Successful chefs and successful Producers have one thing in common.

In the old days, I’d say that they both wore big hats.

Nowadays, it’s as simple as this:

They both have to have great taste.

There are all different kinds of chefs in the world.  Some chefs cook to their own taste, ignoring those that they’re serving.  They may not be very “successful,” but they may be fulfilled nonetheless.

Some chefs cook only the way their diners enjoy, at times serving dishes that they wouldn’t eat themselves in order to guarantee their survival and their “success.”

As a Producer, you have to decide what type of chef you’re going to be.  Do you want to force-feed people a menu that suits only your own taste buds?  Do you want to serve the lowest-common denominator dishes, but serve a ton of it?

Or do you want to be one of the masters, who can find the balance between the two?

Do you want to be the kind that both satisfies and challenges both yours and your customers’ taste buds?

If you can pull that off, you can wear whatever kind of hat you want.