SC - Open/Closed Kitchens

[Adler, Chris]

>Frankly, as a volunteer thinking about helping in the kitchen, some
of these opinions on closing the kitchen to outsiders or at least
the impression it gives, would make me hesitant to volunteer.
- - -- 
>Lord Stefan li Rous

I have to agree with Stefan. When I go to events out of my area, I almost
always stop by the kitchen and offer to chop veggies, wash dishes, or help
with the cooking or serving, and I've made some lovely new friends that way.
Sadly, the presence of a guard or a head cook fingering a blade *definitely*
turns me off from ever wanting to be helpful to that cook. Yes, it's
happened to me a few times. 

When I cook a feast, I like to have a relaxed and friendly kitchen that
*encourages* gentles to stop by, help out, and learn. I bring a boombox and
Medieval CDs, and I have a schedule posted on the wall. If people poke their
heads in, I greet them and ask them to reprieve the gentle washing dishes.
If there's no dishes that need washing, I direct them to look at the
schedule and choose what they'd feel comfortable doing. If I need someone to
do something NOW, I ask them to do that, or I walk out into the hall and
warble for some new helpers. 

Generally, my kitchens only get psychotically busy right before serving
feast, so that's when I politely but hurriedly tell people poking their
heads into the kitchen that I can't deal with them right at this moment.
Otherwise, since I do so much organizing and pre-preparing before my meals,
and because I've always been blessed with a wonderful staff, I can't recall
ever being too busy to stop and thank the newbie who timidly offers to wash
dishes or to hug an old friend who stops by the kitchen or to tell the baron
that yes, I did make coffee for his caffeine addiction and it's right over
there on that counter...and by the way, here's a knife, how would you like
to chop some carrots? :) 

Maybe it's just because, although I love researching Medieval food and
redacting new recipes, a lot of the fun of feastocratting *for me* is the
part where I get to work with other people? I've always learned something
new from someone I've working with at each feast, and I generally get to
teach someone else something new to them. When that happens, in addition to
stuffing people senseless at dinner and being under budget, I feel satisfied
that I've done a good job. 

I personally prefer "open" kitchens, and I think it encourages learning -
and volunteering - much more easily than "closed" ones do.

Katja