A couple of years ago, I was in the supermarket checkout queue behind a man with scars on his arms. Just to make conversation, I asked him if he was a Chef.
He, of course, replied 'yes', and we both laughed about how easy it was to tell his trade.
Being the main cook of the family, I am known to have oven scars on my forearms; not quite as many as the gentleman above, but occasionally a few.
I have never understood why ovens should be so low down on the floor. Even on the UK's TV show 'The Great British Bake-off', the contestants are always on their knees looking in through the glass fronts.
Surely if there's one piece of kitchen equipment that should be at eye level; it's the oven. It might even put an end to 'Chef's Tattoos'.
36 comments:
Those scars on the top don't ring true. I caught surface burns, until I wizened up, on the underside of my arms.
Nothing that a bit of vigilance and a sturdy oven glove can't prevent. Other than that how does the old saying go? If you can't stand the heat stay out of the kitchen.
Gordon Ramsay greetings,
U
If I can contact him, I'll pass-on your wise advice; tens of thousands of other chefs will also be pleased to hear that 'vigilance' is the answer.
I think if you are a chef in a busy kitchen, burns are inevitable wether the oven is high or low. My niece is a chef and it’s hectic in a commercial kitchen ( & SO hot !! ).I find Christmas the worst time for burns ….. lifting that great big turkey out and basting !! XXXX
I haven't any scars at the moment, but I can still see where they've been. As you say, burns are inevitable, and come mostly from the ovens being badly positioned. You're right about Christmas too!
I used to work in the kitchen of a posh restaurant where they had eye level ovens.I used to dread opening the doors to them because the blast of the heat to my face.Waist level would be ideal!xx
It's the hot iron standing on end of the ironing board that too often scars me.
You can recognise Aga owners by the burns on their arms.
Ouch!
I don't have such scars. I'm rarely allowed in the kitchen.
Eye level ovens were popular here in the 70s. My father and step mother has one in their new home. I think it may be that lower models work better for small kitchens, and builders and developers profit margins.
Our oven is at kitchen counter level and I wouldn't have it any other way. Although I cook 95% of our meals I have never suffered a burn - not one I can remember anyway. You have to be careful around hot ovens and hobs. As those annoying meerkats might say - "Simples!" before being skinned and roasted in the oven.
I always stand well back when I open mine, the blast of hot steam is quite nasty.
I hadn't thought of that, but it must be very similar.
Yes, we had one, and I had the scars to go with it.
I expect the chap above used a different word!
Very wise; scars are not a good look.
It does seem bizarre that we have to bend down to get into the oven.
I've had plenty and they're always very painful.
The solution is to become a salad chef.
My stupid trick is to start a welding job and after a few minutes lean on or sit on the bit I've just welded. Many welders do this once but unfortunately I make a habit of it.
I don't recall my mother ever burning herself on the Rayburn which always ran much hotter than an Aga. I use my cooker almost daily and have never had a burn.
BBQ's are my forté. They leave delightful marks on arms etc.
Ursula must have a very wrinkly look if she "wizened" up!
Did she wear chain armour? Most people burn themselves on cookers, she probably didn't like to complain!
I don't think I'd better reply to this.
I was not aware of how easily people burn themselves using their oven.
Very easily; especially when bending down to remove a red hot roasting dish.
I can understand chefs in busy restaurants but not in the home. No,my mum did not burn herself, she used a sturdy oven cloth and had no time for oven gloves and, no, she didn't burn herself on the Rayburn and nor did any of the rest of us. The only time I remember her having a burn was from the iron. And me, an oven user, I do not burn myself. I don't get it at all. It just sounds like carelessness to me.
I've had loads of burns from the oven. Some of them quite nasty. It's very easy to do when manouvering a baking tray. Frying with oil is also dangerous. We don't fry much but I always seem to get spattered. Now, if its fingers or hands, I plunge them straight into cold water. Does ease the pain
Even worse, why any intelligent person thinks an over the stove height microwave is a good idea is mind boggling. I will never remove hot anything close to my face.
I never find that anything soothes the pain. Burns are always nasty for me, but men don't tolerate pain too well.
I often use our microwave to reheat leftover curry for my breakfast (yes, I do), and am amazed by how hot it can be after just a couple of minutes.
It would certainly come under the classification of 'carelessness', but most of us are careless.
I too have Aga burns from the hot oven. The minute your hand accidently hits the hot rack or sides on the 450 oven, it sticks. Used to it pretty much now (Neosporin with pain relief helps).
Elbow length oven gloves are the way to go, my arms are scar-free. I agree ovens should be higher than floor level, but whatever the level, I always have to step back and wave away that first wave of heat when opening the door otherwise my glasses fog up and I cannot see.
It's possible to get burns/scars on the top of the forearms if reaching for something on a middle shelf and the top shelf is too hot. I always remove the shelves I am not using, but that might not be possible in a commercial kitchen.
I know I am quite a bit late rejoining the party...but when cooking jam tarts at school,I bent down and nicked one out of the oven.It was too hot to put straight in my mouth,then the teacher appeared behind me and I dropped it.The boiling hot jam stuck to my thigh and I got told off as well.The scar lasted about 6 months,but Ive never forgot it happening!xx
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