Not even my sneakers helped. I need to score decent footware and those heelpads that you all have messaged me about. Thank you for all the congratulations. Work today was better than yesterday. I'm still not perfect but I've managed to get the hang of it real fast. I can wait on tables now and even handle 3-4 at a time. I'm starting slow, choosing to serve only two per table so I don't get overwhelmed with the amount of orders. Despite this being the most tiring job I have ever done, it was quite a bit of fun. It's so easy to panic trying to make sure your customer gets their food at the soonest possible time. Most hungry people, including me, are grumpy so it pays not to piss them off. I slammed into Paul again today while running out of the kitchen, as in body slam pare tapos natapakan ko pa siya. Ang laki kong babae at ang payat niyang intsik, kitang kita sa mukha niya yung pain pare. I could feel everyone in the kitchen laughing at me.
Kenny was amazing. He served as my cheerleader and coach, reminding me to review the menu on my lull moments and ask Paul to teach me all the things I needed to know specially for the opening and closing duties. Everytime I would have an order from his sushi bar, he would pass on the dish with an encouraging smile and a "Go! Go! Go!" I was wrong yesterday, he's not chinese but Malaysian but can speak their language. He sat down and chatted with me about his life and the economy (hehe) during the quiet hours.
Ang hirap ng trabaho. We were packed again over the dinner rush. It was crazy! I'm not even going to make it sound glamorous. I don't want people having the impression that I'm living a grand life and ang sarap ng buhay ko sa New York. T*ngina pare, mahirap talaga ang trabaho. Kung nagrereklamo ako dati na pagod na pagod na ko sa trabaho ko sa TPC, mygawd wala pa sa kalingkingan yun ng pagod ko dito. I don't know how Paul ever managed to do everything on his own for two solid weeks without help. I'm only on my second day and ibang klase ang sakit ng katawan ko. But it was all worth it when Paul handed me my share of the tips for the day. I get less than he does since I'm the new kid and will eventually get more when I stop depending on Paul for most things. I did a quick mental math and smiled. Diyoskopo! Isang araw lang at sa ganung pera, bakit pa ako babalik ng pilipinas?!? Yoko na boy!
The only bad thing about this job is the commute home. The trip going to work in the morning is okay since there is an abundance of busses and trains. The busses run fewer late at night and the cold is more unforgiving during my 20 minute wait at the bus stop. Trains are seldom during weekends and the restaurant closes even later then. I'll end up getting home at 3am and have to wake up in 4 hours to prepare for work again. I need to move somewhere close...and soon.
Oh, and before I forget...
Happy Birthday to Mr. Paul Santiago!
He turns 16 today!
Kenny was amazing. He served as my cheerleader and coach, reminding me to review the menu on my lull moments and ask Paul to teach me all the things I needed to know specially for the opening and closing duties. Everytime I would have an order from his sushi bar, he would pass on the dish with an encouraging smile and a "Go! Go! Go!" I was wrong yesterday, he's not chinese but Malaysian but can speak their language. He sat down and chatted with me about his life and the economy (hehe) during the quiet hours.
Ang hirap ng trabaho. We were packed again over the dinner rush. It was crazy! I'm not even going to make it sound glamorous. I don't want people having the impression that I'm living a grand life and ang sarap ng buhay ko sa New York. T*ngina pare, mahirap talaga ang trabaho. Kung nagrereklamo ako dati na pagod na pagod na ko sa trabaho ko sa TPC, mygawd wala pa sa kalingkingan yun ng pagod ko dito. I don't know how Paul ever managed to do everything on his own for two solid weeks without help. I'm only on my second day and ibang klase ang sakit ng katawan ko. But it was all worth it when Paul handed me my share of the tips for the day. I get less than he does since I'm the new kid and will eventually get more when I stop depending on Paul for most things. I did a quick mental math and smiled. Diyoskopo! Isang araw lang at sa ganung pera, bakit pa ako babalik ng pilipinas?!? Yoko na boy!
The only bad thing about this job is the commute home. The trip going to work in the morning is okay since there is an abundance of busses and trains. The busses run fewer late at night and the cold is more unforgiving during my 20 minute wait at the bus stop. Trains are seldom during weekends and the restaurant closes even later then. I'll end up getting home at 3am and have to wake up in 4 hours to prepare for work again. I need to move somewhere close...and soon.
Oh, and before I forget...
Happy Birthday to Mr. Paul Santiago!
He turns 16 today!
dearest kari,
sorry that our convo was cut short... i was on my way back to check on my three rundown stations after doing my daily inventory.
anyway... i'm a bit and a half amused about what we talked about. t'was cheeky of the universe to throw you a Doppelgänger of someone you're trying to forgive. hehehe!
when you can afford it, please buy yourself a comfortable pair of nonslip shoes (birkenstock clogs are the best). your back will thank you for it.
also, REVIEW your menu as much as you can. a good server knows all the components of each dish. an excellent server will know how the food is prepared and cooked. a BAD-ASS server will know all that i mentioned above, plus the brand of fry oil they use in the kitchen (details like that ya know). establish a good relationship with the cooks. DO NOT (in any way) PISS THEM OFF. they have the power to either make or break you.
look fresh, pretty, feel upbeat, and always smile even if you feel like smashing a water glass on top of your guest's head. make 'em feel like you would bend over backwards and jump over the moon to accommodate their requests. and, to maximize your earning potential, i will share with you one huge tip.
ALWAYS UPSELL BY SUGGESTION. know what goes good with what... the pricier the menu item you throw their way, the better. as you know the formula: tip = 15-20+% of total bill + whatever they give you for awesome service.
you can do it bebe. ;)
welcome to the circus. prepare to get shitfaced after almost every shift.
love,
your favorite chef de partie
p.s.
i forgot to mention the math behind the equation i mentioned in my long ass list of advice. keep it up, move here and you'll make over three hundred big ones a night. ;)