[Sca-cooks] Kitchen etiquette (was Re: Beverage experiments)

[Dragon]

jenne at fiedlerfamily.net wrote:

> >>It's really hard to ignore the people who invade your event kitchen and
> >>demand to know where the coffee is.
> >
> > If it makes you feel any better, it's a (variant of) a period
> > problem. Master Chiquart takes it for granted that at the enormous
> > feast he is describing there will be nobles who have brought their
> > own cooks, and will expect to be provided kitchen space so their
> > cooks can prepare favorite dishes for them.
>
>* grin *
>
>That's true.
>
>One of my best 'oh my god, this is what doing this job in period would be
>like' moments was when a Count of the East invaded the kitchen during
>Coronation feast, demanding that we put samples of each of the sauces for
>high table in his new three-part period sauce-serving container so that he
>might use it to wait upon the king.
>
>The rest of the kitchen staff were appalled and shocked; after he left, I
>sat down and the floor and howled with laughter at the utter periodness of
>it.
---------------- End original message. ---------------------

I usually have a server captain who handles this sort of thing. This 
is a person who coordinates all of the service issues and works with 
me to deal with whatever high table arrangements are to be made, etc. 
I also have a scullery captain to handle clean up.

Fortunately, I have never had to deal with the coffee thing and I 
hope I never will. The understanding I have with the event steward is 
that the kitchen is solely my domain and in it, my word is law. There 
are food sanitation issues and safety issues with knives, fire and 
large quantities of hot food to allow just anyone to roam in as they 
please. I simply will not do an event if that is not agreed upon. I 
also will not start work in the kitchen without everyone on staff 
getting a safety briefing.

Anyone invading my kitchen without my permission gets told (politely 
of course) to either put on an apron and get to work or to please 
depart so we can get the work done. I'm just waiting for the 
opportunity to do this with a royal at some point... I can't wait to 
say something like "Your Majesty, I think you should don the blue 
apron, yes, that will go with your regalia, and can go help cut up 
the onions..." So far, none of the royals I have yet had contact with 
have been inclined to stick their noses into the kitchen.

Dragon

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  Venimus, Saltavimus, Bibimus (et naribus canium capti sumus)
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