I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!

Here's a picture or me, Esther and Vivian! I love their uniform cuz its looks very smart!! SMILE:)

Here's a picture of Vivian and me! Smile again!:)

All Thanks to Yan Qing, I have finally found my long awaited job in a hotel. And guess what?! Theres a bonus... il be working right inside the five star Oriental Hotel under the Banquet Department WooHoo!!!:) According to Yan Qing, they seemed pretty desperate for new workers for the day 7/7/07 and after, so this could be the reason why we were accepted!

It was really exciting as this was my first time working in the F&B department. So just the day before I started work... I prayed that everything would be run smoothly and that I would enjoy myself:)

Saturday
After my music lesson, I immediately rushed down to CityHall to meet Vivian and Yan Qing up!(Vivian was apparently interested to work too!) I nearly messed my pants cuz I was nervous and excited! knowing that it would be our first day, we rushed to the main office so as not to be late. (You know... first impression always counts hehe!!:)

When we headed towards the Banquet Office, everyone seemed to be in a hurry, running up and down, maybe it was because they were preparing for the wedding that night, where all three of us were involved too!:)

I got changed quickly and waited three thousand years for Vivian to get dressed, put on her make-up... aiyah very troublesome girls stuff correct already lah LOL!:) Then we rushed to the office to assemble ourselves! It was really stressful and interesting as the seniors and officers didn't care if we were new or old. They all expect us to perform at our best NO MATTER WHAT! Next, we were assigned to a senior, a very nice girl who then gave us a very quick tour of the whole place; kitchens, ballrooms, atriums, more kitchens, more ballrooms and more atriums lol! Wah lao eh, the whole place seemed as huge as the hotel itself! One could easily lose themselves and be stuck there forever! It was like a maze lah! We tried our very best to familiarise with all the places whoo!!:)

After the tour, all the servers had to gather at the ballroom for a briefing by the big boss! Haha... There's something really interesting about this man. He spoke Cantonese, Hokkien, used vulgurities as a language itself and weird thing is, he appeared extremely calm! Maybe I supposed he had decades of experience in this line of work thats why he wasn't panicking.

We were briefed on the menu, the drinks avaliable, how to use the serving gear, the kinds of glasses and their uses and how fast we are expected to work! Wow... that seemed like a lot of stuff to be swallowed at one go lol:) but it was managable!:) I started asking lots and lots of question like... how much wine must we fill the glass with and how should we pour the wine blah blah blah!! Aiyah panicking already... what to do?!?!! hahahah:)

After all the super heavy briefing, it was the moment of truth!!! Guests started pouring in and filling up that tables. We had to contantly ask them if they wanted any drinks in an extremely polite way and get them their drinks ASAP! We were told off by the seniors should we be caught skiving, scary haha!! then came the serving of the dishes.. we had to move as swiftly as possible in order to make sure that we were moving with time. Portioning the dishes was really really freaky, although it wasn't really much of a problem! There were a few instances when I portioned the dishes unevenly, which resulted in my guests receiving too much or too little food.

While they were enjoying their meal, we had to standby and take out new plates to be replaced as fast as possible, followed by the next dish. At the mean time, we had to constantly refill our table guests with drinks once they were below half glass full! Everything happened very fast and I had problems catching up!!:( Back behind the kitchen, it was CHAOTIC!!! Plates and dishes literally crashed onto the floor by the second hahaha!!:) No one cleared them, not because they didn't bother, but because they were TOO DARN BUSY! So everyone just kicked the plates aside and continued with their duties:) I was so GLAD that I managed to portion the steamed groupa evenly and neatly, and that I didn't spilled any drinks on anyone YAY:) Although there was once I nearly spilled all the fish head gravy on this lady, who kept staring at the plate with this "OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH, ITS GOING TO SPILL!!!"expression. Luckily, I noticed it and immediately carried the huge dish away from her. (Imagine her screaming at me in front of the whole crowd and forcing me to pay up for her beautiful dress, which may cost a few hundred dollars?!?!?! I'd rather slit my wrist and DIE LOL!!

After the whole dinner when everyone left, I thought it was time to go home! but I was DEAD WRONG!! haha.. we ended up clearing tables, stripping the whole ballroom and putting on a whole new set of table cloth and chair covers etc! I was an amazing sight to see the whole ballroom transform from a creamy royal white to dark stylish silver! I had to wash trolleys, shift tables that were larger than me, clear the dishes etc! By the time I ended, it was already three and surprisingly, I wasn't tired! Then managed to take a company sponsered Cab home!! Arrived home at close to 5 am, slept for one hour, then got ready for my next shift at 9 am LOL!!:) Man this was really exhausting and I forced myself out of bed and got ready!

Met Vivian at 8 then walked to The Oriental slowly haha!!:) Her feet were sore and both of us look tired! We then got ready for Sunday's shift, which was a buffet lunch. This time we were under Mr Marcel, a perfectionist coordinator whom I respect!:) Though I received a 'telling off' from him once, I find him a nice guy cuz he gave us a lunch break LOL!:) Vivian and I had missed Lunch, Dinner and breakfast already and we were famished!:(

Buffet was much more relaxing and fun I feel!! I got to know a few really good people, who helped me alot, and they are Esther, a really funny and enthu gal, Andy, who helped me and taught me lots of things on Sunday and many other whom ive forgotten! Thanks guys:) Ive made many friends these two fantastic days and have experienced life as a Banquet server!!:)

Ive learnt alot of things from these two days!!

1) The life of a F&B / service worker
2) Behind the scene where all the action lies, the KITCHEN!!
3) Help one another all the time!
4) Respect you seniors and upstairs!
5) Work hard and carfully!
6) Discipline and responsibility
7) and many many MORE!!
8) Recipe to type my LONGEST POST EVER!!

Im definitely going back to work at the Oriental again cuz I think its a fantastic place to learn and gain valuable experience! Here are two pictures! Im sorrie cuz im not allowed to take pictures of my workplace!!:( Enjoy!!

Best of regards,
Kovski!!!