By Christian Pruitt, Timberlake Head Cook
I have known the kitchens at Timberlake over many years, having first raided the freezer for ice cream as a camper at Tamarack Farm, and now having worked as a cook many summers since 1997. Anyone who cooked, cleaned or maintained the old kitchen in recent years will agree that it was time for an upgrade. The new Al Hicks Kitchen at Timberlake is spectacular and as head cook for its first summer, all I can say is thank you to everyone who made it possible.
The moment I knew the Al Hicks Kitchen was truly great was during one of the first weeks of camp. The entire kitchen staff, who had worked from 6 am that morning, was sitting in the kitchen at 11 pm on benches moved from the dining room. They were all relaxing in the kitchen! Just like in your home, a good kitchen is one that is lived in. The Timberlake kitchen was going to be a very comfortable home for us.
Not every part of the Al Hicks Kitchen is new. Some of the pots and pans, the griddle, the wok, have been there for years. These are sturdy, industrial-strength tools that were built to last. They have been used by many cooks – washed by many campers and staff as well. Some of them were certainly used by the kitchen’s namesake Al Hicks. This new kitchen is also sturdy, industrial-strength and built to last. Timberlake has many summers filled with fantastic food to look forward to – with plenty of ice cream in the walk-in freezer.