#george carter

I started writing this for the Ranger Gathering 2022, but the prompt sort of got away from me so this is just its own little thing {shrugs}

Head Chef:

Leaving the comfort of Master Chubb’s kitchen had always been Jenny’s plan, even if she never spoke it aloud. She wanted to strike out on her own and become a head chef. But she hadn’t expected it to be this difficult.

While women were typically the cooks in individual homes, professionally, it was rare to see a woman as a head chef. Master Chubb had zero tolerance for the usual harassment that a woman in a professional kitchen would endure. His ladle was the last thing a rude and inappropriate man in his kitchen had to worry about. He had sacked staff for unacceptable behavior before Jenny had begun her apprenticeship, and by the time she began to rise in rank, the remaining workers knew better than to hassle her.

When Jenny started to search for another kitchen to work in, she faced one of two reactions. One, they would tell her that a scullery maid was the only position that she was qualified to fill, or two, that she should stop wasting her time with a career and settle for cooking for her husband. She wasn’t sure which was more infuriating, that fact that they would disregard the glowing letter of recommendation from Master Chubb that clearly highlighted her skills and abilities, or the fact that she was being told by strangers to essentially give up at the ripe old age of 22 and get married.

“It’s just not fair! I’m a better chef than anyone any of those taverns could possibly afford to employ but they look like I’m some naïve little girl who just blindly stumbled into the kitchen.” Jenny complained to George one day over lunch.

“It’s not fair. But you can’t change ignorance.”

“So you think I should just give up altogether?”

George shrugged. “I think you should give up trying to get hired at a Castle or a tavern-“

“I’m not just going to-“ Jenny interrupted, but George continued over her.

“And open your own restaurant.”

Jenny blinked at him. “What?”

“If you can’t find a place to hire you, hire yourself. Prove them all wrong and steal their business.”

“George, you are a genius!” Jenny squealed.

“So I’ve been told.” He replied dryly.

And so The Heaped Platter was born. Jenny proved everyone who turned her down wrong (and stole their business).