To wait or not to wait, that is the real question

Old Uncle Manuel Shakespeare
Unquiet meals make ill digestions

I received an email the other day from a chap, actually it could have been from a woman, not sure, but not that important in the context of the email. They were seeking guidance on whether a career in hospitality is the way to go. Here is the email in full:

"Hi,
I am thinking of doing a 13 week course in Restaurant Skills - Is this a
waste of time? How long does it take to learn to take orders and set up
tables?

Do you enjoy the work?
What are the hours like?

I am working in a dull boring office job at the moment & I'd like a
change. I have an interest in the hotels and restaurants. Most people
would prefer a crap job like this than waiting. Waiting seems to be
looked down upon. I said it to my friends & they think I am mad. They
think I'll end up as a Manuel being bossed around.

Are there possibilities for promotion etc?

I have gone to college - but I just think I'll give it a go.

I am in my mid 30s and would love the challenge of a new career.


Anyway Good Blog,

Regards"

These are all good questions. Let's take them one by one.

"I am thinking of doing a 13 week course in Restaurant Skills - Is this a waste of time? How long does it take to learn to take orders and set up tables?"

All jobs require training and being a waiter is no different. If you have no experience what so ever then sure go for it! But each restaurant has it's own style of service and it's own way of doing things. For example some set tables with both starter and main course cutlery. Some just set with mains and add cutlery as required and so on. A course like the one mentioned will provide you with all the technical knowledge you need. It will give you confidence which is very important. Customers can smell fear and will use it against you. They can be bullying bastards if you let them walk over you. Plus the customer needs to be confident that the waiter knows what they are doing and what they are talking about.

I would suggest a wine course as well. Wine knowledge is very important and the better restaurants will require a good level of wine knowledge. Pizza Hut don't, but then again the Hut's customers don't tip well. You may think you know how to open a bottle of wine but try it in front of 12 drunk businessmen when the cork has gone dry and is starting to crumble. Let me tell you the sweat from your brow hits the glass before the wine does! Knowledge is key. If a customer asks you what the difference is between a jus and a reduction or which wine compliments the Sea Bass best you need to be able to answer it straight away. You can be taught all these things.

You cant be taught how to talk though. And alongside knowledge it's the talk that will earn you the money.

Do you enjoy the work?
What are the hours like?

I love my job. You get to meet such interesting and lovely people. You get to escape the routine of 9 to 5. And no 2 days are the same.

BOLLOCKS! Cant believe I was going to write that!

I do love my job, but it's all about the money honey. There are easier ways to make a living but very few that allow you to go home with undeclared cash in your pocket. Short in your rent? Need cash to get your darling something nice? Pick up an extra shift and you should be quids in. If you are any good you should be able to double your wages with tax free* ease.

As for the hours, the hours are rough. If you love going out every Saturday night and spend your Friday evenings as pished as a high court judge then don't even think about this job. When the rest of the world stops working we start. You don't get St Valentine's day off, you get the 15Th. You wont be getting hammered on St Patrick's day again, no you will be working until 3am. You will have to beg, bribe, and lie to get New Years eve off. You will work every bank holiday forever. I'm not exaggerating. Friends outside of the business will become but distant memories and you will form a new circle of friends who you will drink with until dawn, on a very regular basis.

I have an interest in the hotels and restaurants.

Don't we all! I love staying in a good hotel, but wouldn't want to work in one. Hotels are a 24/7 environment. Thus your shifts will be based around that. Plus tips in hotels are piss poor. Most guests just put everything on their bill and pay with a card as they leave. Thus you get stiffed. Personally I would recommend restaurants over hotels on that basis. The type of restaurant you choose is up to you. But it isn't always the case that the very best restaurants pay the best or allow you to earn the best tips. I would recommend avoiding restaurants that use a point system to pay tips. They are as corrupt as fuck and every shite from the General Manger and Head Chef down to the kitchen porter gets a cut of your wonga. Restaurants were you tip out to the bar, KP etc are better. You control your own cash then.

Are there possibilities for promotion etc?

Always! The best mangers are those that worked their way through the system. You know every aspect of the job as you have done it a thousand times before. I've been there, done that. It wasn't for me. I would rather talk about the quality of this seasons new lamb with a table of 2 than worry about the labour cost or the missing bottle of Vodka.

Anyway Good Blog

Clearly an intelligent and well read individual.

Would I recommend the job? Sure, hell yes! But you need to have a genuine passion for food and wine. You need to be able to judge people (and not just so you can look down on them and make up stories about them) so you can make a decision on how to approach them. You have to have an ability to small talk and be able to put up with oodles and oodles of crap. This is a skill I am starting to lose. I you have a love of daytime TV and don't mind not seeing your old friends any more then go for it.

Oh and you need to be cool with standing about, waiting. That's what we do, we wait....

There are books that might be of help to you here. Further Well Done Fillet Advice here. I'll leave you with this....

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all customers doubt you
But make no allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, but deal in bigger lies,
Or being hated, and give way to hating,
And yet look good, and talk so wise:
Yours is the restaurant and everything that is in it,
And, which is more, you'll be a waiter, my son!

Rudyard Kipling/Manuel Waiter

*I'll deny it if asked by the taxman....