From Sheep Farm to Kitchen

From Sheep Farm to Kitchen



Freyha fidgeted with her uniform, the kilt felt so awkward. Relishing her last moments of the early evening sunshine, she headed to the hotel staff entrance. She hoped this summer gig would be worth it. After a year travelling and working her way around Australia a regular job was going to feel like confinement. As she glanced at the grimy hallway she was assaulted by a whiff of fish, yuck she thought, as her resolve faltered.

Entering the hotel kitchen, which was the size of a frigate, she announced, with more bravado than confidence, “Hi, how are you, I’m Freyha, the new waitress.”

Barely acknowledging her, the chef muttered, “Great another greenie for me to break-in”

Freyah pushed the swing door to the dinning room with more force than necessary and retorted “Charming. Nice to meet you too.”

“Welcome” Robbie, the Manager who hired her, called. “Don’t mind Sean. He is the classic grumpy head chef. Creative temperament” he chortles. “He likes to keep new staff on their toes. He’s been here since he was in culinary school and thinks he owns the place. He doesn’t, his father does”

“Great, not five minutes on the job and I have managed to alienate the head chef and son and heir.”

 “You’re not due on shift for another hour.”

“I know. New brush” she laughs. “Or more to the truth, I am a bag of nerves.”

Robbie shook his hand in the air, dismissing Freyah’s concerns. “There will be six other wait staff on tonight as well as myself. You will shadow Shona, the head server. She is tough, don’t take it personally, her work is excellent, she will steer you right.”

“Do all your staff attend the rottweiler hospitality school?” Robbie laughed.

“With your sass, you will fit in in no time at all” he laughed. “You can start by checking that the lay out of the tables are all complete and perfectly positioned. Nothing irks me more than sloppiness you will get to know.”

As her new co-workers arrived, the banter was good-natured. Even Sean appeared jocular, although he continued to dismiss her presence. Shona gave her a run down of what to expect for the evening. The season was ramping up now as the town population multiplied with “holiday homers” and visitors invaded the seaside town. The restaurant was fully booked for the evening. Freyha strained to hear Shona’s instructions against the commotion; pots and crockery clanging and banging, trays being piled up, the great whale of a dishwasher rousing and voices mounting against the cacophony. Freyah startled as a loud zap crackled behind her. Sean smirked as she turned to see the blue electric light of the offending bug killer.

The chat coming from the staff room off the kitchen played a cheerful background to that of the kitchen  as the live-in staff gathered for dinner. The heat in the kitchen rivaled that of the sheep shearing sheds in Australia, Freyha was thinking as she slipped on the greasy kitchen floor. Struggling to catch herself on the serving shelf in front of the throng of blazing gas jets, Sean hollered, “get those plates out.”

“Em, I am only shadowing tonight. Robbie said ….”

“Get the bloody food on the tables before it gets cold.”

“It’s ok Freyha, ” Shona called from the dining-room door, “pick them up and follow me to Table 2.”

* * *

By her fourth day Freyah was getting to know the routine, the job and her colleagues. Sean had been on two days off. She was still seething at his behaviour towards her, and she was dreading another shift working with him. He had given little thought to Freyah during his trip home for a friend’s wedding. When he spotted her reporting for work he sniggered to himself, as he remembered her stroppy attitude and quick come-backs to him. Tying a white apron over his checks he chuckled and looked forward to winding her up again tonight. “Evening Princess” he called as she dropped her bag off in the staff-room. Robbie sighed at Sean’s greeting to Freyah. A group of high profile footballers were dining in the hotel tonight and more than ever he wanted everything to run smoothly and without any drama.

Freyah scowled as Sean winked at her as she walked through the kitchen to the dining-room. “Missed you while I was gone” he teased. Freyha busied herself with preparations for dinner. Can I make this work for eight weeks, she pondered. I knew this gig would be difficult, but I need to get money in the bank. I don’t know why he gets to me so much; he is so arrogant.

As she forged ahead with her shift Freyha focussed on her duties while trying to minimize her interactions with Sean. She grabbed her order of two plates from the edge of the stove, quickly dropping one at the shock of the scorching burn to her hand. “What the ….” Sean threw his arms up tossing a searing scowl at Freyha. “Quick, plate another salmon steak NOW” he bellowed at the sous chef (who plate in hand, had already anticipated the instruction).

Freyha tried to pacify Sean as she clutched her hand “Sorry, I ….”

“Just get these plates to the table. Fucking princess” he growled, his face crimson from the heat and anger.

Tears threatened as Freyha boiled with anger, cringing at being made a spectacle in front of her co-workers. “You’ll find I’m more broomstick than tiara actually” she snapped at Sean. Robbie hastened after her to the dining room, glowering at Sean as he moped his brow with a napkin.

Later, while taking a break outside in the back alley Freyah seriously doubted that she could continue with the job. She looked around at the garbage and filthy kitchen windows with steam billowing out from the pot washing station. She realized how much she hankered for the outdoors and clean air. Taking a deep breath, she wiped her tears and returned to the dining-room to begin setting up tables for breakfast. “Can you check in with me before you leave tonight please?” Robbie asked her.

“Crap” Freyah mumbles to herself, “I’m in shit now.”

Robbie closed his office door and gestured for Freyha to sit down. “I am so sorry about tonight. Sean got me so wound up. I promise I regained my composure before entering the dinning room.”

“I saw that Freyha. That’s not what I wanted to talk to you about. I was finalizing your employee file and noticed you have completed a sommelier diploma.”

“Yes. I spent a summer working on a sheep farm down-under. It was miles from anywhere and I studied with the International Sommelier Guild for something to do in the evening.”

“I was about to post for one but want to offer you the position. It would be more money and less contact with Sean.”

“I would love to. Thank you”

* * *

Sean was nursing a beer at the bar when Freyha entered the lounge. She hesitated and contemplated going back out.

“Come sit with me” he called. “Congratulations on the promotion” he said as she gingerly took the bar stool next to him.

“Thanks” Chardonnay, Australian please” she said to the server. “So, now that I am no longer a lowly waitress, you will concede to socialize with me?”

“I was hoping for more of a date than merely a drink.”

“Sorry Sean. I am more of a woman’s woman.”

Robbie smiled as he passed behind the bar.