I still remember during my first training in my diploma days, I had my first hands on training in the hospitality industry. What I remembered the most, is that i had this split personality dilemma, whereby I have to be cheery and smiley in front of the customer and when I turn my back, I am back to my normal state of emotions whether it is sad or happy. Then during my second training, it was worst because it was when I was in the window of breaking up. I broke down in the restaurant, I was stressed by the manager ( which is good for my career growth ) and when its time for the restaurant to open, I have to be smiley.
It has been almost 5 years since I jump into this industry and my my, I still felt like I am just a beginner taking baby steps. Other occupations deal with numbers, sick people, sales, we deal with food, people, complaints, sales, skills, wines, relationships etc etc. We work from morning till night, with just a three hours of break in between ( if we are lucky of course ). Screw that 8 working hours window, our working hours is when the restaurant door opens, till it closes at night. Not forgetting, we are standing through the service ( means from the time we are open for lunch/dinner until lunch of dinner ended ). Are we tired? Hell yeah we are.
But not everyone understands that of course and sometimes they had forgotten that we are humans too. Not sometimes, most of the time. Damn. From their perspectives, they pay for that price and they expect value for money and of course squeeze the most out of it, then only worth it mah ~~~ Very simple example:
You make reservation for 8 person, we arrange the table nicely for you. Then you call again, saying that down to 6 person. We remove one table for you and open up that table for another customer. Later when you reach the restaurant, you said that ohhh, my children wants to tag along as well, so now its back to 8 person. So tell me, where to get another table for you? Then 2 person wants room temperature water, 4 person ice water, then 2 person sparkling water. @@
Similar situation happens on a daily basis and all that we can do, is to endure it and think of a quick solution. So tell me, how to release the mental stress at work? Puffs and alcohol, what else. ( Not me of course. ) With all this mental and physical stress at work, is our pay high? No. Its one of the lowest paid occupation. So tell me, who would want to work in this industry? Its very straight forward. That is also one of the very same reason I choose to work in SG and not in my hometown. Because at least when I convert back, I will still have some savings.
From what I heard from my experienced colleague, this industry used to be really fun and enjoyable. But now, it is much of difficult to endure. Why? Because of the customers. With all the exposures of food in the media, celebrity chefs rising everywhere, people are learning more about food which is very positive of course. The down side is when your knowledge of it, is just brushing on the surface but you assume that you know plenty. For us, who are working and learning about what we serve on daily basis, we know what we are selling and it is very annoying that people start questioning us on our understanding of our product. And it is very frustrating when people started to demand on extravaganza things and they think that we MUST compliance with that because they are paying the bill. Quote what my colleague said, 'Pay for peanuts ask for gold'.
Sometimes you come to work motivated and happy, but once service started, everything just starting to go downhill because of these problems and people. When this happens, you have to keep motivating yourself, keep cheering yourself up, ignore it and continue back to work. Sometimes when I work, my colleagues ask me, why you look so happy? I always said, of course you must be happy, if not how to work?
If only people can be more understanding.
If only people can learn how to respect us.
If only people can acknowledge that we are also professionals.
If only the F&B scene in Asia can change.
If.......
In a nutshell, somehow I just wish that someone could have educate everyone about this industry so that we can be treated fairly as well. We should be an educator, a messenger to deliver what is the food that they are having and the know-hows on how to eat them. A person who can make your meal an enjoyable one. Well, this is just my personal thoughts. Not everyone thinks that way of course. So cheers!