Boomer's Journal - A tribute to the church kitchen workers

By Rachel Barduson of Alexandria

Church basement ladies are historic figures. They go a long way back to the beginning of – in my case – time. Those historic ladies were, and still are, heroes in my estimation. They provide the magic after the sermon, the potlucks, the church suppers, the annual meetings, the ladies aid.

Why would they be heroes?  Because there are so many layers of detail and planning that goes into serving food at church. These ladies not only serve the food... they are responsible for all the things that go into what’s needed in a kitchen in the first place. They organize the whole kitchen, the utensils and the pots and pans, the towels and supplies, and the whole kitchen routine that goes with serving the food. And that’s a big job.

My heroes! The Erdahl Lutheran Church Ladies, ca. 1963. These ladies definitely knew their way around the church kitchen. Contributed by Rachel Barduson

And then take into consideration that this is not just one person’s kitchen. It takes a strong lady to share a kitchen. To be perfectly honest, we women are pretty territorial when it comes to our kitchen (I am anyway). We organize things to our liking and our “method” and our routine. We like things put back where they were found. We think our way is the right way. When we host company, we have a routine, probably based on how our own mother served guests; and from what we learned in home economics class. We apply what we have learned at home and bring those lessons into the church kitchen. There is really no way to get around it.

And so, when you put a group of women beyond the number of one in one community kitchen, you might run into a few – shall we say – issues. That thing – shall we say issues – is probably why we determined a long time ago that we need a chair-person.

The “chair” of the kitchen committee is a brave woman. Patience is key and I think God has chosen these women with great care. I have never been the chosen one and I think I know the reason for that. I am not a saint – and that is a characteristic that is needed in a church kitchen. My face, my body language, and my getting in the way would not allow me to be chosen and God has graciously told me that I should find another calling.

Being in the church kitchen with “co-workers” is a challenge - first of all, some who are right-handed and some that are left-handed may cause issue. It does make a difference in where and how you place things. It is going to be backwards for someone. Throw in the conversation of comments like, “I wouldn’t put that there if that were my kitchen,” and “who put the spatula in this drawer? It doesn’t belong here,” might be overheard, especially if said under your breath.  I, for one, find myself to be very territorial. Sometimes in a community kitchen with more than one worker, labels may help. Or not. At the same time, labels don’t help if you think things were put in the wrong place in the first place. And if drawers and cupboards are labeled and those labels don’t even seem to be the answer, well, the rolling of the eyes and body language may take over without consciously noticing that we are doing so. Are you following my drift? I admit, I have sinned and fallen short.

And then there is the serving table or buffet, and we’re not even talking about food yet. Where to place the napkins and the silverware. If you put the forks at the beginning of the line by the plates and the napkins, how can they be missed – yet, they are missed. The kitchen worker is the one who has to patiently answer the questions. Some guests miss the napkin but remember the fork. Some get confused when the eating utensils are pre-set and someone in the kitchen has to be ready with a gracious, “the forks and napkins, coffee and coffee cups are already on the table.” A cheerful disposition is needed in these situations. And we haven’t even gotten to the layout of what food is placed where on the buffet table. Uffda. Consistency is obviously key to the success of all meals served in church.

Then there are the centerpieces or the flowers on the serving table. This can sometimes cause issue. If you have a bouquet of flowers on the serving table, where should it be set? There might be a difference of opinion – so who, in the long run, decides? Bring in that brave soul, the “chair” of the committee for the answer. Still, you might walk by a centerpiece or flower arrangement and just “have to” turn it or move it an inch one way or another... just because you can’t help it (guilty as charged). Centerpieces can’t be too big or too tall and of course, there is the thing about having 25 centerpieces that are exactly the same but different for each season. Where do you store these seasonal centerpieces as they begin to stack up? Who gets to decide? Be sure to label the bins or the cabinets or the drawers so there is no confusion as to where things are to go. And in the long run, how long should we keep the same old plastic centerpieces?

Getting beyond all of the minor issues of kitchen work, we must, in all fairness, add men to the equation of church kitchen workers. It’s a brave new world. Yes, we have handed the kitchen towel to the men and they were drawn into the lure of the kitchen with courage and fortitude. They were, and are not, afraid.

We women started putting men in the kitchen – but only under certain circumstances. How to make coffee, serve coffee, bus tables and wash dishes during the annual church supper was a good start. We women could tell them how to do these tasks. All of these tasks would be good jobs to begin with.

It was a good day when the “Men’s Church Supper” was begun by a joint fundraising committee consisting of both men and women. Church suppers could be prepared and served by the men who happily tied a white kitchen towel around their waist and dug into what needed to be done. They realized that the church kitchen is a fun place to be. Meatball dinners and lutefisk dinners would never be the same. It was a good thing. It IS a good thing. Maybe they even let the ladies of the kitchen “help.”

And yet... we church ladies don’t want the men in the kitchen all the time. We had to draw our territorial line in the linoleum. The women are still – and ultimately will always be – in charge of the church kitchen (in my estimation anyway). After all, we don’t hear as much about church basement men as we do about church basement ladies. Men are definitely welcome, just remember, who’s in charge – and I do write ALL of this in fun and light-heartedness.

Back in the day my mom and the church-kitchen ladies used to make it all look so easy – being a “Ladies Aid lady” in the church kitchen. If anything bothered my mom, or any of her many friends – about where anything was put in the church kitchen, or how things were served, or how things were done – well, I never knew.  I adored all of the church ladies I grew up with. I wanted to grow up to be just like them.

And so, this is a tribute to all of our church ladies, and men, who brave the old and new world of church kitchens and serving the dinners and the funeral lunches and the teas and the potlucks and the annual fall and holiday church suppers. I applaud you. Bravo. Thank you for a job well done.