How should I advise my daughter, a chef-in-training?

Question

My daughter is learning culinary arts at a high school career center. Her friend told me that my daughter said to her that they are going to do some wine tasting. Now, I know that the chef that is training them would never allow them to do anything illegal.

But, we are Mormon (which I think she told chef in the first week of school), and we don't drink alcohol. However, I know that, as a chef, she might be cooking with wines, at least in training.

One suggestion that I heard was that they taste but do not swallow. But, I don't know if even that is good or not.

And maybe I'm borrowing trouble. but, I just want some advice. Thanks.

And, please, no Mormon bashing!

Answer 1

Cooking for a living often brings many difficulties for those with strong faith.

Cooking with wine will actually burn the alcohol off so you don't need to worry about that. Chances are, anytime you go to a decent restaurant you are having some sort of wine.

A wine tasting is different. Normally when tasting wine it is spit out and since you daughter is in high school this is how it should be done (legally).

Unforunately, a chioice your daughter is going to have to make for herself is how far she plans on going with this career. You have to be able to bend on some things at times in this industry. She is not going to be able to create dishes using alcohol (and so many of them require it) without knowing what it tastes like before and after the cooking process.

I have seen vegetarians eat meat for their jobs before. I even saw a Muslim girl eat a small piece of beef. To become a chef, you need to be able to rely on yourself and you cannot rely on someone else to say it "tastes good". You shouldn't be serving a single thing out of your kitchen without trying it. Every sauce, every salad, everything.

I think you daughter needs to do some soul searching on her career or choice, her faith and where exactly she wants to go in life.

Answer 2

Well, if they ever try wine tasting its illegal, and thats grounds for excusal right there.

This is a good time for her to learn to assert herself and her beliefs. Cooking with wine is fine, she will have no call to actually drink it, and the cooking removes almost all the alcohol from it. I cook with wine and other spirits, and I am Mormon too. But drinking it is another matter. If you and she still feel that this is an issue, she can tell the teacher privatly that her religion forbids alcohol, so she would like to have an alternate assignment for that day.

Answer 3

My humble opinion would be to stand firm on your values. Even simply tasting would not be advisable. By comparison, the chef would not expect a Jewish trainee to cook and taste something non kosher. Likewise, your daughter should be afforded the same respect.

Answer 4

You must be faithful to your principles. Talk to your daughter and to the teacher; you can have a good idea if you team up to talk about the subject. Alcohol usage is not exactly what makes a good or a bad chef.

Answer 5

it doesn't matter if she uses alcohol, it gets burned off in the cooking process...so no, you won't have to worry about little things like that. tasting is fine, you need to know how the wine will influence the dish. and if the alcohol thing is reallt that big a deal to you mormons, then she shouldn't be a chef.

Answer 6

I would think she is fine if she does not swallow the wine. Cooking with wine extracts the alcohol, so that should be fine.
I hope it all works out!

Answer 7

she should talk to both her teacher and a leader in your church. the church leader can tell her what would be ok and what wouldnt, and the teacher will probably be understanding about this because there are plenty of recipes that do not use alcohols!

Answer 8

a little alcohol won't hurt

Answer 9

i hate to cook.