The kitchen

Some of the people who work in the kitchen at the restaurant are:

• NOEL (pron. KNOW-EL): Head cook, Mexican. Doesn’t say much, Nice, when you get to know him. Age range – early / mid 40s.
• Anthony: (gets high a lot), left business, however may come back at some stage. American. Age range- mid to late 30s
• Elder: Dish washer, Mexican descent, lives in San Diego Quiet demeanor. Age range – twenty-something(ish).
• Primo: Dishwasher. Mexican. Speaks no English. Happy demeanor. Age Range – late 30s / early 40s.
• Mateo: Wasn’t there long enough to say anything.

I’ve noticed that Noel does not talk to Elder. Not a word. I wonder what that is about. I mentioned it to Andrea; she said that she didn’t know of any feud between them. I’ll keep my eye on this one.

At the end of the shift last night I made a pizza for the guys. I put the pizza out on the main counter so that any of the servers could take some. Noel came in and asked me where the pizza was. I told him and he told me to bring it back and put it in the back. Why? He told me that the servers could buy their own pizza. He was not giving them free food. That is only for the kitchen staff. This is because the servers don’t tip out the kitchen, but I’m not sure…yet.

Primo and I don’t say much to each other except for ‘move your arse’, ‘you have small testicles’ and ‘What’s up punk?’. These lines of communication gold came about one day when the kitchen was quiet. Noel turned to me and said ‘Alan, say this to Primo; Ce pasa, calabrassa?’ and it went from there!