> I lose all of the fun in learning to be chef.

A great steak deserves the respect of preparing it the best, most consistent way you can. For me, that's a reverse sear.

Do something complicated with potatoes to stretch your skills and show off. Worst comes to worst the potatoes are sad.

This is like saying that playing guitar while sitting in a chair is cheating, because a proper display of skill is playing while riding a unicycle.

It might be more impressive, but I don't see how reverse sear is cheating.

I agree, it's cheating.

My bad hot take is if you're using a meat thermometer and reverse sear to cook steak, you're like a kid on training wheels.