It’s 9:30. I set the alarm on the back door and take one last look around a dark kitchen that just faintly glimmers with all the stainless I know is there. No worries. Come morning time she will hum again as MK starts the bread baking and prep for the sweets that adorn our ever changing menu. There will be no moss on the rolling stone that is The Winds.

Essential employees they called us. Granted we had the option to work or not. How could we not work. Kitchens are all we know. We cook for people. Sharing all the good things we come across is why we work tirelessly and tediously day in and day out. Lettuce is finally back. Asparagus season is here! 5 weeks. Thats it.

Unfortunately it seems not a single stalk will likely be served in the dining room. The same dining room that now has a fine layer of dust on it from being idle for so long. The last two butts to warm chairs there were an impromptu dinner for my daughters 2 days after everything came to a halt. They had quiche.
The thing that gnaws at me the most is how do we use this absurdly disruptive event to catapult us onto the way we want to live. I for one am quite enjoying the longer hours with my girls in the morning and better connections with my guests. It sucks not having access to all the usual products from my purveyors but we are cooking even more with what we get from farmers than before. The menus change every two or three days. It is really quite fun. I do miss putting food on plates. The togo boxes just dont complete the aesthetic.

Can we not shed the trappings we have shown we do not need. Everyone that wants to work should have the opportunity. I will never deny that to anyone. We could do with a few more ranchers and farmers in my opinion. I would love to have a good butcher around. Or a cheese monger.

Tipping should die with this pandemic. I hate the practice all together. Hospitality is a profession. Professionals shouldn’t have to work for tips. You may see a slight raise in menu prices. I would rather that than continue to have my guests feel obligated to give my staff monetary compensation after paying for my product. I hope we can find a way to make this reality.

3 guidelines:

Take care of each other
Aint nothin that damn serious
There is always time for a beer