COOKING IN BULK & RUNNING A CREW
It’s interesting how life works out this way sometimes.
Time and time again in my life, it seems that I’ve had past experiences that come in very handy these days. One particular “recurring experience” comes from being in the foodservice industry. While I would have never thought about it back then, it is amazingly helpful in my life now. Here are the two main aspects that have been a blessing lately.
COOKING IN BULK



RUNNING A CREW
Both in the food-service industry and not, I've managed to work my way up to the point that I often had to supervise people. This would include scheduling, training, disciplining, and a lot of other tasks. To try to organize almost eighty people in a factory to get the job done safely and correctly or to take twenty people at a pizza restaurant and make sure that every order and delivery was completed accurately and in a time fashion can be daunting tasks. Then sometimes you wind up with crews of supposed "adults" who are basically whiny overgrown children throwing fits and hoping to spend their whole shift outside on a "cigarette break" texting their girlfriend and chain-smoking.
Needless to say to be growing my own "crew" of helpers is a lot better than dealing with some of the issues that arise when dealing with some of the "workers" that I've met over the years. The @little-peppers get to have a lot of fun and enjoy playing too, but they actually like to help, learn, and work, so we toss them into the mix which age-appropriate jobs suitable to their capabilities and skill levels. In many ways, preparing a meal around here can be somewhat similar to running a restaurant, and I'm glad that it worked out that way. Also, I used to lament having to learn "useless information." What I mean "useless information" is job specific info that doesn't really have any specific application anywhere else in life other than when working that specific job.
Years ago, I never even wanted to get married, much less to have a family. Now, the marriage is incredible and the family is certainly growing. It is a huge blessing to be able to take all of my experience and apply it in a practical way on a frequent basis. I think that if we think hard enough we can usually extract the benefits and blessings from past experiences and be able to somehow apply them to whatever we are dealing with now. At the moment, I am already blown away by what these children are capable of, and also what they are willing and even excited to do. If they are so skilled and knowledgeable already, I cannot wait for the days ahead.
A few times I've been asked, "Why do you have so many children?" Personally, I don't think that five is a lot, especially when we have friends with eleven, thirteen, and fourteen children. Once we even enjoyed a dinner with the Duggars who have even more. Anyway, my current response about why we have so many is, "Because we need a lot of help." I like this answer, because it really makes people think these days. Often, children are seen as a hindrance and not a help. Often, people think that children are a curse, and not a blessing. To be honest, we haven't received one yet that we would "send back" if we could, or that we wish had never been born. I think that a lot of it has to do with how people view children, and what they are raised up to be. If I treated my children like burdensome, incapable inconveniences in my life, I'm pretty sure that is just what they'd become.
For us, it just makes more sense raise them up to be the opposite of that. Everyone of our children is perfectly capable of sitting on the couch and watching cartoons while we the parents cook breakfast, but they are also capable of pitching in a hand and getting the job done more quickly!
Until next time…
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Such a great post @papa-pepper! I have 4 kids and really need to get them helping out in the kitchen like yours do! So inspiring :)
Glad to hear that I can be inspirational!
I especially like your summary.... "Every one of our children is perfectly capable of sitting on the couch and watching cartoons while we the parents cook breakfast". I have witnessed at a hotel continental breakfast the following.... A mother gathering a plate of food for a healthy capable teenager and then bringing it to them and even going so far as to cut their pancakes into bite-size chunks. What happened to the old saying "you don't work, you don't eat"?.
Wow! For a teenager? I'd let them fend for themselves at a continental breakfast!
I think its great to have your entire family involved in home projects! ☺
It really helps.
You are doing really great sir...keep it up and god bless you. Im Happy with your beautiful family.
Thank you @shielashraf!
Preparing in bulk is far more time efficient, even when you are lone person.
Knowing what keeps, and what needs to be cooked fresh.
Often, it is just the melting and browning the cheese that needs to be done at serving time. (its a mouth feel thing)
I am glad to see you are getting all your kids involved at all stages.
This really is stuff that should be learned at 8 not 18.
You are so correct about that! Thanks!
lovely baby......so cute.
Thanks! They sure are~
It's been amazing to see so passion and love for cooking lots of love @papa-pepper
Keep it up😊
So many good things to learn in a single post of yours.You are talking about them from your expereinces.That is most nice thing here.
-cheers-
I am glad to hear that you enjoyed it!
steady, habits very rare by another man, you awesome @papapepper
Thank you very much @tamy.siagam!
your child is very sweet and understanding the same parents. I pray to achieve his goals
Awesome post and adorable kids! Growing up as 1 of 9 children that my parents had, I agree with you 100%! We all had chores growing up and I believe it made us better adults. My first job was in the food industry as a prep cook and that time has proven most helpful as well in life!