Food and Beverage 3

I am shocked that we are already in our third week!

On Tuesday we set up for the Quarterly staff bonus function but after the function when everybody knocked off, we stayed behind to set up for a conference that was due on Wednesday.  We carried in all the tables and chairs and then we had to start laying out the table cloths, glasses, sweet bowls, pens, notepads, etc...  Now firstly, this is a big job in itself so when the Food and Beverage manager, Willie Smit, came in and showed us how skew our tables were and demonstrated how they should be, the job became double!  We set up all the tables, again, according to specifications and still Willie brought in a long rope which was spanned from the front to the back table, which we used to make sure everything was in line.  Now this is a job for a perfectionist!

Where's Waldo...

Straight lines!

Admittedly, after all the alterations, the hall looked much better.

Setting up lunch for 100 people is seriously a difficult task, what made it even more difficult was the fact that our usual lunch area for conferences was too small so we had to set up a bit away, under the trees.  In the end, we pulled it off and it actually looked like something out of a fairy tale.

Setting up the buffet table.

Table on day 1

Food table.

The food....  I almost grabbed a plate...

Lunch time!

Table on day 2.

Food and Beverage 2

This week is undeniably much quieter.  We've spent the most of it in the classroom working on our PoE's (portfolio of evidence) and we've had a chance to catch up our blogs. 

This was me, as I wrote this post...

On Thursday we had an out of the ordinary experience, which we were lucky to have.

We were asked to work as servers at an Expo at a nearby lodge, Mbizi.  The television channel, KykNet was hosting the expo and Sondela was sponsoring the cheese and wine evening.  We arrived early afternoon, helping set up the tent and we got a little chance to walk through the stalls and at some point we found 2 elephants!  Yes, they were being supervised but we went closer to meet the elephants.  Now, I know that this is uncommon for me to be mentioning my conservation side while in the hospitality side but I need to tell you what a breathtaking experience it was, to be that close to an actual elephant!

A warthog on the spitbraai.

Our stall.

The elephant.

It's real scary when they charge you.

Students playing around...

One of the managers, Elsie, talking at the Expo.

Later that afternoon we switched our khakis for black and white atire and I must admit, I like wearing the black and white, it makes me feel oh so professional...

From khaki

To black and white

I served wine during the evening and got to experience the electrifying vibe of all the sponsors and stall owners, it was an amazing bonding and contact meeting experience.

It was also my first working experience within Food and Beverage, we helped set up for the Friday night buffet which is the Meatlovers feast.  Saturday and Sunday, we waited on guests, whom were sitting at the bistro or laying next to the swimming pool.  Monday was welcoming, where we greet the guests, serve pancakes and juice and tell the guests a little about Sondela and all the activities available.  The weekend was hectic but fun...  The piggy bank is growing heavier...  During the weekend, I developed a secret hobby, making milkshakes!  I love it!

Food and Beverage 1

Week 1
Let me start off by telling you this is going to be the course that I blog most about since I'm going to be here for about uhm, 9 weeks!
Here we go!
We are six new students in this course, Tarine, Sulize, Katinka, Zanderi, Morne (the only boy) and myself.
Only Tarine and I have actual previous waitering experience but this was nothing like I expected.
I was expecting waitering the whole day and making some extra cash since I as a students can use it, if you know what I mean...  I'm talking about stocking up on our main food source, 2 minute noodles! What were you thinking?!
But no, we spent the whole week with a conference of about 60 people for the bubblegum producers Wrigleys, being at their beck and call.  This was how every day of our week went.

We arrive and we immediately have to set up the tables and chairs for breakfast, we need to lay out the tables with centerpieces and cutlery etc.  We set up the coffee station with cups and saucers, with coffee, hot water and all the essentials.  While the guests had their breakfast, we stood by, ready to remove a plate or cup as soon as it is emptied.  Once they are finished, we remove everything from the tables and we start preparing for their tea break that will take place at about 10AM.  Once they have retreated into the hall once again, we set up for lunch, making up the tables and polishing all the cutlery and steaming all the glasses, making sure they are all in tip top shape.  Once again at lunch, we ran away with all the dirty dishes etc.  We would pack up once they were finished and get ready for their power breaks that included cold drinks and snacks.  Then again, we prepared for dinner.  During the day, white table cloths would be used with colorful overlays but at night, black table cloths with a more subtle overlay for example a leopard print.

On the Thursday, I worked a double shift for the gala evening of the conference.  We were all dressed in black and white, looking oh so snazy!  We served drinks and cleared the tables after every course.  All in all, the evening was a success.  One tip, don't try doing long working hours in high heels!

The week was a tough one but it was good in a way that we got to get to know everybody in the new department and see different sides of people when they work under pressure.  It's been a bit difficult learning everybody's names since there are so many staff members but we are getting there!  This was a fun week but my feet don't agree! 

Interesting fact: The Wrigleys company's staff members are very loyal people, during one power break, we made the mistake of serving candy bars that were not their brand name and all the people refused to eat it.

!SSB friends!

Although this whole year is about learning new things and learning how to be a manager, there are some moments where we forget about all the pressure and we just act like normal students.  We crack jokes, we talk back and we do some crazy things...  But one of the biggest lessons on this farm for me was friendship.  I came onto this farm, very judgemental and I was quick to judge but I was also very quickly judged.
Strangely enough, the people that I liked least in the beginning, are now my best friends.
During this 3 week Accommodation course, I made one of the best friends, Tarine.  The two of us made one of the dirtiest days, the most fun day in the Hospitality course so far.  We had to clean out the store rooms and along with it, we had to throw out some things and throwing those things away, well let's just say we felt like naughty children back in the olden days.

On our first day of cleaning an actual chalet, words can't describe the craziness but these pictures might.

flying?

When someone tells you, they are doing their washing, this is what they mean.

Hiding...

...From work...

No caption needed.

Mom, can we keep it?

She is not seeing what I'm seeing.

That's what I saw.

Pose for camera!

Loafing is the word, I think.

We own this barn...

I am not a bunny!  Yes, you are!

The modern style of cleaning.

"Are you going to participate in the fun or keep on cleaning?"
"I'll participate!  Sorry mam!"

Making cleaning look sexy since 1991.

Girl in background: "You are not pretty!"

Just as it was perfect, I fell on it, 'by accident'.

Chocolates please?

Now you listen to me... wait, stop laughing!

Zanderi is going to switch on the light, nooooooooooooooooo!

Scary much?

Probably even scarier...

How to approach a guest...  Or the exact opposite.

The window needs love too.

Sleeping on the job...

The chill factor.

Zanderi jailed us in, so she could clean.

So we just made something else dirty.

Facebook, am I doing it wrong?

Hide and seek!

Can Can girl!

Tarine has this scary habit of sneaking up on people!

She's working, we are laughing!

There's that habit again!

Well, you get the picture!

I whip my hair back and forth!!!

Jump up and down, shake it all around...

Friendship is free.

This was a very slow and intense course but it was also the course where I learned about friendship and how fun laughing and becoming dirty can actually be!  A good relationship with fellow students and colleagues is highly important...