An Invitation to Cooking Practice at BZC

One day Wuzhao was working as tenzo at a monastery in the Wutai Mountains. When the Bodhisattva Manjusri suddenly appeared above the pot where he was cooking, Wuzhao beat him. Later he said, “Even if Shakyamuni were to appear above the pot, I would beat him, too!”
—Kosho Uchiyama, How to Cook Your Life
Sounds like fun, right?! Working in the kitchen is an important part of our practice at BZC, and the good news is that this practice opportunity is open to everyone. Anyone coming to BZC, whether you are brand new or have been coming for years, is warmly welcomed to join us for work in the kitchen.
There is a kitchen sign up on the porch bulletin board. Almost every Saturday, there are spaces for assistant cooks. You don’t need experience to sign up to help during any Saturday breakfast. Just add your name to an open assistant-cook slot and join the head cook at 6:00 am on the date you choose. Help and guidance will be cheerfully offered!
But in order to beat metaphysical apparitions with a spoon, you’ll need to be trained to be a head cook. This training, too, is open to all. If you’re interested, please email the tenzo (our head head cook) at troydufrene@gmail.com. Training to be a head breakfast cook takes two Saturdays: on the first, you’ll assist the tenzo (or, maybe, a former tenzo) in preparing a menu of his or her choice. On the second Saturday, he or she will assist you to prepare a menu of your choice. After that, you’re invited to sign up as a head cook when you can. Those who are trained Saturday cooks can also check in with the tenzo about progressing to becoming sesshin cooks. Just think of all the Bodhisattvas you might get to beat during a sixteen-hour day!
We look forward to seeing you in the kitchen soon!