The Short-Order Cook
By Gene Aronowitz
The focus of this memoir took place in the 1980s but to tell this story, I have to go back about 30 years to one summer while I was in high school. I was a short-order cook in the Jockey Club at Delaware Park, a race track near my home, The jockeys used that suite of rooms to hang out and eat between races. I got to see and talk to all of the famous jockeys, many of whom would gorge themselves with the food I served them, then drink lots of juice or water, go into the bathroom, and throw up. They had to keep their weight down and this was the way many of them did it. I’m not sure they were bulimic, in the clinical sense, but, rather, simply adopting a practical way to enjoy the taste of food and keep their jobs.
What was also interesting was the fact that they would have a fixed race every once in a while so they could all make a little extra money. The word would get out and people would put bets on the winning horse for them. I never got to do it because I couldn’t get out in time. Anyway, I was a short-order cook there, which gave rise to my being asked a moderately famous question.
Here’s how it happened:
My friend, Larry and I were sitting in Larry’s car. I was talking about my past and said that I once worked at Delaware Park as a short-order cook. Without missing a beat, Larry said, “What’s an order cook?”
A few years later, Larry and I went to an event for former colleagues. One attendee got up to give his favorite recollections. He told the “short-order cook” story, but to my surprise, he said that he was there at the time. He definitely was not there.
The “short-order cook” story had become a true legend.
