Once chefs have shown they meet pre-requisite requirements set by ChefsBest, they begin their training with rigorous palate acuity testing. They are initially screened for their ability to reliably discriminate between different samples. Chefs must be able to tell the difference between simply prepared samples, such as two waters, one of which is sweetened slightly more than the other, and more complex samples, such as two tomato sauces with different amounts of salt. As training progresses, chefs are presented with samples that have smaller and smaller differences.
The next step is ensuring that chefs can clearly describe foods they sample. They must be able to share their perceptions of foods tasted, and hear and consider descriptions offered by other panelists. To accurately relate to shared experiences with foods, beverages and culinary products, they must use a common language as their fellow judges. In this phase of training, chefs are assessed on their ability to make the acuity of their palates clear and accessible to others.