New bowls, please

I spend six months of the year in the UK and this will be the second time I've served strawberries and cream for Facilities Management Catering (FMC). Every day I go to work happy. I love working at Wimbledon, because there's such a great atmosphere.

I live in Southfields and walk to the All England Lawn Tennis Club each day. I start work at 8am and the walk takes about 25 minutes. It's amazing to see the people camped outside waiting to get into the ground.

There are usually promotions people outside the gates, too, giving away products such as orange juice and mineral water, and handing out free banners to wave during the games.

Once in the grounds, I go to my unit on the tea lawn and begin preparations for the day ahead. I work in a team of six. We clean the strawberries and cut the tips off and start portioning them up. We get the cream and sugar ready and check that we have all our equipment.

The gates open to the public at 10.30am although the matches often don't start until the afternoon. Right from mid-morning, there's constant demand for strawberries and cream. They're so synonymous with Wimbledon that everyone wants to have them.

We sell around 3,500 portions a day. Some people come back several times because they taste so great. The Americans, in particular, seem to love them.

The strawberries come from Kent and we have deliveries most days. The strawberries are a good size and look healthy and fresh. I'd say they're even better than Australian ones. A portion of at least 10, with cream and sugar, costs £1.85 this year.

The customers ask us what it's like to work at Wimbledon, whether we can eat strawberries ourselves - we can't eat them on duty - and also chat about the tennis.

We get 15 minutes' break in the morning and afternoon and half-an-hour for lunch. Breaks are a good time for people-watching. There's the whole social spectrum. Last year, I met [fellow Australian and this year's number three seed] Pat Rafter - he was a really nice bloke. I'm hoping that Tim Henman will do well this year, and also fellow Aussies John Newcombe and Rod Laver [in the Seniors event].

It gets very busy around lunchtime. We have a staff canteen on-site, which offers a good selection of hot foods and salads. Lunch is also a chance to catch up with some of my friends to see how their day's going. Some work in the adjoining areas selling Pimm's and Champagne and pizza. It's a really good atmosphere. Everyone, including the staff, is here to have fun.

After lunch there's the build-up of custom for afternoon tea - a great British tradition and a favourite time for strawberries.

Strawberries have been served here since the first tournament in 1877. Then, the competition had a garden party atmosphere, and as it was held during the peak of the English season they were an obvious choice of refreshment. The tournament has grown dramatically in size over the past 30 to 40 years and is now a £31m business.

The weather affects our trade. Last year, during the very long final, we had waves of customers every time the rain interrupted play.

We work until 9pm. Late in the afternoon, we might have to replenish supplies, and towards the end of the day we clean up, although most of the equipment is disposable.

After work, we usually go for a drink. I just love English bitter.

Just a minute…

What's your career background? I've worked in hospitality and tourism for 20 years in Australia and Europe. I was a tour leader for eight years and I've worked as a restaurant manager. I've done other work for FMC including the Cartier Polo, and I'm looking forward to the V2001 rock concert.

What's been your most embarrassing moment at work? Last year I lost some strawberries off the trolley. They got bruised so couldn't be sold to the public.

Do you play tennis? I played quite a lot when I was a kid in Adelaide. Now I like to play socially.

Facilities Management Catering

Church Road, Wimbledon, London SW19 5AE

Tel: 020 8971 2337

Fax: 020 8944 2253

Managing director: Frank McCartney

Annual turnover: £12m

Staff: 45 permanent, 1,500 casuals

Contracts: Farnborough Air Show, National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, Cartier Polo at the Guards Club, Donington Park race track, Sansome Open Tennis Tournament, Southampton FC's new St Mary's stadium, work for the Queen at Windsor Castle and for the Queen Mother at St James's Palace

interview by Susan Brookes