The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-01-23
THE PROBLEM OF COOKS.

why doesn't the Advertiser take up
the servant Question again and recon-
mend the English passbook SYSTEM?
asks a woman subscriber who has had
the usua! trouble with itinerant cooks.
In reply the Advertiser would say that
it began preaching from that text a
generation ago and that, when the
Daily was started in 1882, the subject
of specific regulation of domestic ser
wants was taken up In the editors sa-
lutatory. Since then and especially
under its present editorship. this jour
nal has gone over the whole ground OF
bane and remedy. reaching the conclu-
sion that, if domestic service is to be
improved, the housewives must pro-
vide the means through concert of ac-
ton among themselves. Men and news
papers can do little in the sphere of
the kitchen where woman is presumed
to reign.
If three or four hundred, more or
less, of representative women would
meet and agree to hire no servant I'M
less he carries a certificate of pro-
ficiency from some responsible person.
the trouble would settle itself. AS it
is the veriest culinary tyro may enter
almost any kitchen in Honolulu. He
comes, perhaps, from a plantation
where he has cooked for his fellow
laborers. Though he knows just
enough to build fire and ruin a meal
he will say he has cooked for some
well known resident and on that say
so will be given a trial. That is all
he wants. Mr. Coolie figures that he
will be kept for a week anyhow and
that ia money aarpad will
him in Japanese boarding. house for
a fortnight or more, when he can &c
and get another job. Honolulu is full
OF. these wandering roustabouts. Their
employment demoralizes households
keeps good cooks from getting places
and in general way lowers the tone
of conscientious workers and makes
them think that any kind of a culinary
fraud will "go'' in Honolulu.
The recommendation or passport sys-
tenn, if faithfully followed up by house
wives, would stop these abuses or al
least greatly mitigate them. The mere
coolies would be driven out of the
kitchens unless they wanted to WORK
as second men for their board unit
they had learned that something more
than fire and a frying pan is required
in the preparation of meal Thi:
would leave the field to the more de
serving and these, knowing that. with
out a recommendation. they could no
hope to get another job. would do theii
best to please. Moreover we SHOULD
have Oriental cooking schools to traiI
raw servants and give. higher instruc
ton to good ones who find themselve!
unable to prepare all the dishes called
for. In San Francisco where peopl,
are more particular about the cooks
they get than they are here. sucl
schools are common: and if an employ
er asks for an omelet souffle, and tht
Oriental chef does not know how I,
prepare it. he goes that night to Chi
natown school and finds out. Here he
sulks or perhaps serves an awfu
connection and then leaves to take his
turn in some other kitchen.
Certifcation is the remedy. Once
make it clear to the frying pan rabble
of Honolulu that none but well recon-
mended cooks will be hired and, in g
short time, the cookery of the town may
become as famous as are its instincts
of hospitality