Perspective-Shifting Thanksgiving
Back in college, I ate at the cafeteria at the bottom of my dorm. One year, they served a huge Thanksgiving meal. It was incredible - turkey, squash, cranberries sauces, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pies, pecan pies... I often sat by myself, usually because I would eat and study at the same time. I noticed something unusual that day. The cooks, who were usually hidden a wall with a swing door to the serving area, were actually out in the student area, just sitting around and watching. So, I struck up a conversation with one of the cooks - a handsome black fellow in his 50s with one of those tall white chef hats on. I was quite bewildered to discover that the meal had taken 3 days to prepare!!! They'd all pulled over time to make it happen.
The cooks were out in the cafeteria watching the students enjoy their hard work. Many of the students still in the dorms couldn't afford to go home for Thanksgiving and were staying in the makeshift holiday dorm for the break. They'd worked overtime to make sure all the kids got a good Thanksgiving meal.
Totally and permanently changed my perspective. From then on, when I see a complicated meal put together, in a work cafeteria or anywhere, I don't just see the people eating in the dining area. I see that there's a door to a kitchen somewhere and I've since noticed that, especially for high-prep holiday or bistro meals, one can often see a cook or two loitering in the door from time to time watching people enjoy it.
I'm so grateful for all of the incredible food workers and chefs out there who feed the kitchen-challenged and too busy to cook good meals. Thank you! We would exist on mac&cheese and frozen dinners without you. Our lives are a better place for your culinary talents.
The cooks were out in the cafeteria watching the students enjoy their hard work. Many of the students still in the dorms couldn't afford to go home for Thanksgiving and were staying in the makeshift holiday dorm for the break. They'd worked overtime to make sure all the kids got a good Thanksgiving meal.
Totally and permanently changed my perspective. From then on, when I see a complicated meal put together, in a work cafeteria or anywhere, I don't just see the people eating in the dining area. I see that there's a door to a kitchen somewhere and I've since noticed that, especially for high-prep holiday or bistro meals, one can often see a cook or two loitering in the door from time to time watching people enjoy it.
I'm so grateful for all of the incredible food workers and chefs out there who feed the kitchen-challenged and too busy to cook good meals. Thank you! We would exist on mac&cheese and frozen dinners without you. Our lives are a better place for your culinary talents.