Chef Fight Night

There is nothing I love as much as a good fight. - Franklin D Roosevelt

It started with some silly teasings and quickly evolved into a heated argument. Raised voices interrupted my thoughts as I snipped away at a pile of fried bacon streaks, another menial task to enjoy. Kitchen work is unbelievably labour-intensive. In a matter of seconds, I found myself in the line of fire between 2 young men with raging hormones. The last time I encountered fights was when my brother was a teenager some 30 years back! I grabbed my tray of streaky bacons and got myself out of harms way.

Don't want no flying daggers coming at me. Can you imagine the headline, 46-year-old intern dies on third day of work. Wah piang!

Lashing out in the corporate world is more... how shall I say... civilised? We scar people with hurtful words and hostile looks, we backstab and kiss ass when we should be kicking ass. I've never come close to seeing a physical scuffle in a boardroom so sadistic as it sounds, I was kinda enjoying this little drama in the kitchen today. This is the new world I've chosen to step into and it's an eye-opener to work alongside mainly men half my age. And they're not exactly your PhD holders.  (Yes, the commercial kitchen is male-dominated and there are pots too heavy for me and items too high to reach.) It amuses me to see tattooed men cutting chiffonades with such finesse.

There's clearly a conflict to be resolved and the sous chef will have to deal with this in preparation for an upcoming big event. Build the team. This on top of his 20 other worries and to-dos. As an intern, no one comes to you with any problems, only assistance. Everyone is more than ready to help a handicap. How liberating it is to be the most stupid person in the room. Maybe it's for the same reason I embarked on my virgin plank LOL.

And so ends another hard labour day for this career switcher walking home with a spring to my step and a song in my heart.