Camp Cook

At the last minute, and I mean the VERY last minute, our stake (made up of 8 different congregations) had to pull out of the venue they'd reserved for girl's camp this year. ALL plans had to change—can you even imagine? 

This change put us in charge of all the meals for 150+ girls and leaders. I was asked by my friend Nick (AKA "chef") to be a part of a VERY small kitchen staff in a VERY small kitchen, room enough for 4, maybe 5 if the fifth stayed at the sink and washed dishes (Ahem, Adam.)

Serving in any capacity at girl's camp is crazy busy and HARD. But the best place to work 18 hours a day until complete exhaustion and slap-happiness (I kid you not) is in the camp kitchen with this crew. Sandra, Rebecca, Nick, and I got along REALLY WELL...and Adam too.  I can't imagine how awful it would have been if our personalities clashed. (I had just met Rebecca...she's super cool. Nick invited me to work in the kitchen because he figured we'd like each other. Good call Chef.)

Those girls ate well. Nick and Rebecca had planned an easy, yet delicious menu for them. NO chicken nuggets this year! Bleck.
Smoked pulled pork? Yes.
Soft tacos? Yes.
Waffles with strawberries? Yes.
Salad bar every day? Yes.
Separate meals for those with allergies? Yes.
Etc.

The plus side is that we had our own hidden stash of treats in the kitchen. Ice cream? Yes. Popsicles? Yes. Dr. Pepper? Yes. Sometimes we'd find a half-an-hour free, so we'd pull out our camp chairs and sit right in the middle of the kitchen, eat an ice cream and talk. I loved that.

We all hesitate to say we'd do it again. Especially Chef Nick. He did all the prep work ahead of time. It was TOO much. But then we also agreed we MIGHT do it again if two things were to change (and if we could be together again and Nick not do the prep.)

1. We need our own sleeping arrangements.
We ladies were put on the other side of a pocket door from some of the girls. When you have to get up at 4:30am to start prepping breakfast at 5:00, giggly girls arguing in the next room over who's going to have the most babies with "him" until 1:00 am in the morning isn't ideal.

2. The campers take care of their own desserts.
It was TORTURE to clean up after dinner,  AND THEN have to wait around to handle dessert. We couldn't leave the kitchen until around 10:30. Next time they can do their own s'mores.

I am grateful for caffeine. I am grateful for painkillers. My knees ACHED the first night and I hardly slept. On the day we left, the nerves in my neck/shoulders were totally pinched and both my thumbs kept going numb. It took 4 days to physically recover from camp.
Good times. Glad it's over. But I miss the comradery of a kitchen family.