Secret Testing

In fact it seemed the kitchen was suddenly like a surgery, where something would be used once, handled once, and then immediately discarded, to be washed straight away (by a very ‘put in his place’ dishwasher, namely me), and demanded back, as the item would be essential to completing what ever dish the Chef decided he was engaged in. And he was watching me the whole time. If I even so much as slowed to wipe my brow, the glare would be felt, boring into the back of my head. I was half awaiting the arrival of a thrown knife from the chef (hoping it would hit into the wall, not my head). The pressure was on. Everyone was a little more intense that evening. Everyone was a lot more focused (The Executive Chef particularly, on me).  I was working phenomenally hard. Not just getting through the dishes, pans, utensils, glasses and bowls. He had me jumping through hoops, not just forward, but backwards and probably on fire (if he could have). Like I said. There are things you learn as you work (particularly in kitchens). One of them has to be who not to annoy.
 
Suddenly there was extra preparation to be done. Unusually that particular evening, The Chef decided not everything was already prepared, as it normally would have been. Suddenly the chef decided he wanted preparation for an additional dish. Omelettes. He yelled at me to get four dozen eggs prepared for the base in the next ten minutes. I washed my hands and quickly went to the cool store. I collected the eggs and returned to the preparation bench. The eyes of all the chefs flicked back to me constantly. Bench wiped down, Clean bowl from the stack, eggs on the left. As I reached for the first egg, I felt the focus from the Chef was suddenly doubled upon me. I certainly could not risk looking directly at him, to confirm this. Not without receiving further wrath, if not the potential for my marching orders from the kitchen (It really was that tense). 

I had paused, then realised what he was looking for. I crossed over to the shelf and picked up a glass bowl. Putting it on the bench between the eggs and the bowl, I then reached for the first egg again and broke it into the bowl, sniffed the contents to ensure it was not ‘off’ and tipped it into the main bowl. As I repeated the procedure I felt a slight relaxation of the tension. The Executive Chef then declared to the Sous-Chef, ‘It appears that one can learn to cook in this kitchen after all. Eh, Richard” Richard was smiling when he replied, “Yes, Chef. This kitchen and a good book. Lesson learnt I believe” (see blog Saturday 11^th 2012). I breathed a quiet sigh of relief, as I continued with the procedure. Pleased to have passed the test, which I had not been aware I was even taking part in. Lesson definitely learnt.
(Continued Tomorrow)