June 21, 2010
Phyllis Turnage-Morris, Director

Right on the heels of training about hospitality, anticipating customers’ needs, communicating, etc. the campus I work on had to become “silent;” including the kitchen.  Each year, we are fortunate to have a group that does a silent retreat.  But this would be my first time…

I thought to myself, no way.  The staff in this kitchen consists of One Crazy Lady (me), and 3 grown men (fondly known as Crunchy, Almond Man and Chocolate Drop).  Our silence was scheduled to come when the NBA play offs were happening (an event which creates some conversation, typically), not to mention we’re a “normal” kitchen with normal kitchen noise.   

I pondered for weeks how we were going to pull this off, starting with me and the staff.  I thought about how I usually create “quiet.” When I need to get their attention (and let them know I mean business), I stand and look at them with my hands on my hips. And everything goes quiet!  But I knew if I did this for 9 straight days that move would lose its power.  

So days before the quietness was to begin I started to practice.  I turned off my morning radio show (in my car) as soon as I hit River Road (a couple miles from work).  “Good Morning” became a wave to anyone I encountered on my way to the kitchen.  I turned off the kitchen radio when I walked in, and when they gave me a strange look, I put my finger to my lips followed by a SHHHHH.  

But my other major concern was how to serve people, up to Meriwether Godsey standards, without getting any feedback!  How would I know what was great and what was not?  I knew before they arrived that they didn’t have any exotic preferences.  They wanted hard boiled eggs and prunes every morning; beans, rice, broccoli, and soup and meat at only 4 meals. Leftover soups were to be reserved in consecutive meals.  This didn’t seem too appealing considering it would be for 9 days/3 meals a day.  

After 3 days of soup, beans, rice and broccoli and some glazed eyes in the group we changed our plan.  We took the soups to a higher level, added some powerful what not’s to the rice, kicked the beans in the butt (we still also offered plain options of beans, broccoli and rice), increased the amount of Bean-o on the table and we turned the body language in the group around.  Smiles were wider, eyes were brighter and we even got a few whispers that the food is SO GOOD.

On the sixth day of quiet time the group leader came to me and shared that he travels all over the US doing these silent retreats and the meals here were the best he ever had.  On day seven, silence was broken at 12:40 pm (for 15 minutes) to show appreciation to the kitchen staff. Only two members spoke but the standing ovation was GRAND!!!

As I went back into the kitchen I thought WE DID IT.  Our fears were based on the unknown and some misplaced assumptions. On Monday as we moved into preparing for another group (this one is talking) I realized there is too much noise in this kitchen.  So I put my fingers to my lips, SHH... we have to practice for 2011 when they will be here for 2 weeks.

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Show/Hide comments

Show/Hide comment form

Name

Email

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (Registered users only)

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Add Comment