A few days ago I had the chance to work in the restaurant from my workplace which gives food to more than 1.000 people. It was a backstage experience where any employee could spend 1 day working full day in the restaurant kitchen.

I must say it was one of the most rewarding and exhausting things I have done in my life:

From starting the day a many hours earlier than usual, to be standing all day long, cutting vegetables like crazy, preparing the buffet, hundred of salads, serving food to people, that don´t even look at you when getting the food: some of them where my own friends and/or colleagues which I had to call by their name in order to get their faces up to the human being behind the dish of food .
Then cleaning everything in order to start all over again the very next day. I worked as hard and as happy, as I have never done in my life... as if there was not another day .

When I went back home, I was sweating, my muscles were in pain, and I only could dream of lying down; but I knew I wouldn´t forget this day, the team spirit and the joy I felt spending a day with such a lovely group of people. Having had a life where I mostly spent it between books and now office, meetings and trips, that was an entire new perspective.

Any similar experiences, thoughts, comments?

Good night!

Are you going to switch career now?

I always make eye contact with whomever is serving me food. It's very handy when you're at the back of the scrum at, for example, the Migros food counter, or you'd like a larger than usual portion. As well as being common courtesy.

Working in restaurants or bars is great when the team really comes together, and you feel a strong sense of camaraderie.....but as you experienced it's incredibly tiring...early starts, late finishes and perhaps not earning much for it (in the UK at least).

I've worked in restaurants and bars, so from personal experience - it's fun but gets repetitive. Sometimes customers can be really rude...!

Doing something different to your everyday job is always exciting. I definitely think having variety in your job is one of the things that helps people to get up in the morning.

Sightly off topic - there was a British TV series which started in 1997 - 'Back to the Floor' where top people in firms or organisations worked for a week 'down among the lads'. I remember seeing one top executive from the Water Board who went round delivering large containers of fresh water to people in an area where the water in the taps was polluted. He had to explain to them all why the pipes were in such bad condition and why the Board had not replaced the pipes long before. And to make the poor guy's life worse, the brand new 'containers' of water he was giving out all leaked once they had been opened. Every single one of the taps dripped.

Another episode was the headmistress of Benenden working at a comprehensive school. She literally didn't know what had hit her. An eye-opener to her and to me. Great series.

Great in real life as you describe it too. Brownie points to you for taking up the challenge.

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Longbyt

No, not really (specially after the hard hard work ).

Clever you. I noticed recently how fun is to pay real attention to people you come accross on your daily life - as opposite to be absorbed on your own problems. And if you smile or laugh, it gets even better.

Watch out the scale

More importantly: do you still go to the canteen, now that you know how all the food is prepared?

And a smile. A genuine smile can do wonders. Especially when you dont speak the language

Yup. They left nothing for the complains corner

Amen to that Gata

I'm glad you enjoyed your experience. I think that to experience the day in someone elses shoes is worth alot, to yourself and those who you'll come across in the future.

True. I would love to be in the shoes of some rich woman who does nothing but sits on her butt the whole day...