“The winner is Team Orchid! Yay!!! We did it. Cheers, team!!” shouted Mr Albert, as he strolled towards the end of the gazebo.
It was the staff end-of-quarter competition. Everyone had to be in a team for the cooking quest.
Team Pine came second, Team Neem came third and Team Maple came last.
Every quarter, the head of operations brings in a new spice. Danti Hotel was the only hotel in Kumasi city that served intercontinental dishes. It was a tradition to experiment with a new and different spice for the same dish.
Mr Albert was the head chef of the hotel. Ms Abena was a very neat and creative chef. Daniel was the greenhorn, fresh from culinary school. Who was ever enthusiastic about this new space to explore?
“Let every one gather at the gazebo,” said Ms Abena.
“Wait for me, please,” said Daniel, while looking for his colourful notepad.
The other teammates circled the four different tables positioned under the gazebo.
“Kwaku, please go back to your team,” said Gem in the chatterbox. “It’s okay to change teams at this time since we are done with the major competition.”
“Ah! Mr Kwaku. No!” Mr Albert said. “Everyone should remain on the same team as before. Please go back to your team.” Habi? is it because your team came last? Hail Team Maple. Lol. Next time, you can volunteer to cook for your team, to help out.”
The timer rang from the main kitchen inside the hotel. Everyone started sourcing materials. This took about five minutes.
“The next task is the main cooking. The task is to cook rice with any kind of ingredient found on the glass table,” said Mr Albert, as he stood on the wooden bench across the gazebo.
“Start!” he shouted.
Daniel the Greenhorn was not in any team. So, he happened to be the one everyone called to pass an item by default. Everyone would say to him, “Pass the salt, butter, nutmeg, oil or honey.”
Members of uTeam Orchid already got the trick and made sure everyone was involved or called on Daniel.
“Hey, intern! Please bring the honey in the brown bowl now!”
“Okay, here it is.”
“Please pass the nutmeg and grater at the edge of the table.”
“Okay, got it,” said Daniel as he dashed straight to the table to check. He didn’t find it. Kojo in Team Neem had already taken the nutmeg and grater.
“Oh! I can’t find it,” said Daniel, running towards Gem.
“What do you mean, young man? Do you realise what tick-tack says the time is while you are chanting this impossibility? It has to be there. What were you told during the orientation?”
“Every ingredient is available within the four walls,” he said, with a shaky voice and sweat protruding down his face. He was anxious and tired.
Mr Albert walked around the gazebo with a smile on his face while jotting in his notepad. In the next few minutes, Daniel ran towards him, looking so lost.
“Please, sir, I need the key to the store.”
“Excuse me? What can you possibly be needing the keys for by the way?”
“Ms Gem’s team needs some nutmegs and the grater.”
“Hmmmm. So, were you sent?”
“Yes, sir, I was sent.”
“Okay,” he said while jotting down his note. “Look for the storekeeper!” He walked away.
“Oh my,” said Daniel. “Who is the storekeeper?”
Ah! From one concern unfolds another.
Mr Albert blows the whistle, saying, “Five more minutes, team.”
“Ah!” shouted Gem.
To be continued..
