What separates a good cook from a great chef? According to Chef George “Skip” Guthrie, it comes down to three things: People, Product, and Profitability.

On this episode of Cooked with Eric Reed, presented by Midwest Professional Reps, Eric welcomes his former culinary school instructor and longtime St. Louis culinary professional, Chef Skip Guthrie.

With a career spanning the United States Marine Corps, prestigious hotels, professional bakeries, culinary education, and even cannabis-infused edibles, Chef Skip has no shortage of stories or wisdom to share.

00:00 – Introduction: The Three Ps of Being a Chef
00:24 – Meet Chef George “Skip” Guthrie
02:50 – Santa Claus Stories with Chef Skip
05:02 – How Skip Became a Culinary Instructor
07:31 – Lessons Beyond the Culinary Classroom
10:40 – Teaching Pizza and Learning by Doing
13:21 – Why Great Chefs Make Great Teachers
16:33 – Cook vs. Chef: People, Product & Profitability
19:25 – Food Waste, Portion Control & Kitchen Lessons
22:00 – Wild Stories from Military Foodservice
25:05 – Teaching Through Mistakes and Experience
26:18 – Is Culinary School Worth the Money?
28:12 – Adapting to Different Kitchens and Customers
30:41 – Restaurant Lessons: Portions, Timing & Efficiency
33:36 – What Culinary Education Is Missing
35:47 – Kitchen Design Starts Below the Floor
37:14 – Building Kitchens That Set Cooks Up for Success
39:00 – Global Culinary Careers and Apprenticeships
41:06 – How Technology Is Changing Professional Kitchens
44:14 – Why Chefs Must Keep Learning
45:12 – The Value of Technical Education
47:03 – Understanding the Why Behind Kitchen Equipment
49:11 – Smarter Refrigeration and Kitchen Layouts
52:21 – A Kitchen That Plates 1,000 Meals in 20 Minutes
53:43 – Bartending as a Professional Craft
56:02 – The Most Important Advice for New Cooks
59:22 – Final Thoughts and Stories with Skip
59:53 – St. Louis Food Festivals and Culinary Culture
1:03:29 – Closing Remarks

Watch the entire episode on YouTube @MidProReps

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