Teaching a new housekeeper how to work in a kosher kitchen

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Forum -> Household Management -> Kosher Kitchen

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amother

Lawngreen

Thu, Sep 24 2015, 3:09 pm

I have help for the first time. She barely speaks English but we figure out how to communicate.
How do I teach her how to clean and work in a kosher kitchen? We have separate meat and dairy everything but there are still a lot of things that are confusing for her. I.e. Not to use the same cleaning cloth for all counters, the concept of parve.
Can those of you who have effectively taught your help please give me some tips?
Thanks

amother

Seashell

Thu, Sep 24 2015, 3:43 pm

I speak Spanish fluently.
But here is an idea maybe type what you want to tell her in google translate.

I told my housekeeper that we are highly allergic and things had to be separate because it could send my kids to the hospital. I told her this so that she understands that it is extremely important to keep things separate.
Also everything is clearly labeled in Spanish and color coded. Red towel sponge etc. is for the meat side and blue everything is for the milk side.
She took it very seriously so she always asks before she does something in the kitchen.

She now works for another frum family, English speaking only, and she asked me if all Jews have this weird allergy. I told her yes, and to be careful because it's very dangerous.

amother

Ivory

Thu, Sep 24 2015, 4:28 pm

amother wrote:

I skip parve and I skip the differences between hot and cold. My kitchen is divided and color coded. I have two of everthing so it is easier. I speak enough Spanish that I can teach her meat and milk. Google translate is also helpful.

The cleaning ladies talk together so I wouldn't claim this weird allergy. It is disrespectful and dishonest.

SingALong

Thu, Sep 24 2015, 4:43 pm

Get a dictionary English-Spanish, or whatever language she speaks. It's good for when you can't use google translate like on shabbos. I used to hang up a list of frequently used words and translation in the kitchen for myself.
Label everything like above posters said. Some Judaica stores have meat-milk-parve labels in Spanish. You might be able to explain parse by saying, fruit, vegetable, bread, cookie, etc. tell her you'd rather she asks you a few times a day than not and makes mistake so she feels ok asking you when she's unsure.
Good luck!

bluebird

Thu, Sep 24 2015, 5:57 pm

amother wrote:

What language does she speak? You could look up information in that language to print for her to read.

For example:

http://www.es.chabad.org/libra.....t.htm
http://www.es.chabad.org/libra.....r.htm
http://www.es.chabad.org/libra.....e.htm

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