Things Dohiti Has Taught Me #1: Why do chefs hide to eat?

One strange thing I noticed after opening Dohiti - Whenever I asked someone in the kitchen to taste something, they would always hesitate before picking up the spoon. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to taste but there was just this small hesitation.

‍

Then I started noticing that whenever they ate their own meal, they would sit behind a counter, duck into a corner or find a place where nobody could see them.

‍

Initially, I thought maybe this person is just shy. Then I realised most of them were doing it. And that confused me. These are people who spend all day making food. Why should they feel awkward eating it?

‍

So one day I told them, “Service is over. Go sit outside and eat.”

Nobody moved.

“No Chef, we’re okay here.”

I insisted.

Again, nobody moved.

It almost felt like they weren’t supposed to be seen eating and that stayed with me.

‍

If your work is over, why can’t you sit and eat? Why can’t someone walk in and see a chef laughing over lunch? Why can’t the service team look tired after a busy service? Why are we so uncomfortable with people looking like people?

‍

I still don’t know where this comes from.

‍

But now, whenever I see someone trying to hide with their plate, I tell them the same thing.

“Go sit. Eat properly.”Some listen, some still don’t.

Maybe habits from years in kitchens take time to leave.

Opening Dohiti has taught me many things that had nothing to do with food.

‍

This was one of them.

‍

I’ll keep writing about the others as I keep learning.