Chapter Twenty-Eight
“Jamie, I’ve got thepotatoes cut.You want them blanched and chilled,” Walter asked.
“Yes, please.Make sure that Dexter and Timmy have left us enough equipment to cook with.”Jamie looked over and saw Mike bent over, his ass on full display.How can any man have thighs the size of tree trunks?Jamie looked long and hard at Mike’s calves, covered in thick dark fur.
He looked up at Walter, who stared at him.“Matter of fact, make sure they leave enough unpacked, so I have something to cook with during the renovations.”
Walter nodded, the side of his mouth curled up, not quite a grin.
“We need more boxes, Sal,” Hazel yelled through the order window.“Do we have labels to mark what’s in what?”
“Use the markers I got,” Salzy yelled back.“I’ll have more boxes made up in a minute.”
“Jamie, you gonna need sheet pans?”Dexter was glistening with sweat.“If so, how many you want left out?”
Jamie paused for a moment.“How about three.Think about leaving enough equipment out so I can cook for three or four people.”
Dexter nodded, smiling, glancing over to where Joesph and Mike were measuring the wall, as Mike worked up on a ladder, stretching as far as his arm would reach, his legs bulging muscles.
Of course, Jamie had noticed and was sure he was going to get whiplash looking over his shoulder so much.
“Hey,” Joesph sauntered across, Mike beside him.“Do you know where you’re going to put the new exhaust fan?”
Jamie wiped his hands on a towel, his hands greasy from dealing with the muffin tins.He thought a moment.“Since we’re going to move that thing, or replace it, I’d really like to move it here,” He indicated where the cold service bench was.“Make this the center of the kitchen activity.”
“Really,” Walter said, his eyebrows raised.“My back to the dining room?”
“Yep.Most of the professional kitchens I’ve worked in have it set up that way.”
“Oh, I gotcha,” Joesph said.“Like the Pleasant Peasant.”
“Exactly,” Jamie answered.
“Hmm...”Joesph turned to Mike.“We need to remeasure then.That window will become more like a bench and more heat lamps.”He turned to Jamie.“Do you want that same set up?It would help with costs some.”
“I think so.What do you think?”
Joesph thought for a moment.“I think it would be great and streamline things a lot for the waitstaff.The only issue is that you’ll be able to see more of the kitchen from the dining room, so it will need to look good.”
“I’d already thought of that,” Jamie said.“By moving the exhaust unit, it will streamline a lot of the cook line.”
