Lost..on the lunatic fringe...

here's two.......

"The fat cap cheesecake" after you have reserved any braising liquid in cylindrical container ( 3 gallon bucket works great) let it cool overnight. the following day you will have a nice circular fat cap on top. extract without breaking and you have a perfectly round "cheesecake" to decorate with chocolate, berries, etc... set it out for a hungry serving staff. makes for a great family meal....yummy!

tuck a funnel down the front of your pants and balance a cherry tomato on your nose. you have to lean your head back to balance it. show some people and tell them that its really hard to make it fall from your nose into the funnel. when they lean their head back to try dump ice cold water down the funnel!!! works every time.

courtesy-mcclain brown and the boys from seviche on goose creek

Here's one I've always been fond of-

You know that one guy in the kitchen who just loves to play annoying little practical jokes? (All kitchens have one-sometimes it's the potwasher, sometimes it's the chef, but there's always one of them.) Here's a good way to even the score, and prevent further annoyances.

Things you will need:
-a 5 gallon bucket of water.
-a Phillps head screwdriver.
-at least two or three assistants. (Shouldn't be hard to find-this guy's probably already zinged most of the staff.)

First, you will need to disable the safety release on your walk-in freezer. Designs vary, but usually this can be accomplished by taking off the face plate on the outside of the door handle and removing the rod that pops the latch. If you are lucky enough to have a walk-in freezer with a deadbolt or chain lock that operates independently of the safety release, this step is not required.

Next, gather your assistants, and send the prankster to the freezer for something that will require them to be in there for a minute or so. As soon as they are in there, sneak up to the doorway, with your assistants on the hinged side of the door and yourself on the open side, holding your 5 gallon bucket of water.

Douse Mr. Practical Joker with water just before your pals slam the door shut and hold it closed until you can get it locked or otherwise secured. Now go about your business for the rest of the night while Laughing Boy's testicles freeze off. Let him out before you go home for the night if you want to be nice about this.

P.S.-Don't forget to have the cooks get everything they will need for the day out of the freezer before executing your plan.

I do remember some of the chefs at school sending a particularly annoying student around to all the lab kitchens looking for a "can of steam" or a "left handed knife."

They do make left handed knives, just so you know...

Most Japanese knives have "D-shaped" handles that contour to the shape of you palm when you grip it.
A right-handed knife will be terribly uncomfortable to use for a leftie, and vice versa.
...And somehow I ended up in a kitchen that's mostly made up of lefties.

I once witnessed the kitchen staff at a restaurant wrap another employee's entire car in saran wrap. Several layers think. It was pretty entertaining watching his reaction.

I think I was involved in this incident, actually...
That is, if it's who i think it is - whom we both know well.






Funny this thread was started, because i was killing time on eGullet the other day reading a very similar thread:

eG Forums :Greatest Kitchen Practical Jokes
I can't remember but (free) registration may be require to view the thread.

placed a large dead cicada in one of our cooks purse tonight, wonder if she found it??

This one is still "an oldie but a goodie"...

This prank is especially good for those who go home at night and have an other shift that opens up in the morning and has the lunch shift...

Get a pitcher of water and fill up up all of the ladles that usually hang up (at least in most kitchens I've worked in)above the line...

Every time the unsuspecting rube grabs one they get wet...and again... and again..

You get bonus points for the server that has the first order of soup and needs that ladle....

grease on the door handles of the car is always a nice touch

find a nice bunch of fresh hops, place them in a small plastic sandwich bag, and drop it somewhere where your smoking staff is likely to find it

I was wondering what that was.....as I frantickly sought out a carrot, a skewer, and some tin foil...LOL.

Sweet Potatoes work better

We rigged the bathroom door in the kitchen to switch on an industrial size fan with a hotel pan of cornstarch in front of it. When they open the door, the fan switches on and they get coated. We call it antique-ing.

Another one is while your line cook isn't looking, slip some dry ice in a steamwell. The cook freaks out because he thinks it caught on fire.

Best prank I ever pulled, but it wasn't in the kitchen.

Spike someones drink with a few drops of Methylene Blue. We used to do it to each other freshmen year in college. Mix a little bit of the powder with water, and a pour it into their coke. It does have a an odor and color so either go very light on the dose, or wait until after work and some drinking (and god help them if they order a blue girly drink, you can go nuts). Sure, watching someones face when they drink tobasco is good. But nothing is better than watching them flip out because they are peeing bright blue. Check out the details at: http://cre.ations.net/creation/body-mod ... r-pee-blue

Disclaimer: Some people can be allergic to it (won't kill em, just cause a stomach cramp/crapping), but if they have any kidney problems don't even think about it.

KY Jelly or Vaseline under door handles is always fun.

reverse the handle positions on employee restroom and doors, so they lock from the outside

glue/sew several linens together

sew the sleeves of the chef coats on the inside, so the hands will not exit the sleeve

Seriously, Shawn, your subtle pranks are awesome. And you have so many. Makes me wish I was still in the f and b houses. If I was, I'd be borrowing your prankolicious spendor. Sewing chef coat sleeves... so dumb but sooo funny.

KY Jelly or Vaseline under door handles is always fun.

Jalapeno juice is another good one on the men's room handle, but it is a bit sadistic - keep vinegar handy to counteract

Ya know, several years ago, I worked at a very popular family owned fruit market, back in the deli area. We made our own salsa, etc. Anyway, one of the guys I worked with was making the salsa, and forgot to wear gloves. Keep in mind, he was handling jalapenos, habaneros, etc. Anyway, he went in the back to use the restroom, and we heard him scream. Apparently, he had gotten hot pepper juice all over his hands. apparently, this felt no-so-good on his uhm, nether regions. I don't think he works at the location any longer, but omg, did he get teased about that. He never, EVER forgot to wear gloves again when making salsa, though.