Identified competencies of Research Chefs

Abstract

This dissertation was conducted to identify the basic competencies of Research Chefs. A modified, three round (pilot round plus two rounds) Delphi procedure was employed. The Research Chefs Association nominated chefs who participated throughout the study. In the pilot round, the chefs identified the knowledge, skills, and abilities that a successful Research Chef should have. In the other rounds, the chefs rated and analyzed the competencies identified in the pilot round. It was found that the title Research Chef is a generic name for actually two different groups of Research Chefs. These Research Chefs were identified as “Research Focused” and “Management Focused”. It was found that even though these chefs share some common skill and behavior competencies, they differ in many different competencies. Nineteen basic competencies were identified for “Research Focused Research Chefs,” and eight basic competencies were identified for “Management Focused Research Chefs.