Why Working in the Greystone Kitchen Is So Special
All of our Greystone Staff Applications are live now, and that includes our Kitchen Staff Application!
Did you know that we hire teenagers to prepare all of the delicious, homemade food served to the campers? The Greystone Kitchen Program is so much more than that though. It is set up as a “camp within a camp” so that our staff are able to have both a work experience and a camp experience at the same time. Kitchen Staff is the hardest, most fun work you’ll ever do!
We’ve shared some of our favorite recipes (Bread Pudding, Cheesy Chicken Spinach, Greystone Pizza) over the years, and now we’re going to share what makes the Greystone Kitchen such a great place to work from some of our current staff.
What convinced you to apply to work in the Kitchen?
“I went to high school with a former kitchen staffer. When I was looking for a summer job she told me I should look into working in the kitchen at Camp Greystone. She spoke so highly of her experience that I signed up for the entire summer not knowing anyone and never having set foot on camp property.” - Gaby
“I first heard about the opportunity to work in the Greystone Kitchen from a friend. They had worked for a few years when I was a camper, and it seemed like a great way to experience even more of camp. My friend convinced me to apply so that I could still experience camp even if I wasn’t a camper.” - Brooks
“When I was a camper I remember watching the Kitchen Staff, and they always seemed to be having fun. When I needed a summer job in high school, I thought that it would be fun to try it out!” - Chloe
“Gervais asked me to work for him in the Kitchen after we discovered that we attended the same high-school (many years apart!). He told me it was an opportunity to learn how to work hard while having fun and to experience camp life. Realizing it would be weeks away from my parents, it was a no-brainer for me to sign up.” - Murphy
What did no one tell you about working in the Kitchen?
“How big of a role music plays in the kitchen. Music always plays, everyday. It always brings us together and improves our moods. We all sing along constantly and sometimes dance. Whether the music is Christmas songs for Christmas in July or Italian for Pizza Night, it is my favorite part of the kitchen. Every year I have one song that reminds me of my summer at Greystone, and I love listening to my playlists at home, thinking about camp!” - Rebekah
“It is HARD work. It might look like we are just giggling and having fun, and while that’s true, we’re also working hard all day long.” - Mia
“That my tolerance for gross things would go way up. Cleaning the slop buckets? Easy peasy. Cutting 400 pounds of raw chicken. A walk in the park. Going elbow-deep in a bathtub-sized sink to wash 800 plates. Just another day at work.” - Murphy
Tell me about your favorite out-of-kitchen activity.
“Capture the Flag. Just like regular Evening Programs for the campers, we have nightly EPs after we finish up in the kitchen. Capture the Flag is my favorite because seeing camp at night is really special. It’s pitch black outside, and when you’re hiding out there alone, camp feels really calm…until it’s your turn to tag someone trying to get your flag.” - Brooks
“Sunday EPs! I love when we leave camp on Sundays to go to Asheville for a movie and dinner or Greenville for a baseball game. The older I got,I found myself more fond of Sunday afternoons spent in camp. Dinner and swimming at Putt Cove followed by watching a Drew and Ellie concert from the Dining Hall porch. Sign. Me. Up.” - Gaby
“My favorite out-of-kitchen activity is going to Putt Cove with all of the Kitchen Staff for a bonfire and s’mores on the last night of the session. We all share our favorite memories from the session. The s’mores are always amazing, and we enjoy looking up at the stars and being with each other one last time.” - Rebekah
“The nightly EPs are the best. I can’t choose just one, but my personal favorites are the Counselor Hunt in town, swimming at the pool, and the campwide version of Capture the Flag.” - Mia
“I love waking up early to sit on the Dining Hall porch and watch the fog over the lake while having quiet time. I love going on a walk during Rest Hour when camp is peaceful (and hot). I love sitting on the side porch of the Kitchen at dusk, and the Kitchen Staff just hang out and talk with each other.” - Murphy
What surprised you the most about being on Kitchen Staff?
“I never imagined the impact the people would have on my life. For the last 8 years, my Kitchen friends have been the first people I call when I need a listening ear, an extra prayer, or a voice of reason. I have spent hours in the car to make sure I can be there for performances, weddings, graduations, and birthdays. Their parents and siblings have become my second family. It feels like I have known them forever because Kitchen Staff friendships grow faster and stronger than any other.” - Gaby
“What surprised me most about joining the Kitchen Staff was how close I became with the rest of the staff. Working with the same people for 5-8 weeks really creates lasting relationships, especially when you return the next year. I made so many great friends through camp that I still talk to on a regular basis throughout the year.” - Brooks
“That I would be capable of handling so much responsibility! Here’s a tiny example. My first day on Prep Side, I was asked to make a batch of hummus. I had no idea what a garbanzo bean was nor how to use a robot coupe nor what a “half-size pan” is to put the hummus into. My counselor gave me some guidance and then left me to it. Now I know that garbanzo beans are the same as chickpeas, I can run the robot coupe like a champ, and I can add various “flavors” to the hummus like roasted red peppers, lemon, or even black beans. - Murphy
“The friendships I have formed over the years. When I first started working in the kitchen I did not think I would get so close with my co-workers. Coming back for a 4th year now, I have made friends that will last a lifetime, and I am forever thankful that Kitchen Staff allowed me to create them! - Rebekah
What would you tell someone who is thinking about being on Kitchen Staff?
“Do it!! It is such a fun experience that you will never forget. Although it is hard work, it is worth it. Greystone creates a family that you can always come back to and will always love.” - Rebekah
“Working on the Kitchen Staff is hard. It’s hot. There are plenty of long days. And the Dish Room is far from glamorous. But attitude is everything. If you only focus on the heat or how tired you are, you will make the experience harder than it needs to be. It’s all temporary. Trust me, come November you’ll be wishing you were back elbow deep in a sink full of dishes because at least you would have your camp friends by your side.” - Gaby
“Sign up ASAP! It will be the best summer of your life! It is definitely a life changing experience!” - Mia
“I was hesitant when I first signed up to work in the Kitchen because I didn’t know what to expect. Now I know it was one of the best decisions I’ve made! I’ve met some of my best friends and had the most fun summers. I love the Kitchen because I am able to enjoy all of my favorite parts of camp that I loved as a camper (like making friends, doing fun activities, and growing closer to God), while learning how to work hard and become a leader.” - Chloe
Anything else you want to add?
“You’re never going to get this opportunity anywhere else. To be at a job where your supervisors are also your mentors and friends is unique. The counselors are there to make sure that you succeed in the job as well as growing in your faith with the Lord and developing close friendships with your peers. Gervais and Alli set the standards super high and then help you achieve those goals. And just when you think you’re exhausted from working until 3:00pm, a new best friend (easily) convinces you to go play a pick-up game of Basketball or to take a canoe out or walk and talk around the River Trail. Your answer is always yes because where else can you go canoeing when you’re on a break from work?” - Murphy
“I’m a 23-year-old law student who is still trying to figure out how to make it back for at least part of the summer (7th summer woohoo)! I think that speaks for itself.” - Gaby
Do they have you convinced? The application is waiting!
Or do you know a teenager who was made for our Kitchen crew? Share this Blog post or the application with him or her today! We can’t wait to meet the team that the Lord assembles for our Kitchen Staff for 2023. Best summer ever in the Kitchen, here we come!
