informed me that won’t be happening. They basically just used me to keep the Mayor happy and make the firm look good.”
Ali frowned. She could never understand how he could work in corporate law. Everyone knew it was unfulfilling money trap. “So put out some feelers. With your recent success, I’m sure you’ll have your pick of jobs.”
Ben brightened. “I’m so glad I came over here. I feel so much better. Of course, I’d love to go out to San Francisco, but it’s not like it’s my dream. I like it right here.”
Ali felt a little envious. It was her dream. Why couldn’t someone call and offer her an amazing job in California? She remembered that she had been offered an amazing job right here in her home city. She was immediately grateful and felt bad for being jealous. She smiled at him. “So, now that that’s settled, how about some dinner? I’ve been craving Chinese all day.”
***
Ali’s first day at the Golden Palm was a huge disappointment. She had assumed she’d be learning to bake luscious pastries and getting in on trade secrets from their famous chef.
Instead she spent the day working as a prep cook grating cheese for Gruyere biscuits, chopping nuts for pralines and mixing spices. The day started early, before she normally got up. It was tiring work and although she wasn’t doing anything inspiring, she enjoyed just being in the kitchen.
“Is this right?” she asked one of the other prep cooks and got a grunt. “Go ask Marcella,” he said pointing across the kitchen.
Ali looked over to see Marcella, a large woman with skin the color of maple syrup. She wore the largest white chef’s jacket Ali had ever seen and remained seated at all times. Ali carried her bowl of chopped nuts over for inspection.
“Are these the right size?” she asked.
Marcella looked at the nuts. “Did you do these by hand?”
“Yes.”
Marcella looked at Ali as if to say “are you an idiot?” “Why didn’t you use the processor?” She pointed over to a corner and a huge food processor.
“No one told me…” Ali felt stupid. Of course! A food processor. She always chopped her nuts by hand when baking at home but certainly a restaurant uses equipment. She had a lot to learn.
“Humph!” grunted Marcella loudly. “Well, ask next time.” She went back to marking things off on her clipboard.
Ali stood there. Should she do a whole new batch? Run these through the processor? “Uh,” she hesitated, but had to ask. “What should I do with these?”
“Who’s training you?” asked Marcella abruptly. She was obviously not happy to be interrupted with this newbie’s questions.
“Uh, John was showing me around and then I haven’t seen him in a while. He told me to chop the nuts, so I did.”
“John.” Marcella rolled her eyes. “OK, come with me,” she lifted her huge body off the chair while holding the table and walked to the processor. She walked like a penguin with a side-to-side gait.
“This here’s your nut chopper, put those in here and press number three on the keypad. It’ll give you a nice, fine chop. When you’re done, let me know.”
She walked off. “John! John!” She shouted walking to the side door of the kitchen where Ali saw John put out his cigarette and run inside.
“John, you know better than to leave a trainee alone,” said Marcella in a loud voice the whole kitchen could here.
John nodded and ran over to Ali. “Hey, so how’s it going?” he asked.
Ali explained the past few minute’s events and the rest of the day John was never more than arm’s length away.
After her shift, she was exhausted. As she gathered her things to leave, a woman about her age opened the locker next to hers. “Hi,” she said. “I’m April. You new in the pastry kitchen?”
“Yeah. Today’s my first day,” she said looking at the women with strawberry
Ali frowned. She could never understand how he could work in corporate law. Everyone knew it was unfulfilling money trap. “So put out some feelers. With your recent success, I’m sure you’ll have your pick of jobs.”
Ben brightened. “I’m so glad I came over here. I feel so much better. Of course, I’d love to go out to San Francisco, but it’s not like it’s my dream. I like it right here.”
Ali felt a little envious. It was her dream. Why couldn’t someone call and offer her an amazing job in California? She remembered that she had been offered an amazing job right here in her home city. She was immediately grateful and felt bad for being jealous. She smiled at him. “So, now that that’s settled, how about some dinner? I’ve been craving Chinese all day.”
***
Ali’s first day at the Golden Palm was a huge disappointment. She had assumed she’d be learning to bake luscious pastries and getting in on trade secrets from their famous chef.
Instead she spent the day working as a prep cook grating cheese for Gruyere biscuits, chopping nuts for pralines and mixing spices. The day started early, before she normally got up. It was tiring work and although she wasn’t doing anything inspiring, she enjoyed just being in the kitchen.
“Is this right?” she asked one of the other prep cooks and got a grunt. “Go ask Marcella,” he said pointing across the kitchen.
Ali looked over to see Marcella, a large woman with skin the color of maple syrup. She wore the largest white chef’s jacket Ali had ever seen and remained seated at all times. Ali carried her bowl of chopped nuts over for inspection.
“Are these the right size?” she asked.
Marcella looked at the nuts. “Did you do these by hand?”
“Yes.”
Marcella looked at Ali as if to say “are you an idiot?” “Why didn’t you use the processor?” She pointed over to a corner and a huge food processor.
“No one told me…” Ali felt stupid. Of course! A food processor. She always chopped her nuts by hand when baking at home but certainly a restaurant uses equipment. She had a lot to learn.
“Humph!” grunted Marcella loudly. “Well, ask next time.” She went back to marking things off on her clipboard.
Ali stood there. Should she do a whole new batch? Run these through the processor? “Uh,” she hesitated, but had to ask. “What should I do with these?”
“Who’s training you?” asked Marcella abruptly. She was obviously not happy to be interrupted with this newbie’s questions.
“Uh, John was showing me around and then I haven’t seen him in a while. He told me to chop the nuts, so I did.”
“John.” Marcella rolled her eyes. “OK, come with me,” she lifted her huge body off the chair while holding the table and walked to the processor. She walked like a penguin with a side-to-side gait.
“This here’s your nut chopper, put those in here and press number three on the keypad. It’ll give you a nice, fine chop. When you’re done, let me know.”
She walked off. “John! John!” She shouted walking to the side door of the kitchen where Ali saw John put out his cigarette and run inside.
“John, you know better than to leave a trainee alone,” said Marcella in a loud voice the whole kitchen could here.
John nodded and ran over to Ali. “Hey, so how’s it going?” he asked.
Ali explained the past few minute’s events and the rest of the day John was never more than arm’s length away.
After her shift, she was exhausted. As she gathered her things to leave, a woman about her age opened the locker next to hers. “Hi,” she said. “I’m April. You new in the pastry kitchen?”
“Yeah. Today’s my first day,” she said looking at the women with strawberry
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