SC - Fw: [Mid] PALE event terminology

[LrdRas]

In a message dated 1/14/98 5:49:23 AM Eastern Standard Time,
phlip at morganco.net writes:

<< I must object to the use of the term Feast Steward.  I am not one of
 : > those.  A steward is a person who merely oversees the serving of food -
 : > not the preparation. In addition, I am not a Head Cook - this term does
 : > not take into account the huge amount of work and research necessary in
 : > what I and others do. I do not just cook a feast or serve one.  I
 : > research for months and translate original recipes (where available)
 : > into English for use.  This is far more complicated that what you have
 : > gave us as titles. Quite bluntly, the terms you have listed not only
 : > inadvertently demean my art but also serves to denigrate my hard work. >>

We have hashed and rehashed the subject of what to call the "feast-o-crat"
before.  In fact, it has been discussed to death.  However, I agree 100
percent with poster's sentiments with regard to what the person in charge of
the should NOT be called.

In many peoples minds, even today, the cook is placed somewhere between the
janitor and the garbage man.  That is why I use and will continue to use the
term "feastocrat".  It sounds pretentious and unwieldy BUT until a term is
chosen that describes the functions of the person in charge of a feast with
the same flair and authority that other SCA terms reflect, such as autocrat,
knight's marshal, herald, Chronicler, Chancellor Minor or even, horror of
horrors, Troll, there is little choice but to use the more awkward term.

IMHO, the folks who come up with less flattering terms most likely view
cooking as ordering pizza or popping preprocessed garbage into the microwave.
Even the trade schools who profess to have culinary arts departments teach
little beyond the skills required to work in a commercial atmosphere.  PCT's
culinary arts program contains only 1 paragraph on cooking in the Middle Ages
and no references to Renaissance cookery which fact I find appalling since the
study material I looked at was for a course in garnishment.

All in all, when I do a feast, I am a feastocrat and any attempt to relegate
me to the function of Kitchen Steward will be met with vigorous resistance.
:-0

Ras
============================================================================

To be removed from the SCA-Cooks mailing list, please send a message to
Majordomo at Ansteorra.ORG with the message body of "unsubscribe SCA-Cooks".

============================================================================