Based on data collected during six months of anthropological fieldwork, primarily in two professional restaurant kitchens, this presentation seeks to explore the notions of bildung and some forms of social aspects of education and personal development among apprentice chefs in a professional kitchen, as they undertake professional chef’s training.

The presentation is a part of the publication strategy in the two-year Frascati-funded research project titled "Heard that, Chef!" conducted at the VIA Research Centre for Pedagogy and Education at VIA University College, Denmark through the years 2022-2023. 

Throughout this project, I engaged in anthropological fieldwork as an engaged, at times full participating anthropologist, while also undertaking the role of a novice apprentice chef, fulfilling the duties and responsibilities expected of a newcomer to the culinary apprenticeship context. My dual roles were of course announced and fully beknown to everyone I was with during the fieldwork.

An earlier publication from the project (Frostholm, 2023), shows that as well as the practical craftmanship behind doing chef’s work, the newcomer apprentice chefs in the kitchens must also be socialised into the social fields of a professional kitchen. Or as John, a highly experienced and awarded chef at the culinary schools puts it:

“Apprenticeship training is about passing on a culture. It can be rather frustrating for some students. Here they go from being boys to becoming adults, as they arrive at school Monday morning. It’s all about: how are you a chef?”

To me, the talk of passing on a culture, and this seeming transition, from boyhood towards adulthood more than hints at a series of analyses on the notions of bildung, that seems at both times highly present and unspoken of within the everyday practices of the young apprentice chefs. With this presentation, I aim to shed some light on exactly that, through close-up registrations and thoroughly written through observations from the empirical data set of the project. 

The overall research question is:

How do notions of Bildung appear within in the everyday practice of apprentice chefs in professional kitchen settings?

Theoretical framework:

The main theoretical inspiration of the idea of bildung, I find within the works of Danish scholar Lene Tanggaard, as she claims that, bildung impacts us in ways that imprint upon our existence – hence, it pertains to the entirety of an individual, as it encapsulates what holds significance to us throughout our lives. By grounding schools and educational systems in the principles of bildung, students are afforded the chance to mold the world autonomously (Tanggaard, 2021). To me, the impact of bildung that Tanggaard speaks abouts, is what comes of being exposed and influenced to all kinds of cultural and social interventions – as for example being undertaking professional training or partaking in educational practices. It the notions, belief-systems, ideas and thoughts – apparent as somewhat hidden from the individual itself, that will form the very thinking and the very actions of the person. As Tanggaard puts it: Bildung can be seen as a spark, and when it occurs, it ignites our thinking, our language, our body, our life, and ascribes meaning to it (Tanggaard, 2021). In that way bildung encompasses the entirety of an individual, involving self-awareness within the context of others and a larger framework. The concept of bildung arises from the unique experiences that shape our being. Bildung involves the discovery of the unknown and the realization of its significance. Certain interactions with more experienced chefs towards novice apprentices will undoubtedly resonate and hold to values, which I, with inspiration from Tanggaard, claim could be called bildung (Tanggaard, 2021).

Methods/methodology: For this project, I built an empirical object centered on two high-end Danish restaurants and a technical college's chef training program in Aarhus, Denmark. This is how fieldwork geography sometimes needs to be constructed, almost laboriously as, the anthropologist must immerse themselves in the world they are studying to enter it (Hastrup, 2003, p. 10-15; Hastrup, 2010, p. 57)). Using participant observation and full participation as methodological tools, I sought to become an engaged anthropologist, greatly influenced by Danish anthropologists Charlotte Baarts (2004) and Cathrine Hasse (2014). As a learning individual and anthropologist in the world being explored, I therefore took on the role of an apprentice chef as far as possible, during my time in the restaurants (Hasse, 2015). Diverging from conventional anthropological methodologies, my approach emphasised immersion, interaction, and active participation in the culinary environment, drawing from the principles of autoethnography where the distinction between participant and observer is often blurred or disregarded (Méndez, 2013). Furthermore, the project is underpinned by clear inductive and phenomenological influences within its theoretical framework (Hastrup, 2010). Phenomenology is characterized as both a philosophical orientation and a methodological approach, encompassing a style of inquiry and a mode of thought applicable across diverse domains, ranging from artistic endeavours to scientific disciplines. Within an anthropological frame phenomenology has accompanied and acted as scientific theoretical and philosophical inspiration and catalyst for decades (Atkinson & Hammersley, 2007: 2). In this project, adopting a phenomenological approach involves approaching fieldwork with a specific mindset and attitude aimed at understanding the perceptions of apprentice chefs. This entails a dedicated focus on attentive listening, temporarily setting aside preconceived assumptions, theories, and reflections commonly associated with apprenticeship learning or the culinary profession in general (Jacobsen, Tanggaard, & Brinkmann, 2015, 218). Here, the intersection of phenomenological philosophical principles and anthropological practice becomes apparent. My primary objective is thus to provide a descriptive account of observed phenomena, detailing the context in which actions occur, elucidating how individuals involved perceive and discuss their own actions as well as those of others, and examining the outcomes thereof (Atkinson & Hammersley, 2007: 7). Through this interpretivist practice, I acknowledge that the social world cannot be understood in terms of simple causal relationships or by bringing social events under the purview of general law.

Among the expected outcomes from these analyses, I aim to gain valuable insight into specific aspects or elements of bildung, that are prominent in the daily activities and interactions of apprentice chefs. To that my research aims to uncover how engagement with bildung influences the personal and professional development of apprentice chefs, including their attitudes, values, and skills. Through my empirical focus on everyday practices, the research may shed light on the social dynamics within professional kitchens and how notions of bildung shape relationships, hierarchies, and collaboration among experienced chefs and apprentices. In broader view I hope my findings may have some implications for culinary education programs, offering insights into how bildung can be integrated into curriculum design, teaching methodologies, and experiential learning opportunities for apprentice chefs. To that I wish to add that my research may contribute to broader discussions within bildung scholarship by providing empirical evidence of its relevance and application in contemporary vocational settings. Lastly I hope to add some methodological reflections on how to research bildung in a practice setting, as I wonder: How can one empirically study the concept of bildung? Firstly, I must reflect; does bildung exist, as something tangible and real? And how does one capture this phenomenon? Indeed, bildung exists both as a theoretical concept and as something tangible in various settings such as schools, educational institutions, and universities. Bildung does not seem immediately measurable as data; rather, it requires investigation into how it manifests, both theoretically and empirically (Wiberg, 2016, 69-70). Danish scholar, Grue Sørensen points out: "The critical criteria for determining the presence of bildung are uncertain and subject to significant debate" (Wiberg, 2016, 71). However, most interpretations of the concept revolve around the development of human personality.

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