Etiquette Tuesday: Too Many Cooks…

[ 3 ] December 6, 2011 |

©JohnnaKnowsGoodFood

One of my loyal readers had a helluva guest during the Thanksgiving holidays because my reader had about 10 tips in one post for Etiquette Tuesday.  I decided to space them out because some of these need some special attention beginning with the intrusive visitor.  As a cook that truly owns her kitchen, I do not like uninvited company in on my cooking endeavors.  Now this does not mean when you invite your guests to join you while you cook or finish up something in the kitchen, this is the person who invites themselves (*with unsolicited advice) after being told to wait outside.

You know this person: you’re in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on that primavera and they come in with a “Aren’t you leaving out the red pepper flakes? You have to have the red pepper flakes for that primavera.”  In my head I’m typically responding with a “WOULD YOU LEAVE ME ALONE?!? AND GET OUTTA MY KITCHEN?!?” but my mouth generally responds with a smile followed by “Noo, I’m going to leave them out this time.”  It’s when they began to insist that the bad etiquette really turns…well…bad.

The phrase “too many cooks in the kitchen” sprouted from this behavior.  Unless you’re help is accepted and/or solicited, this Etiquette Tuesday I encourage you to just stay out of the kitchen.

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Category: Etiquette Tuesday

About the Author ()

Johnna French is a Harlem NY native with deep roots in Panama, Washington, DC and North Carolina. All four places have heavily influenced her life and the foods she loves today. After graduating Howard University School of Law and beginning her life as a young professional in the city she was led to start Johnna Knows Good Food in November 2007 to keep family, friends and colleagues updated on where to go and what to eat while dining in the nation’s capitol. French, who still practices law, leads a team of three writers to cover the ever expanding Washington, DC food scene. French has been featured in print and television, appearing in Washingtonian Magazine and is a regular contributor to various local TV affiliates including WUSA 9, FOX 5 DC and WJLA (ABC Affiliate) News Channel 8. During the 2016-2017 football season, Johnna aired on Comcast Sports Mid-Atlantic (CSN) show, Redskins Life, as the weekly tailgate host. Johnna is currently a regular contributor to the FOX Baltimore Weekend morning show.

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  1. Dining Etiquette | March 27, 2012
  1. Dedan says:

    Cooking is a lot like chess, in that if you really know anything about it, you know the first rule is not to comment on another person’s game/recipe unsolicited. Unless of course, you’re a food blogger 😉

  2. Johnna says:

    Ha! Very true.

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