On Sous Chefs

A commercial kitchen is a tiny, sovereign nation. Each has it's own set of laws, observances, and customs that the poor citizens must obey or risk severe and cruel punishment. Nearly all of these little, over-heated, autonomous dominions are ruled by marginally psychotic, rageaholic head chefs. The rest of the kitchen hierarchy, from the ground up, goes something like this: kitchen hands, apprentices (though in many kitchens these two may be reversed), cooks, chef de parties, sous chef(s), head chef.

Less like a vice president than he is a partner in crime, a sous chef provides the important link between the kitchen staff and the head chef. He is responsible for quality control, ensuring the head chef's dishes are executed properly, ordering, rostering, sometimes menu planning, costing food, and doling out punishment.

The relationship between a head chef and his sous often reminds me of that between Capitan Ahab and his three mates Starbuck (first), Stubb (second), and Flask (Third). In particular I am thinking of their meal ritual. Ahab is seated and served first; only then can Starbuck seat himself. When Starbuck has received his meal, Stubb is allowed to sit and receive his. Finally, Flask is welcome to join. At the end of the meal, the men must finish and leave in the opposite order so that Flask has the shortest amount of time to eat, and, should Stubb finish early and stir, must abandon his meal altogether.

It is important that this tiny reminder of the power structure on the Pequod happens in the confines of the Capitan's cabin, as the crew should, and generally does, see a allied leadership.

So to in the kitchen. Regardless of whether or not the head chef burnt the pine nuts, or the sous chef did or did not remember to order a box of cucumbers, the pair present a united front in an effort to maintain order in their tumultuous little kingdoms.

Imagine then, how frustrating it is that my little sous chef's favorite word is “NO!”

He is, however, a lot of fun to work with.



Sous Chef Apron

You'll need one re-usable shopping bag.



Using the scissors, cut out one of the larger panels of the bag, cutting outside the seams, to form the apron. Cutting outside the seams ensures that the apron will not fray.



From the remainder of bag, cut the seam itself away from the rest of the fabric to make a long, u-shaped cord.



Cut the cord in half. Poke a small hole halfway up each side of the apron and tie a piece of cord into each.





Fin!