Posted Wednesday October 12
I was King of my Kitchen!
My empire, my territory, my domain.
In my pristine whites, I was master and mentor.
Tradesmen came and went. Butchers, greengrocers, fishmongers and poachers. I wheeled, dealed, passed cash over and under the counter!
My aides prepared, peeled, chopped and one washed pots.
It was my consulting room, advice centre, surgery. I witnessed teenage angst, advised on relationships, stuck blue plasters on bleeding cuts.
In my pristine whites, I was master and mentor.
Tradesmen came and went. Butchers, greengrocers, fishmongers and poachers. I wheeled, dealed, passed cash over and under the counter!
My aides prepared, peeled, chopped and one washed pots.
It was my consulting room, advice centre, surgery. I witnessed teenage angst, advised on relationships, stuck blue plasters on bleeding cuts.
It was my studio, workshop, my laboratory. I designed, experimented and created , surrounded by cookery books, hastily written recipes and copies of old menus.
My orders arrived on little pieces of paper, some scribbled, often illegible!
Do I miss it?
No way!
Thanks to Rochelle at Friday Fictioneers both for hosting and providing this week's picture prompt
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Dear Keith,
ReplyDeleteI was a cake decorator in a grocery store bakery for a number of years. Do I miss it? No way. Good one.
shalom,
Rochelle
To be honest Rochelle, I do miss it! Thanks for the prompt
DeleteWonderfully written! My brother used to be a chef and left that high stress job to work for our father years ago. What a shame after all that schooling, I always thought.
ReplyDeleteI went into cheffing quite late on. I only wish I had started earlier. Thanks Darla
DeleteI love this. Great pacing. It brings out the stress, and the last line comes as a relief.
ReplyDeleteHard work but oh so rewarding!
DeleteLovely story well written. Nicely paced too. Makes me envious of not having experienced that!
ReplyDeleteHave to say, it was more factioneer not fictioneer! I enjoyed it more than anything else I ever did. Thanks Graham
DeleteThere is a lot of truth in this "fiction". When we are younger we thrive on the challenge of being in charge. The older we get the happier we are to abandon all that responsibility and stress, and do something much more relaxing with our lives... like write! :-)
ReplyDeleteSince I gave up, my favourite pastime is ....cooking!
DeleteHi Keith - I can imagine it's hugely morale boosting for a while ... but equally I can understand it'd be a healer for one's self-esteem to get off the roller-coaster of cheffing day in day out ... but you'd have lots of stories to tell though ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteI certainly do Hilary. I wonder if I ever cooked for you!
DeleteYeh you totally emerge in your work passion and then you move on and don't look back. great piece of writing Nice to read your stories again :)
ReplyDeleteGreat to see you again Marja. You've nudged me to drop into your place again
DeleteI imagine I will say that once I retire. Great story!
ReplyDeleteRetirement 'aint all it's made out to be, believe me! Thanks Lore
DeleteHah. Good twist. I thought you'd say very much in the end.
ReplyDeleteNot entirely escaped - my nickname is still 'chef'! Cheers Lux G
DeleteI think after such creative boost you deserve some rest.. do you say the same half a year later?
ReplyDelete...miss it like crazy!
DeleteI love the use of the prompt! Very original.
ReplyDeleteThank you Dawn
DeleteI enjoy cooking but don't think it would be as enjoyable if I had to do it for a living.
ReplyDeleteNicely written ... I felt myself being drawn into the story.
Isadora 😎
It is a blessing to enjoy what you have to do. Well written.Sometimes we miss if the job was enjoyable.
ReplyDelete