Very Small Feet

I think I already spoke a lot about the culture and perception around catering and hospitality in the UK. It is seen as unskilled and cheap yet we all want excellent service and food. Well chef’s job is not only physical and physiologically hard and Ratatouille Colette’s rant describes it very well. At the same time waiter (a good waiter) it is also super hard, talk to customers, give suggestion if needed, make sure everyone is happy with everything including you manager that you have “Up sell” enough ... but yet it is still it’s unskilled.  My little rant is over I am actually here to tell you why my chef husband hates one of our son’s favourite cartoon.  With arrivals of Disney + we have watched a lot of Ratatouille a lot. Like a lot. Also the short cartoon is also brilliant. I actually have very fond memories of watching it on the plane back to Russia when British Airways still flew there, when I had choice of what white wine I wanted the Australian or French? Oh I do miss ...

Wee man pointed on his shoe. His shoelace came undone, so there I was one knee down on pavement fixing his shoelace drama. He is very particular about some things, I guess it’s quirks of his condition.  I digress. So there I was and I looked a little to the side and saw this guy  Just on the floor, looking sad and wet. It’s a succulent I m not sure what it is called but I know what it would look like after some time. It will be amazing.  So a while back I met this lady, she is an independent business owner and she is looking to grow it. So we got talking and I started working for her part time for now.  And then some drama happened so I had to leave my catering job. That job that I m good at but I never wanted and was only mean to stay for a year. Now it was almost two years... After I gave my notice and and now at my other job I felt like .... I can have pink hair now, and/or an visible arm tattoo, I can do all these things I am afraid of and deems as inappropriate ...

Facebook alerted my last month that it has been a year since I have started work.  I had interviews. I had good and bad ones.  Last one, they just got some one a little bit better than me. It made me sad.  So now I am working  with my husband.  I am a waitress.  (Some ET latte art from bar team) So here is the issue...  Perception of catering is changes very very slowly in UK, but so slowly. My co-workers in a majority are students and are so very young. And only few treat this job as an actual job. Sometimes I feel useless I am 33 and I work part time as a waitress.  But why do I feel like this. I enjoy chatting to people, interaction, when they listen to my advice and enjoy their time in the restaurant. Or even tell me stuff they get up to that day. Husband can’t comprehend why people tell me things. Well it’s like my super power, I always had it! I like the flexibility of my working hours and tips.  I recently discovered that one other mum...

I have been a bit busy with everything lately... I finally started working. In the same place as my hubby. So I am back in catering and hospitality.  Well it is not my dream job but what is?  Work is work and this is something I enjoy and in a way I am passionate about. I love food and drink and working with people.  And it is relatively easy. I still have a lot to learn but actual work like dealing with guests is like riding a bicycle. I love talking to people. And no day is the same.  At the moment I am still training and we as a family are trying to work out the work life banace. And no one seems to be able to feed the little one but me...  Speaking off Egg he is not sleeping again... but that is another story! Catering is such a big industry here in UK but what strikes me that unless you are a manager it isn’t seen as a profession. That makes me sad and annoyed. But already there is more appreciation for barmen maybe same is coming for waiting. Here is to ho...

I think it is a well deserved holiday! Especially considering that I had 9 days of work in a row with 3 split shifts... very draining! But hey I made most of my time... by doing as little as I can..  So the highlights were... My friend Charlotte needed models for her portfolio... Yes it is that serious!  So far she published these  It was a bit surreal... she did not like me pulling faces! It is so hard not to stick the toungue out to the camera. But she was truly great, told me lots of times that I'm doing great and how beautiful I was.. Oh you!!  So, Charl, I am so excited to see the rest of the pictures. We also drunk wine, talked tattoos, films and men!  Couple of days ago I was waiting for hubby to come home from work so... I did some cross stitching... because of the size of this reindeer my hands were hurting so much...  But it is super cute... and a start of Christmas project.....

Catering and hospitality is a different world. We all drink, eat junk, socialise with others on weekdays or Sunday nights... If your friends don't work in catering chances are you don't really see them. Most of my friends are people I worked with at some point in life. We do not work together any more so it is hard to get to spend time together. But we manage to meet up at least once a month with some of them.  This time it was just me and Dessy. Oh we went shopping and didn't buy anything, that passive shoppaholic thing... Then we went for food to this new Cuban place... Very mexican food. Home made salsas, tortillas! It was nice. The pineapple and chilly salsa is to die for! Then we always should have wine...  We ended the evening with trip to cinema. I finally got to see Magic Mike... You know the one about male strippers...  And it was as I expected... plot was a bit.. well not very good. Some questionable...