Thomas Pendarovski, executive chef, St. Regis Abu Dhabi
Be patient. A lot of young chefs have the right talent and drive, which is wonderful, but experience is the key and it only comes with time. Experience comes with moving around, working with different chefs, and learning different repertoires. You know you’re ready to for this role when someone is looking for you and your talent. Let people come to you.
Stay focused. Self-discipline is integral and it plays a key role in your endeavours in becoming a head chef. You must learn all the dynamics of the industry and maintain nerves of steel. Keep an open mind and take all criticism constructively, because everyone is going to have an opinion. Stay true to what you believe, but never undermine your guests’ expectations because your standard for yourself should be higher than that.
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Practice makes perfect. Don’t be afraid to experiment and get creative. If it tastes bad, start over. If the presentation is off, redo it. Make mistakes and learn from them. Your creativity shines when you practice. Go with your gut if your vision changes. Sometimes you have to make a dish a few different ways before you get the result you want.
Bonus: Read. Understand the history of food. Research ingredients and their origins and seasonality. You can discover passion points within your work by just reading and absorbing information. I’m a huge advocate of sustainability and using ingredients when they are in season. For me it is about respecting the earth and our environment for the sake of future generations.
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