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BMC: What are some things that you like about working in the kitchen? Is there anything you dislike?
Cierra: I love making different recipes and getting the ingredients ready. There’s nothing I dislike about the culinary unit.
Cusa: I feel that there are two aspects of working in the kitchen that come to mind as my favorite parts. First, I find that cooking is a great way to connect with folks both in and out of the kitchen. Cooking together and feeding each other has been part of nearly every culture around the world since prehistoric times. Our species has survived by preparing food together for so long, and I find there’s something very rewarding in connecting to that tradition. It’s easy to have interesting and meaningful conversation or connection in the slow times of cooking, and it’s easy to get wrapped up together in the thrills of rushed times of cooking. And when the work’s all done, the connection doesn’t stop since you then get to share the food with others and see what they think, find ways it can be improved, and brainstorm which recipes to do next.
Second, I love personally how engaging cooking is for the body and the mind. I find the hustle and bustle of the kitchen to be a fun mental challenge. How do we make substitutions, how do we make sure everything has enough time in the oven, how do we split up the work to get everything chopped? I find at the end of cooking I am tired, but in a good way. I am able to look at the team's project and say, “yeah, we made that” after all that hard work.
As for what I dislike? Grilling!! I don’t like open flames ahahaha because I was in a small fire when I was younger. And you can’t just put a lid on a grill and cut off the oxygen like you can with a pan. But it’s got to get done! I’m just a scaredy cat about it.
BMC: What are your favorite meals to cook?
Cierra: I love making Tacos, Salmon, and different pasta.
Cusa: I love Pizza Fridays I have to say. I find it fun to see what toppings the crew comes up with each week, and lots of people are usually part of the team those days. I feel the same way about guest chef days- people always bring the best vibes on guest chef days!
BMC: How can someone get involved in the culinary unit if they don't have any cooking experience?
Cierra: Someone getting involved for the first time can learn hands on from a chef, follow a recipe, and asking questions.
Cusa: Only one way to get good! Doing it! There are plenty of tricks to learn from folks in the culinary team, I know I personally have learned a ton. Every single person who helps in the kitchen makes the load lighter, no matter someone’s experience.
BMC: What kitchen safety practices are important for Clubhouse colleagues to know?
Cierra: They should know to handle sharp knives carefully, wash your hands, disinfect certain cooking areas, and to make sure to ask for help.
Cusa: Being sanitary and being safe! Those matter most. The food doesn’t have to taste perfect, or look perfect, or come out perfectly on time, but it does have to be safe to eat, and folks have to be safe making it.
Being sanitary involves washing hands with soap and water in one of the kitchen handwashing sinks (least possible chance for exposure to germs afterwards) and wearing gloves, a hair net, and apron. It also involves cooking food all the way through- and our thermometer has all the temperatures to cook to, and I am happy to show how it works. And it involves making sure raw meats or common allergens don’t touch other foods.
As for safety, always assume the knife will slip! If you always cut away from yourself and make sure that if the knife slips your fingers won’t be in the way, you’ll be just fine when it does eventually. No need to try and cut fast; speed comes with practice more than anything. For working on the stove, just always keep an eye on it, and if you have to step away, feel free to ask someone else to watch it for you.
Even though it seems like a lot, it’s much easier to remember once you start doing it.
BMC: What is the most challenging meal you have cooked at the Clubhouse?
Cierra: I would say the most challenging was making fish tacos and certain desserts.
Cusa: Oh that is definitely the sweet potato gnocchi! It took us so long ahahha! But honestly it was equally delicious- I’ve tried to recreate it at home, but it’s never been the same.
BMC: Is there any special equipment that you think would help improve the kitchen experience at B'More?
Cierra: I think adding more measuring spoons and blenders would be helpful.
Cusa: There are so many fun and wacky kitchen gadgets, but I think an air fryer would be the most intriguing. I know they are supposed to be able to make fried foods more healthy, and are quite low maintenance, but I’m not sure if they make larger ones that would accommodate how many folks we cook for.
BMC: Do you have any goals for the culinary unit for 2024?
Cierra: Just to make more delicious meals for the members.
Cusa: I really want to find a way to make the kitchen more accessible for folks who need to sit while cooking. Right now, folks have been able to cook at tables that we just sanitize down, but to me it still feels far away and limiting.
BMC: What about all this talk about chickens??
Cierra: I hope we do have chickens soon, it would be so nice to bond with these animals.
Cusa: Ever since learning that some clubhouses have chickens, I’ve always thought it would be amazing to have chickens here. Partially because fresh eggs are unbeatable and I feel like caring for chickens would be meaningful work. Partially because I am obsessed with chickens. A couple of folks and I have looked into how we could keep them here. Our next step is visiting a chicken coop at a community garden and try to get a sense of what work it would entail in person.
BMC: Anything else that you would like to share with our readers?
Cierra: The culinary unit is a very good environment to work in and we make meals to our best knowledge. The staff is very friendly and helpful to the members there.
Cusa: If you are interested in the culinary unit but are feeling unsure of how to enter, you can always be a guest chef for a day, or join for cooking for a social event. Afternoon cooking is usually more slow paced and less crowded, if that is something that is a barrier for folks. And if neither of those sounds appealing but you still want to be involved in what the culinary team makes, there is the recipe box on the bar that you can drop off any ideas and recipes in, and well will try to make them the following month.
Good: By Flame
