My parents ran Chinese food businesses in my local English town whilst I was growing up. One of them was a mid-scale restaurant which seated up to 60 customers at any one time.
I started working in the restaurant during weekends in my early teenage years (this was the mid-2000s). At that age, I really didn't know what went on in a restaurant and had to follow step by step instructions. Naturally I became fascinated with the cooking process, service, customers and yes, grocery shopping.
My first job was a dishwasher and stock replenisher. I worked in the kitchen, filling in the sink with hot boiling water and detergent, clearing all of the dirty dishes, scrubbing each dish and cutlery thoroughly, stacking each item in the most efficient arrangement possible. Trust me there is an art to this - there was limited space and no magical solution. Utensils, plastic containers and kitchen filter units were part of the job and usually done at the end of the night. Admittedly, I burnt my fingers on several occasions but I became less sensitive over time.
One of the most vivid images I remember was how wasteful some customers were, and I promised myself never to waste food in that manner. Plenty of people would over-order. After all, one of the worst things to happen is not ordering enough to eat.
Though, this was a westernised Cantonese restaurant where most customers would order their starter, main course and dessert. Thank goodness this wasn't a traditional dim sum restaurant where the dishes are shared out between everyone at the dinner table. One is always playing a guessing game when trying to order just the right amount.
I watched my father skilfully use various knives and cleavers to chop raw meat and vegetables with great interest. Certainly an under-appreciated art form. My father carved fruit and vegetables into delicate shapes, a key element of food presentation and it required a calm, steady hand. I stared at the work needed during the preparatory process and then stood by the stove patiently.
The wok was placed, oil was added, heated to an appropriate temperature and the ingredients were added. It could be special fried rice, chow mein, curry, chop suey, kung po chicken or beef satay (writing this just makes me hungry). The wok was tossed again and again to ensure the food was cooked thoroughly and evenly. To this day, I am blown away by the intensity of the heat that restaurant burner stoves can provide, many times greater than home stoves. That is why many dishes can be cooked within minutes.
I got the opportunity to learn about frying, steaming and boiling, 3 of the most common techniques used in Chinese cooking. I watched my father deep-fry spare ribs and chicken wings, occasionally nabbing a piece or two when temptation was too much. Eventually, I had a go at frying prawn crackers myself, which today, is still an absolutely mesmerising experience for me. My experience in the restaurant kitchen is a big reason why I am self-sufficient in cooking decent meals for myself today.
Although I was in the kitchen most of the evening, I popped into the front of house as it became less busy. I could watch the customers eat, the waiting staff serving them and my mother who was stood in the bar area, working away to manage tables, prepare drinks and producing bills. Here, I learnt the art of customer service, staff teamwork and beverages.
The food and beverage menus never got boring for me. I would examine it line by line, trying to memorise the prices for each item. There were close to 200 items and I was drawn to the more expensive items such as Lobster with Ginger and Spring Onions, the Dover Sole or the Remy Martin XO. I wondered how often did people ordered these and what kind of person they were. The answer is... not very often and the patron usually had a higher degree of appreciation for cuisine than a typical customer.
I was astounded by patrons who spent a large amount of money on drinks, in some cases more than their meals. I was captivated by customers who paid good tips (or a tip at all) to express thanks for our service. Equally, I learnt to identify the difference between respectful and disrespectful customers.
One thing I despised was the indoor smoking allowed within restaurants. This was before the smoking ban came into effect in England. Restaurant staff like my parents had been forced to breathe in harmful second-hand smoke for decades whenever customers felt like lighting up cigarettes.
I thought it was very selfish that these patrons could not hold off for 1-2 hours or were not considerate enough to step outside to light up. The smoke often lingered in the restaurant and our clothes could not avoid the stench. To this day, it still triggers me whenever someone lights up a cigarette in front of me outside but now I have become a little more accepting in a social context.
When all of the customers had departed, we closed up the restaurant. I was responsible for cleaning up any remaining tables, vacuuming the entire floor, mopping up and watering the flowers. It was here that I learnt how to be an effective cleaner, a critical skill to have and the main reason why I can clean an entire two-storey house by myself without trouble.
I have noticed a few friends commenting on my excessive gratitude to service staff. Compared to a typical customer, I may appear to be "overcompensating". That said, I have come across some very rude staff who should not have any place in the industry.
Having served tens of thousands of customers myself, I personally find thankful customers the most memorable ones. Maybe some of it is to do with the classic 'treat others how you want to be treated'. I can't help seeing myself in their shoes whenever I meet service staff.
Equally, I am reminded of my parents and the years of hard work they've had to put in so that our family are able to have a decent life today. I was gifted with valuable lessons in work ethic, efficiency and integrity. That is what I continue to strive for today.
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