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6 Minute English

Dreaming of being a chef

19 Feb 2026

Transcription

Chapter 1: What makes cooking at home different from cooking professionally?

0.031 - 3.558 Neil

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK.

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6.403 - 20.149 Unknown

If there was a big red button that would just demolish the internet, I would smash that button with my forehead. From the BBC this is The Interface, the show that explores how tech is rewiring your week and your world.

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20.23 - 23.017 Becca

This isn't about quarterly earnings or about tech reviews.

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23.438 - 53.022 Unknown

It's about what technology is actually doing to your work, your politics, your everyday life, and all the bizarre ways people are using the internet. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. Motivation included.

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55.432 - 83.025 Becca

Search Learning English Conversations in your podcast app to find the latest episodes.

84.524 - 89.109 Unknown

Hello.

91.913 - 95.677 Neil

This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil.

95.937 - 98.7 Becca

And I'm Becca. Do you enjoy cooking, Neil?

99.041 - 105.048 Neil

Yes, I do enjoy cooking. I think it's quite relaxing, especially after a busy day.

Chapter 2: What qualities are essential for becoming a top chef?

105.508 - 106.389 Neil

How about you, Becca?

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106.97 - 114.058 Becca

I enjoy cooking when I'm feeding other people. But usually after a busy day at work, I don't enjoy cooking for myself.

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114.292 - 124.326 Neil

Well, we're talking about cooking today, and most of us can at least boil an egg, but not everyone can make it as a professional chef in a world-famous restaurant.

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125.528 - 137.785 Becca

Being a top chef requires passion, dedication and hard work. Many chefs work 15 hours a day, six days a week, and busy kitchens cooking expensive food are very stressful places to work.

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137.798 - 160.87 Neil

So, why do they do it? In this episode, we'll hear from one South African chef who started her own award-winning restaurant in the country known as the home of fine dining, France. As usual, we'll be learning some useful new words and phrases. And remember, you'll find all this episode's vocabulary, along with the transcript, on our website, bbclearningenglish.com.

161.018 - 183.786 Becca

But first, I have a question for you now. The top prize for any professional chef are Michelin stars, awards given to restaurants offering outstanding cooking. But who is the winner of the most Michelin stars ever? Is it...

184.357 - 192.289 Neil

I'm going to say A, the Italian chef Enrico Bartolini, because I went to Italy recently and the food was amazing.

Chapter 3: Who is Chef Chantal D'Artnol and what is her culinary journey?

192.429 - 213.621 Becca

OK, we'll find out the answer later in this episode. Born in South Africa, chef Chantal D'Artnol started her culinary career at a three Michelin star restaurant in the exclusive Mayfair area of London. Here, she tells Ruth Alexander, presenter of BBC World Service programme The Food Chain, how it all got started.

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213.601 - 236.651 Chantal D'Artnol

What happened is I had graduated from the Pruleith College of Food and Wine and decided to send my CV to all the three Michelin star restaurants that I could find at that moment in the Michelin Guide. So you aimed high from the off? I aimed high. The only thing that they could say was no. And what would I lose? I received a call from Chef Paul Rhodes to say, when can you start? Wow.

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237.172 - 239.835 Chantal D'Artnol

And this sort of just catapulted my career.

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240.256 - 255.733 Becca

Chantal sent her CV to the world's top restaurants. CV is short for curriculum vitae, a document listing someone's education, qualifications and work experience, which they write when looking for a job. In American English, it's called a resume.

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256.114 - 259.638 Neil

Chantal applied to only Michelin-starred winning restaurants.

Chapter 4: What challenges do chefs face in high-pressure kitchen environments?

260.118 - 272.852 Neil

She aimed high, meaning she was ambitious. Chantal says the worst they could do is say no, a phrase which means you shouldn't be afraid of trying to do something because the worst outcome is being rejected.

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273.153 - 281.782 Becca

Luckily for Chantal, the answer was yes, and learning her trade in a top London restaurant catapulted, meaning accelerated, her career.

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282.362 - 302.502 Neil

At the age of 26, Chantal left London and returned home to open her own restaurant, Mosaic, near Pretoria in South Africa. She'd been inspired by botanical cuisine, the use of edible flowers and herbs to decorate and flavour food. Here, Chantal tells more to BBC World Service programme, The Food Chain.

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302.752 - 320.696 Chantal D'Artnol

When I opened Mosaic in South Africa, I knew I wanted something entirely different and something which diners had not seen. I wanted to have my own signature and to stand out. And I think especially for botanical cuisine in South Africa, it was very much unknown.

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321.317 - 338.236 Neil

Chantal developed her own signature. A signature item is something that is typical of or strongly associated with a particular person or place. For example, whisky is Scotland's signature drink. Chantal's signature is cooking botanical food.

338.917 - 353.091 Becca

Chantal's Mosaic restaurant is currently at the Chateau de Tenier in northern France, where it's listed among the top 200 restaurants in the world. And in 2017, she won the title Best Female Chef in the World.

Chapter 5: How did Chantal develop her unique cooking style?

353.691 - 359.877 Becca

These achievements have helped Chantal stand out, to be more noticeable and better than other chefs.

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360.127 - 370.539 Neil

Chantal is still waiting, but surely it's only a matter of time until she wins those coveted Michelin stars. Speaking of which, what was the answer to your question, Becca?

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371.36 - 376.166 Becca

Ah yes, I asked you earlier who is the winner of the most Michelin stars ever?

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376.747 - 381.072 Neil

I said that it was the Italian chef Enrico Bartolini.

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381.237 - 383.781 Becca

but unfortunately it was incorrect.

384.582 - 385.122 Neil

Oh, no.

385.142 - 410.097 Becca

The right answer is B, Joël Rubichon, our French chef with 31 stars, the most decorated chef in history. OK, let's recap the vocabulary we've learnt, starting with curriculum vitae, CV or resume in American English, a document outlining someone's education, qualifications and work experience, which they prepare when looking for a job.

410.583 - 414.108 Neil

To aim high means to be ambitious and set high goals.

414.769 - 421.479 Becca

The phrase the worst they can do is say no means don't be afraid of trying to do something for the fear of rejection.

Chapter 6: What is the significance of Michelin stars for chefs?

439.273 - 450.186 Neil

If you enjoyed this episode, you'll find a quiz and worksheet to practise the vocabulary we've learnt on our website, bbclearningenglish.com. See you again soon, but for now, it's goodbye.

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450.507 - 486.81 Unknown

Goodbye. Hyvää päivää. Päivää. Hei, skannattaa skannata. Skannaamalla Lidl Plus sovelluksen saatte lunastettua meidän mainiot kuponkiedut. Eikä. No sehän on skannattava, mutta sanoppas, että skannattaako kouluttaa itselleen tarjoushaukka? Siis, mitä? Hä? Skannattaa skannata. Metsästä itsellesi mainiot kuponkiedut skannaamalla Lidl Plus sovelluskassalla. Tarjoushaukoille ja muille.

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