A Throwback Series: A Piece of My Past (The First)

As promised, I'm gonna share a piece of my life story as a customer service associate a.k.a waitress/cashier. 

Yes. I was a waitress and I am proud that I was once a waitress :) Not everyone can actually do the job. I must tell you, it wasn't an easy one. Ten months almost of being a waitress was way beyond my expectation. At first, I thought I would only last for 3 months or less but alas! It lasted for 9 months over and it's unbelievable. It really was. ^_^ But anyway, I'd like to share to you a few details about my former workplace. 

It's a French-Mediterranean cuisine. It's a fancy restaurant for a small city like ours. To be honest, I didn't even know it existed for more than 4 years already. Funny no? If it wasn't for a friend who really persuaded me to apply, maybe, just maybe, up until now I'd be clueless about it. Tsk! It's embarrassing. I was an HRM graduate yet I was not aware of its existence. 
I should have known. Ugh. blah blah blah..

Moving on..

I started my first day feeling a little rattled. I came in just in time, everyone was so busy doing their routines and blah blah blah and then that's it. I was told to have a straight sched (11-8) but ended but broken (11-2, 6-11)..ugh! Guess what I did for my 4 hours break? I went to the mall and stayed there then went back for my next shift and felt a little comfortable when I noticed a very familiar face in the counter area. Oh. a facebook friend, someone from my school! thank God! atleast, I have someone I know that I can talk to, I mean, we're not really friends but atleast, someone I'm sure I could get along with. 

Later that day my lady boss called me in just to tell me that I should wear make up/s (I actually had my make up on at that moment) and then I said, I am wearing it already and then she looked at me and said, then have it retouch! And I was like (in my mind but uttered it anyway), do I have to take a break to retouch or I can do the retouch tomorrow? and she was really really shocked and said "Now". lol. Guess I blew it off on my first day, eh? 

Moving on..

See me in my training period..

That is me wearing my most friendly smile (lol), in my favorite place at that time. Yes. If you're there, you will see me standing, actually, blocking the cashier's area-almost away from the diners. HAHA! Neal and Julius would usually teased me because I look like a standee, as they described me. At my back is Irish (our pastry chef, one and only lady chef in the kitchen). Oh! She was tough and scary one.  HAHA! 

Can you see the chiller at my back? Inside are variety of cheese, sausages and ham. Do love those? because most foreigner does, Americans in particular. 

Know the worst part of my training? It's when I was told that what I learned in school were all wrong! I mean, c'mon? Are you guys saying that all the money spent for school was ALL for nothing? Haha! Okay, whatever! they know best, so, got nothing else to say! ^_^

Anyway, I learned the basic though: Smile to the guest, open the door for them, greet them as they enter, lead them to their tables, grab the chairs for them and serve them water before or after you give them the menu list. Take their orders, write it down and call it out to the kitchen, set up the table and serve the food after then observe them keenly as they devour their food, so if something went wrong, you'll be prompt to approach them and there'll be no need for them to raise their hands to get a waiter's attention.

After training period. 

Yay. Finally! Worn this after a month. Imagine that! It took me a month just to wear that uniform. Hah! I thought I would never see myself wearing this :P

After training, meaning, I can finally entertain guest independently this time. Though sometimes they'd still don't trust me with some guest, those complicated ones and blah blah blah..

Of course, I screwed up too many times already and every time, it made me wanna quit. but it's normal, right? Many thought about it, I bet. But I still survived :D

Moving on..

During one of the event..

told ya! It's my fave place :P 

shared this one already. :p

I don't look different in three photos, aye? was it a good or bad thing? 

Moving on..

Things turned upside down, it all started when I decided to apply abroad and then there, resignation followed :P 

Now, all that's left to me are the memories with the team :D 

-to be continued-

..you will get to know them one by one: Kitchen Staff: Neal (Saucier, if I'm not wrong), Julius (Sous Chef or Chef de Partie or better ask them? lol), Irish (Pastry Chef), Don2x (Baker)..

Cashiers: Nats and Gale

Bartender: Mac

Dining Staff: Rhyn (Sommelier) and Kurt (Chef de Rang) :D


Until next time! ^_^