A View Behind the Scenes

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Saturday I was invited to a wedding at Dakar with Cecil.  It has never worked out for me to go with her to a wedding in Dakar so I decided to go.  It was also my chance to experience the transport the village people use to get to weddings.  Finally I thought it would be a good time to take pictures as I assumed that we would be more visitors here and not involved in preparations.  That shows you how little I know.  Apparently all the people from Fandine (Cecil’s home village) gather at the house of the relative they know (the parents of the bride in this case), and put on their own part of the party.  So soon after I was there, as I was sitting patiently relaxing with all the others, someone came up to me and said, “What are you doing here, you are not a visitor, the kitchen is up on the roof.”  The roof was up 5 FLIGHTS OF STAIRS!  So much for a mellow day!  The good news for my support team is that it provided a great opportunities to get pictures behind the scenes.  So sit back and enjoy the show.

Warning: Most people have watched Iron Chef or a show like that at one point.  Now if you imagine taking a still picture at one of those shows you can see that it would not communicate the controlled chaotic environment actually taking place.  So as you look at these you will have to imagine the chaos of Iron chef taking place.

Welcome to the roof top kitchen
Welcome to the roof top kitchen
Since fires are not practical on a roof, these contraptions are used instead. They are hooked up to gas bottles and always on full force.
Since fires are not practical on a roof, these contraptions are used instead. They are hooked up to gas bottles and always on full force.
Cleaned chicken ready to cook
Cleaned chicken ready to cook
The parts considered not eatable (cucumber seeds)
The parts considered not eatable (cucumber seeds)
Strategy is discussed
Strategy is discussed
Tasks are assigned
Tasks are assigned
A wash station is set up to wash all the bowls
A wash station is set up to wash all the bowls
Rice is dished out of the pot
Rice is dished out of the pot
Then dished out into the smaller bowls
Then dished out into the smaller bowls
The bowls are spread out on the ground
The bowls are spread out on the ground
Skirts are pulled up to keep their nice clothes nice
Skirts are pulled up to keep their nice clothes nice
Each person takes responsibility to add one ingredient to the bowl
Each person takes responsibility to add one ingredient to the bowl
With careful direction from one in the front who makes sure all the bowls get what they need
With careful direction from one in the front who makes sure all the bowls get what they need
Then as they are completed the bowls are handed off to the runners
Then as they are completed the bowls are handed off to the runners
Who run the bowls down 5 flights of stairs to a group of people who are ready to gather around the bowl to eat
Who run the bowls down 5 flights of stairs to a group of people who are ready to gather around the bowl to eat
Then there is a few minutes to close your eyes before dinner preparations need to begin
Then there is a few minutes to close your eyes before dinner preparations need to begin

Are you tired yet?  I sure was and not just because I arrived back home at 1 in the morning 🙂 More to come later in the week of some things I learned this weekend.

Comments

  1. Wow, such amazing pictures and the work of a fabulous team of women…….we love you Andi and continue to pray for you and your family. Ken says the rice looks yummy and each time he sees these pictures wants to be there with you……..Ken and Sandra O.

  4. I loved this. Well done Andi. My favorite yet. I would have loved to experience this. Much more fun than sitting at the wedding. But… running the five flights of stairs with all those bowls…. not sure!

  5. Andi, I love your posts! Wow! It is so fascinating to experience another culture that I most likely will never have the opportunity to see for myself. Thank you for sharing!

  6. Your photos and your Blog are as always more than spectacular. Thank you so much for always being so willing to share your life with us.

  8. Yep I am tired as I am looking at kitchen I do not see running water unless you call buckets of water being run up 5 flights running water? Good thing you are doing this wedding in the cooler months can only imagine what summer in that kitchen is like. You are a trooper daughter !!

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