Mandala

Like the sand mandala, the kitchen itself and the meals prepared in the kitchen of any dharma center, or home, each have a basic geometric plan.  The physical kitchen is more obvious than the meal but both share this graph or design. In the case of each meal the graph is time, available supplies/tools, and the food. Within these parameters a meal is prepared, offered, and eaten.  In the case of the kitchen itself those of us who worked in restaurants and/or dharma centers have found a basic geographic order, much like the geometric graph laid down for the creating of the sand mandala, is tremendously helpful.  This order is created with both present and future cooks in mind and maintained by all who use the kitchen. In this way daily creation of meals can be done with joy and efficiency.