SV: SC - Re: Open/Closed Kitchens-Rewards

[Anna Jartin]

Here I think it's more a case of closed kitchens, until it's time to clean
up.  I love helping in the kitchen since I don't get to be Feast Steward
that often, however, every time I offer to help I find it's closed kitchen,
only those who are 'invited' allowed in until it's time to clean up.  I
personally prefer an open kitchen, when it isn't necessarily a 'select'
group.  I like to share the joys of cooking with people who are willing,
and not necessarily those who I prefer to cook with.  I tend to convert
more people to cooking that way.  I usually find the time to tell someone
the origions of what ever dish this is, or why I put this amount of spice
in that dish as long as the person asking doesn't prevent me from doing
what I'm supposed to be doing and isn't hindering the process of preparing
the food too much.  A new convert to cooking is nearly as beautiful as
watching a feast hall full of people eating the food with some signs of
enjoyment.
To me there is no worse feeling in the world than being turned away
repeatedly when you only want to help.  I find that is discourages people
from cooking.  I've heard people say something along the lines of "Why
should I bother running a feast, I can't get any experience in helping so I
wouldn't know where to start?" or "I never get a chance to find out if I
like cooking because I'm not allowed in the kitchen."  They tend to feel
the rejection a little more personally like they are not welcome to cook
with that group, or that they are considered bad cooks in general. This is
were I feel closed kitchens, while being warm, and comfy for those select
few, injure the feeling toward the kitchen in general, and I cannot see
this as a good thing, no matter which way I look at it.  It makes me a
little angry when I think of all the times a potentially good Feast Steward
is turned away, and never picks up the courage enough to cook for an event.
Because of the closed kitchen syndrome, my first event ended up an absolute
horror.  I didn't have the experience I needed, or the resources.  I didn't
know who to go to because I never got to go into the kitchen and help out
and see who was there and who knew a thing or two.  To this day I'm still
haunted by it.  People refused to come to my events and still talk about it
behind my back.  I consider myself a good cook, but I feel sad that I will
probably never be able to show anyone what I can do now as opposed to what
I did when I didn't know what was up in regards to playing Feast Steward.

Sorry about that.  The subject of open vs closed kitchens tends to open a
bit of an old wound.  Thanks for listening to a semi-frusterated rant.
- -Katerine