“Undoubtedly the most workmanlike class, and the least servile, are the cooks. They do not earn quite so much as waiters but their prestige is higher and their employment steadier. The cook does not look upon himself as a servant; he is generally called ‘un ouvrier’ which a waiter never is. He knows his power-knows that he alone makes or mars a restaurant, and that if he is five minutes late everything is out of gear. He despises the whole non-cooking staff, and makes it a point of honour to insult everyone below the head waiter. And he takes a genuine pride in his work, which demands very great skill. It is not the cooking that is so difficult, but the doing everything to time.”
George Orwell, “Down and Out in Paris and London”, 1933.
A Bird's Eye View of Fashion, Food, Travel, Culture, Beverage and Curiosity 