is a way of life and these humans know their way around the kitchen inside and out.  Experts are very comfortable with a wide array of techniques and are able to quickly apply them at the appropriate times.  They prefer to craft their own recipes, but are able to follow and customize a recipe with ease.  Experts tend to be very comfortable and relaxed whenever cooking for anyone, whether that's a large group or even simply cooking for one.

Master

Just as within martial arts, there are very few Masters of cooking on planet Earth.  Typically professional Chefs, in martial arts Masters are typically called teachers or, more traditionally, “Senseis.”  A select few get to this level where cooking is just second skin, almost what they were born to do.  These individuals create new techniques from scratch and develop the skill sets that the rest learn, ultimately being taught for generations.  These Masters are unmatched and are both born and made.  Needless to say, it takes many years to become a Master, as there are very few that would fit within this special classification.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW!

No matter your level you should...

Own Your Level

The level that your next door neighbor is on may not be what’s right for you, and vice versa.  That’s the way it should be!  Moving “up” to the next level takes a lot of commitment and if your heart and mind aren’t in it, then cooking will become a burden.  Cooking should be an activity that is both useful and fun for you for many years to come.  Part of that fun comes with being comfortable with your current level rather than assuming you need to change.  Cooking skills develop with you over the years.  You do not need to change - just knowing the basics is great, and mastery is great, too.  What is right for you, is what is right for you.

Expect + Anticipate Successes + Failures

No matter how far someone advances throughout their cooking journey, both failures and successes are inevitable. Even the Masters of the world are going to create a sub-par dish from time-to-time! What’s important is how someone comes back to turn those failures into successes.  Accepting those potential set-backs with grace is vital to staying resilient and capable.  Just like life, these are the moments where your true growth will occur.

It’s Always a Good Time to Get Started

Whether your 11 year old child wants to dive into cooking, or you’re 80+ years old, it’s always a great time to start learning your way around the kitchen!  No matter your age or stage of life, allow cooking to become part of your daily routine in whatever way works best for you.  Owning your level means that you should be comfortable moving within your own timeline.  What’s most important is simply that you decide to get started!

What does this mean for you?

Ultimately, we hope that you see that cooking should be a skill that fits seamlessly into your life. Whether you only know kitchen safety and the basics of roasting, or decide to take every class possible to work your way up, cooking is something everyone can do. Own your level and know that you are exactly where you are supposed to be in your journey with cooking. We’ll be with you every step of the way.