Is It True That Chefs Spit In Your Food?

culinary careersMy friend Jenny teaches hearing-impaired kids. So this past Wednesday, I was invited to give a talk to the fifth graders at her public school for career day.

I had my talk all planned out – I’d cover the various jobs I’ve had in restaurants, in food styling, and in private chefing. I even made a big batch of whole-wheat chocolate chip cookies to pass out at the end of the talk.

As I stood before a silent circle of patiently waiting young men and ladies, I paused – taken off-guard because I was expecting a big group of wiggly kids who really wouldn’t be interested in what I had to say. After about the first five minutes of my general intro, I asked if there were any questions. Some kids could read lips and others intently watched the interpreter, but several hands shot up.

A young girl with pudgy cheeks sitting in the corner chair signed to me, “Is it true that chefs spit in your food when it’s in the kitchen?” All eyes turned to me. “Well, no, they only spit in it if they don’t like you – just kidding,” I added as giggles rippled through the room. Other questions included, “What time do you have to start work? Is it true that some people eat hearts and tongues? What happens if someone doesn’t like the food?” And lastly, “Are you good at making cookies?”

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