I am a Kitchen Diva. I say that feeling a little sheepish and a little pride. I am passionate about food, and in my kitchen, Kitchen Diva = Control Freak. So I laughed when it was pointed out to me that my kitchen is a participative process in action. After the laughter subsided and I thought about it more deeply, I realized that it is. And, while it is fulfilling, it’s also challenging. Every day. Kitchen Diva = Control Freak.
I have food allergies, and in my free time I keep a food blog and develop recipes. That means I’ve had to get comfortable with failure. Nowadays when I have a kitchen explosion I can laugh about it. I also have two small children who have full participative access in the kitchen. Our dishes don’t live in cupboards, but rather on a low shelf so my daughters can set the table and help put away the clean dishes. I have several stools, not just for myself (I am short) but also for my girls so that they can help with food preparation. And yes, I let my 4 year old use a knife! Not my best chef’s knife mind you- hers is a cheese spreader with a serrated edge, but she chops right along next to me. I also let them taste everything at all stages of the cooking process (yes that means the raw cookie batter!).
While this is a no-brainer for me as a cook and as a parent who wants her children to grow up loving food, cooking and sharing meals, it has not under any circumstances been easy. Kitchen Diva = Control Freak. I’ve had to get comfortable with a much messier workspace, and with things being put back wrong or not at all. And now that my children have been emboldened to create their own recipes, I’ve had to breathe deep and let go of my kitchen domain. The participative process that happens in my kitchen is messy, and often puts me out of my comfort zone. But I know that what gets taught, what is accomplished here, and the relationships that are deepened as a result, are vitally important to all of us.
So to you business, non-profit, and church leaders out there struggling to make the shift to a more participative process, I feel your discomfort every day in my kitchen. I’ve learned the meal often turns out better when I let go; when I invite others to create with me. And so I do it, not because I want to (believe me, some days I don’t), but because it’s best for my family, my organization if you will. Think about your domain, be it kitchen, office, boardroom, or congregation. Are you suffering from “Kitchen Diva-itis”? Take a deep breath and let the flour splatter on the counter. What gets cooked up when everyone is allowed to participate may challenge you and make you squirm, but it will also surprise and delight you.
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