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+---- Thread: *Chapter 37: The Art of Kitchen Ballet (/showthread.php?tid=51617)
*Chapter 37: The Art of Kitchen Ballet - lock180 - 06-09-2024
Catch Up on Previous Chapters:
Start From the Beginning: Chapter 1
Most Recent Chapter: Chapter 36
The Book of Zen
Chapter 37: The Art of Kitchen Ballet
The one class that Zenzeroni had some success in and enjoyed was The Art of Kitchen Ballet. When he first learned about it, he thought it was the dumbest class that’s ever been taught, and having taken it for just over a week he still thought this. That being said, the head chef Mrs. Frenchesca Ndanavian was quite the amusing character. Her thick French accent made it amusing to listen to her as is, but her enthusiasm and ability to make the kitchen fun was where she really thrived.
Zenzeroni was not an agile person and constantly found himself banging into things around the kitchen but through her expertise, through one week Zenzeroni was already improving maneuvering the kitchen with grace and elegance.
*BANG*
Zenzeroni’s head hits one of the collinders hanging above his workstation. “FUCK!” Zenzeroni screams in pain.
“Ai! No swearing in my kitchen!” Chef Ndanavian says appearing out of thin air behind Zenzeroni to scold him.
“Sorry chef. Hey chef–” Zenzeroni turns around to face Chef Ndanavian to ask her a question but like the wind, she is gone once more.
“Damn, how does she do that?” Zenzeroni mutters to himself.
“Do what?” Chef Ndanavian shows up again directly behind Zenzeroni.
“FUCK!” Zenzeroni shouts in surprise.
“Ai! No swearing in my kitchen!”
“Sorry. I was just wondering how you sneak up on me like that?”
“I teach this class for a reason no? You lack kitchen awareness mon ami. If you were to turn to put a plate in the sink then BOOM you would have hit me. That is why I am the teacher and you are the student Oui?”
“I guess so.”
“I am teaching you bad habits as well. If you are walking behind someone you should say…?”
“Behind?”
Chef Ndanavian walks behind one of the students and at the top of her lungs “BEHIND!” The student jumps out of his skin and Chef Ndanavian walks back behind him “BEHIND!”
“You see?”
“I certainly see,” Zenzeroni says trying to stifle his laughter.
“The kitchen is just ballet. Every move must be made with precision. Every word spoken must have meaning. Every step taken must be calculated. THAT is the art of kitchen ballet” Chef Ndanavian announces to the entire class.
“Were you able to finish your assignment?” Linguine leans over his station whispering to Zenzeroni.
“No. I figured she would let it slide or let me turn it in late.”
“Okay, teacher’s pet. I see you” Linguine winks before continuing his work.
Chef Ndanavian once more appears above Zenzeroni’s shoulder “What are we whispering about?”
“Oh, um, we were just talking about how much we love this class,” Zenzeroni says putting on his best smile.
“Oui. And pigs fly. What were you really talking about?” Chef Ndanavian’s normal jovial demeanor drops for a split second before she realizes it and goes back to smiling.
“I didn’t do my assignment chef and I was wondering–”
“You were wondering if you could have an extension,” Chef Ndanavian says finishing his sentence “I knew the addition of sports would ruin this school. Athletes not caring about their education. What a disaster this school has turned into” Chef Ndanavians jovial demenor completely drops as she sulks over to her station and fiddles with her kitchen supplies.
“What did you do?!” Linguine whispers over to Zenzeroni.
“I didn’t do anything!”
“Clearly” Linguine gestures over to Chef Ndanavian who has her head in her hands.
“What am I supposed to do?!” Zenzeroni asks desperately.
“I don’t know!”
Zenzeroni walks away from his station and walks behind another station where a student turns to put a dish in the sink and is instead met with Zenzeroni who accidentally hits the plate out of the other student's hand as they turn sending the dish crashing to the floor.
Chef Ndanavian looks up from her hands to see the shards of glass on the floor and walks out the kitchen doors “I QUIT!” She yells throwing her apron to the floor and disappearing from sight.
“Yikes,” Linguine says putting his arm over Zenzeroni’s shoulder “On the bright side you don’t have to worry about that assignment anymore.”
Zenzeroni glares at his roommate and then chases after Chef Ndanavian. Running down the halls Zenzeroni looks down and around countless corners until he finally finds her leaning against a wall smoking a cigarette. As she sees Zenzeroni approach instead of looking angry she smiles.
“Well done mon ami. You win.”
“What?” Zenzeroni asks confused.
“NEVER give up on your fellow chefs. No matter their rank in the kitchen we are all humans at the end of the day. Emotions run high and one of the most important parts of the kitchen is keeping your emotions in check. And if someone isn’t able to keep their emotions in check it is your job to center them again. I just realized I should be telling this to the whole class and not just you but since you were the only one to go after me I will allow you to turn in the assignment late but I still want that assignment!”
“Yes chef. This was quite the lesson I have to say” Zenzeroni says wiping the sweat from his brow.
Back in the classroom Chef Ndanvian reiterates what she said to Zenzeroni and then dismisses the class.
As Linguine and Zenzeroni walk through the halls of the now crowded Spaghetti School Zenzeroni feels as if a sixth sense has been formed being able to tell the direction someone is about to go and what they are about to do. Zenzeroni looks around in bewilderment feeling this new sense of strength until he gets flattened as he runs straight into a wall.
“What the fuck are you doing. Are you fucking blind?!” The wall was in fact not a wall but the towering giant of a man that picks Zenzeroni up by the collar and stares him in his eyes.
“Uh sorry I was uh daydreaming. I uh didn’t mean it.”
“Didn’t mean it yeah right. What’s stopping me from punching you in the face right now?!”
“Are you on the football team?” Zenzeroni squeaks out.
“Of course I’m on the fucking football team LOOK AT ME!”
“Well uh, I’m uh, I’m on the team as well.”
The giant of a man laughs “You, on the football team. Yeah okay, and I can’t lift you up and throw you across the room.”
“I’m serious!” Zenzeroni squeals.
“He is. He’s the kicker.” Linguine steps up in Zenzeroni’s defense.
“Zeus come on that’s enough. Let’s get to class” Another student shouts down the hall.
“You’re lucky Cupcake Decorating is more important to me than beating you up.” The giant sets Zenzeroni down and lumbers off.
“Nice way of meeting your teammates” Linguine jokes.
“Yeah…” Zenzeroni says watching the giant walk away.
RE: Chapter 37: The Art of Kitchen Ballet - TubaDeus - 06-09-2024
Well shit, I didn't expect actual good life advice in this. Well done.