Just wondering if there is an advantage to getting your chief going right away? I usually wait until I have 10-12 or more adults working before I try to find the chief. Having the magic food is great, but I usually don't run out because I double or triple up the kids on mushrooms. Does "directing work" make up for the tech points and the construction that the adult would be doing if he/she wasn't the chief? It feels like they're just standing there doing nothing.

The only time I get the chief early is if it happens to be one of the kids or the baby from the original 8 villagers, because they can then get firewood, direct work, make the magic food and still grab collectibles & mushrooms.