Four years ago, I started my career in the Moulton kitchen cutting potatoes (so many home fries). But I love cooking and wanted to do something a little more exciting, so one day I transitioned to making eggs.
The job can be a little stressful, but I’ve come to take weird pride in it—it’s my niche, eggs.
And though waking up at 6:30 a.m. twice a week (Tuesday and Thursday if you want to stop by) isn’t fun all the time, somehow being the girl who cooks eggs at Moulton has become integral to my Bowdoin identity.
Bowdoin Dining Service is awesome—we all know this. I think everyone should work for dining at some point—the chefs are all delightful, and they’ve shown me a little piece of Maine living that I’d never otherwise see. It’s also nice to share stories, music and gossip with people of another generation. For instance, Bill always has advice for me, usually about finances. And in addition to learning how to chop onions like a boss, prepping food also gives me a chance to take a much needed break from academics and accomplish something tangible.
Cooking eggs is fun in large part due to the regulars. I love when someone comes often enough for me to know his order; when I can say, “Hello, you probably want three scrambled with cheese!” It is usually met with a surprised smile. Except every once in a while, someone changes her order and we both get confused.
Some of them I know by name, but others I just call “Five Whites One Cheese” when I see them around campus. It always surprises me when you know my name, because at breakfast I just think of myself as that girl who works at Moulton.
Feel free to introduce yourself if you get eggs often—one year I met one of my regulars during Ivies, and we embraced like old friends before introducing ourselves. Plus, it’s easier to shout a name than an order when it’s ready.
Yes, when it gets super busy, I tend to get a little snarky in my head (“can I just get three hard with cheese?” No, you can’t, go away), but I’m generally no longer taking orders by that point anyway. But do ALL of you really need to show up at 8:10? Did you seriously just order half a dozen eggs for yourself? I always get a little nervous when teams walk in all at once, with specific orders. We didn’t used to write these requests down, but after trying to keep seven orders in my head at once, we needed a new system.
I also try not to judge people for their orders, but unless you have a history of cholesterol problems in your family, you really have no excuse for getting egg whites—all the deliciousness and nutrients are in the yolk. And there’s this new trend of getting eggs fried in olive oil (did you say a separate pan? Really?). I understand that the nonstick spray is a little questionable, but it’s a huge pain, and honestly, if you eat anything in the dining hall, it probably has some of the spray in it anyway. Also, watch out for saying “please” when you don’t want cheese—better to just go with a lavish “thank you.”
For the record, “easy” means the whites might be a tad runny; “medium” is a runny yolk but definitely cooked whites (I don’t break the yolk for medium eggs, but some cooks do); “hard” or “overhard” is cooked all the way through, usually with the yolk broken. Don’t just show up and say you want some eggs—I don’t know what that means. And at least look at the eggs I put on the side before ordering new ones—they’re often better anyway because I’ve had time to cook them. I admit that my favorite order is when people just ask for a piece of cheese—so easy.
That all said, however, I really do like you all. I hope that starting with an enthusiastic smile and some delicious eggs makes your day just a little better, and I’m sorry if they aren’t always perfect—it’s hard in a rush. I know that other students have started cooking eggs now too, and I hope that they find it as rewarding as I have. To those of you who have expressed your gratitude to me personally when I see you randomly on campus, thank you, because it makes it all worth while for me. Happy eating, and goodbye—I’ll miss you.
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