Most people have a romanticized idea of my work place. They envision me happily mixing doughs, lazily measuring out ingredients, casually enjoying an espresso with my most recent creation, fresh out of the oven, all within a cozy room that smells like sugar, spice, and, well, everything nice. It’s a nice picture, and perhaps represents 5% of my day to day reality. I’ve written plenty on some of the ubiquitous and unpleasant stenches that crop up in every kitchen, but the other morning I was reminded, once again, of an unfortunate circumstance that often befalls the pastry chef. In at least three of the high-end restaurants in which I’ve worked, the pastry area is inconveniently located too close to the employee bathroom.
Restaurant employees are a “family,” and these families are comfortable enough to, shall we say, do their business together. When you work upwards of 12 hours a day, and drink plenty of diuretic coffee to boot, well, let’s just say that when you gotta go, you gotta go (and the early hours leading up to a brunch service worsen this scenario exponentially), and where you go is often a short breeze from the pastry area.
And so, while there often is cake in the oven, its delicious and tempting smell too often collides with the stink of the freshly made poo coming from the nearby employee bathroom. The only thing worse is the odor derived from futile attempts to hide the smell by spraying disinfectant or deodorizer. Few things make me gag more than minted-poo or worst of all, rose-poo. I’ve never liked that perfume-y “old lady” rose smell and I sure as heck don’t want to smell her poo.
May 6th, 2009
8:42 pm
I know that sweet smell of cake in the oven although not at work. But the tell~tale smell of the business being moved in nursing care, is always there for me.
An odor no one should have to endure~~ especially in the kitchen ! haha
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