Originally Posted by
Non-NonRev
My late father was a chef - one of his fondest memories was when an entertainer (whose name escapes me right now) came in to his restaurant, famished after a performance. The entertainer so enjoyed the meal that he came back into the kitchen and gave my father a $50 bill, saying that it was the most perfectly-cooked steak he had ever eaten (in the 1960s, $50 was a considerable amount).
Can't say that I've ever done that for a steak, but when I go for sushi I always tip the sushi chef if I've received good work. Just last week at JFK T5, I was at Deep Blue and had some exquisite fish while waiting for my delayed B6 flight. The sushi chef was an older ascetic-looking gentleman, whose economy of action and professionalism were very impressive. (For example, he took great care with his knives, sharpening them on a whetstone between operations to where they must have been as sharp as scalpels.) I gave him the same tip as I did the server (18%) with heartfelt thanks.