COOK-IN-CHARGE and JUNIOR WALKER

The Time was now December 1988, I had been in my New Job for about 2 Weeks, I was Called "Cook-In-Charge" I had a Small Kitchen to Look after and a Stores Room, and I had to Feed about 25 Clients and about 5 Staff Per Day!

As I said Previously the Clients at the Day Centre had Dementia, so this was Very Different for me, as I the Clients Walking in and Out of the Kitchen, so I had to Learn about "How To Deal with them" which was Quite Difficult!

Some of them you could have a Long Conversation with, but Others were the Complete Opposite and Could be Very Bolshy and at times a Bit Violent! 

As I said before, I was the First Male to Work Inside the Day Centre as well as the First Chef, so the Food they were Used to having, I Never Cooked, so I was Told by "The Boss" what they were Used to and What they Liked, it was was Very Plain Food, as you would Expect, so I Started Cooking a Load of Basic Stuff!

After the First Week, I Remember, I went to see "My Boss" and Asked her about the Food Situation, I asker her whether I could Start Cooking a bit more Adventurous Food for Everyone, to my Surprise, She Agreed!

So the Following Week, I Starting Cooking Different Types of Food, For Example, Sweet and Sour Chicken or Pork with Pasta, All Types of Meat in a Curry Sauce with Rice, Lasagne, Fish Pie, Chicken Chasseur Etc Etc.

I also Started Cooking Better Vegetables and Potatoes, I mean all they were Used to Before was Just Different Vegetables all Boiled Up to a Near Pulp, I Started Using Different Cooking Methods and Sauces with the Vegetables, and a Lot of Different Potatoes, Cooked in Different Styles, Not just Boiled or Roast!

I also had to Provide a Sweet/Pudding Every Day, this I did, Using all New Things (for the Day Centre) including Various Steamed Suet Puddings, Trifle's, Bread and Butter Pudding, Meringues Etc. 

Another Thing I had to Cook, Every Day, before I Clocked off Work, was a Piece Cake or Something Similar, for Everybody, the Types of thing I used to Cook were, Vanilla Slices, Scones, Fancy Cakes, Shortbread, Egg Custards, Etc Etc!

Something else I Cook, soon after Starting the New Job, was a Christmas Cake and Some Christmas Puddings, I Knew it was a bit Late, Normally but it was Better Late than Not Having Any at all!

All in All I was Enjoying my New Job and Looking Forward to Christmas, which was only a Couple of Weeks Away!

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Now for Some Music, Next Week I am starting a New Voting Poll, this Time its Going to Concern "Who's The Best Saxophone Player"
I have Picked 10 of The Best and will Feature Each One of them Every Other Week in My Posts! 

There will also be a Voting Section as there was for "The Best Soul Singer" and "The Best Funk Bass Player" 

I Artist I will Start the Posts with is "My Favorite All -Time Sax Player" The Man by the Name of "Autry DeWalt (Mixon) Jr" in Other Words The Great Junior Walker! 

He is a Long Time Favorite of Mine, Dating Back to the Very Early 70's, in Fact, Me and the Wife had the Privilege Back in the Early 80's to see him Live in Concert.

What a Fantastic Show he put on, in Fact it was One of the Best Live Shows I have Seen, Check My Previous Posts, (for the Artists I have Seen in Concert), in Fact the Reason for this Post is a Video I Found a Few Months Ago on YouTube!

This Video Reminded me a lot of the Time I saw "Junior Walker" and that's what gave me the Idea of the Up and Coming "Who's The Best Sax Player" Posts!

Just Watch the Video, it is Brilliant, you will Not See this Sort of Performance Anywhere Today, How Junior Walker Could Play the Sax Like that and Sing is Fantastic, also see his Great Backing Band The All-Stars!

The Actually Recording is from 1967 and was at The Ram Jam Club in Brixton London, it Lasts for about 7 Minutes!