[Sca-cooks] Cooking Guild ranking system?

[Elaine Koogler]

Essentially, it worked in a similar fashion.  Most folks came into the Guild
as Apprentices.  As sort of an initiation, we had them swear on an onion
that they would support the efforts of the Guild, learn what we had to offer
and share what they gleaned from other sources.  To move from Apprentice to
Journeyman, they were given the responsibility for planning and executing a
single course at a feast.  This would be done under the guidance of a
Master.  To move from Journeyman to Master, the person would be required to
plan and execute an entire period feast.  They were also required, IIRC, to
redact at least a few of their own recipes.  The resulting feast would be
judged by 3 Master Cooks.

It's been a long time, but I think that's how it worked.  Now understand:
this was a local guild.  I guess you could possibly do something similar on
a Kingdom level, but you'd have to make sure that there was a Master
available to work with the apprentices and journeymen.

Hope this helps....

Kiri
----- Original Message -----
> Kiri, can you describe what sorts of things one needed to do for each
level?
>
> We have a Needleworkers Guild in our Kingdom with a similar system of
> ranks. The ranks don't exist so folks who are higher can lord/lady it
> over those below, they're just one way of encouraging people to
> explore a range of different techniques (one does two different
> techniques for each level), and people at higher levels mentor those
> at lower levels.
>
> With embroidery, people often get in ruts, doing the same stitch or
> narrow range of stitches and/or style over and over. The Guild
> provides a support system for people who want to learn historic
> stitchery and expand their knowledge of historic techniques. And some
> folks do period style stuff in non-period techniques - and while that
> won't get them through the "ranks", we encourage them in their
> efforts.
>
> For some reason the West doesn't have big participation in the
> various arts and sciences, including cooking, at Kingdom events (let
> me reiterate again what i've already said before - our events are
> mostly camping events). I mean, we have all sorts of knowledgeable
> folks, people doing research and making stuff, people teaching,
> people getting laureled for their excellent work, but sometimes the
> A&S Ministers have to cancel competitions because there aren't 3
> entries, the minimum required for a contest.
>
> Anahita
> who in almost 3 years in the SCA has only entered one A&S competition
> (with a Persian style illumination) and not yet a cooking
> competition, although maybe i'll cook something today for our
> Principality Silver Spoon competition tomorrow (the dish has to be a
> Soup), but i'm also making something for the Iron-Chef cook-off, so
> maybe i won't...
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