L
onghours,highratesofdrugandalcohol
abuse,bullying,poormentalhealth– thedark
sideofworkinginhospitalityrightlygetsa lot
ofairplay.Butwhiletheseissuesarepartof
thepressure-cookerenvironmentofkitchen
andrestaurantculture,it’sfarfromthewhole
story.Beingonstaffat a restaurant,barorcaféis also
aboutcamaraderie,buildingself-confidence,acquiring
technicalandorganisationalskills,sparkingcreativityand
evenboostingmentalhealth– afterall,it’swheremanyof
usfindourtribeandsowtheseedsforsuccessfulcareers.
Baggingthatfirstjobis easierthaninmanysectorsand
onceyou’vegota foothold,skillsarehighlytransferable.
Forthosewhothrive,a hospitalitycareercanbea
lifesaver. For those who excel, the sky’s the limit.➤Heavyweightsofthehospitalityindustrycometoitsdefencewithstories
of friendship, success and creativity, writesFIONA DONNELLY.
The
light
side