I just left this morning my home in Switzerland where the weather was -28 degrees Celsius and took Swiss Flight from Geneva, landing to Murtala Mohammed Airport at Ikeja Lagos 6 hours later.The crew are smiling to me as I often meet them ib this flight.The weather is 54 degrees warmer,I left my winter clothes in the booth of my car dressed summer cloth in Geneva Airport.
I spend about on and off 200 days a year in Nigeria just by flying in and out often.
In Lagos Sheraton Hotel everybody thinks I work in management of the hotel.As they see me talking with Financial Controller from Sri Lanka, The Manager from USA, The Pastry Chef from Canada, the Sous Chef Mr Ali of Mauritius Island off Kenya Shores.He speaks a very musical Creole French with me.He is my favorite friend there.
He says what are you going to cook for me. I am very honored to be the cook of a professional cook.
He is of Indian Ethnicity and Muslim Religion.
I take a paper and write him the list of ingredients I need, Minced beef, minced onions,Egg Plants,Tomatoes.
In my room of course there is no kitchen.
Sheraton Hotel gave him a Suite with the kitchen
He gave me the key I go to his room and wait for my cooking assignment to happen.
Somebody knock the door I open, a polite young waiter holding a large plateau in wood
I am delighted to see what I see.
Everything is minced cut prepared and wrapped in transparent poly shrink .
I just feel in my mind to be a cooking star in a TV show ready to show the magic of
showing my art.Only there is one problem I am the only one to see but
I want to see the face of my friend Sous Chef Ali the moment he will swallows my food.
I am glad with my audience this evening.
As he often cook by mixing shrimp,beef and chicken with curry sauce I am amazed to see these three can co exist without fighting with each other.And willing to make him lose face and pay him in kind in form of my own cooking
French culture inside me thought that:
La Cuisine est un art qu'on pratique pour les gens on aime pour leurs dire Combien on les aime
par le gout de la bouche..
Cooking is an art (Hmmmm burden some will correct) that you practise for the people you love
to tell them how much you love them thru the taste of the mouth.
Sous Chef Ali work in the kitchen which is like a steam bath and floor is slippery with oily layer
Its a food factory that is like war room where 250 people constantly fighting against time to
deliver food to guests without making them waiting.
He comes back very tired almost soaked in his own sweat go quickly to shower,
and he looks like a new truck coming out from an assembly line.
Sits on the table and look with envious desire of eating.
He just take his fork and put a piece of my food in his mouth.
His eyes become slightly wet and I can see the emotion
He says I never eat something so delicious..
I find out the French are really right
Art provoke emotion and cooking that can move a professional magician of cooking must indeed be an Art.
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