Preparing for tee time
I GET up at about 6am and walk or cycle the mile from my flat to the hotel straight away. I work five days a week, six in summer, and my shifts are from 7am to around midday - but often earlier - and from 6.30pm to 11pm.
When I arrive, I discuss the day ahead with our maitre d', Giuseppe Zanas-Fortes, known to us all as Josef. We check the restaurant and lay up the breakfast buffet, then the waiters arrive for their briefing.
At 7.30am, the first guests arrive for breakfast. Things get very busy in summer as everyone wants attention. If the waiters have a problem, I'll help out.
By about 9.45am, the restaurant is closed and late eaters filter out. This gives us a chance to have our breakfast, which we tend to do all together at one table in the restaurant.
Every Wednesday at 10.30am, there's a heads of department meeting with John and Carolyn Armstrong, who own the hotel, which I find incredibly beneficial. On the other days, we lay up for dinner, deal with staff problems or run a training session for new staff.
During the morning or after my shift, I often work on the office computer. I gained computer skills when I worked as a photographer in South Africa. I've produced a guest newsletter, and I design labels, banqueting sheets and staff rotas. The Armstrongs have asked me to restructure the guest-room information folder, which is a big job.
Despite my interest in computers, most of my experience, on and off from the age of 14, has been in catering. I have managed a bakery, worked as a waiter with the Southern Sun group, and learned about wines and silver service. When I came to England, I spent eight months managing a brasserie in London.
If we have a lot of lunches, I take a quick break at midday and get back for 12.30pm. Usually I have lots of free time between the morning and evening shift. Once a week, I play golf with Josef, but as the hotel is right on Newquay's world-famous Fistral Beach, I often spend the afternoon surfing or sitting on the beach.
In fact, I learned to surf here, and can do basic turns up the waves. I swim every day in the Waterworld pool, and my hobbies include reading and arts and crafts. I make things like Mexican candles based on spaghetti jars. The crafts market scene in South Africa is big - I recently sold my interest in a 36-outlet operation.
At 6.30pm it's back to work, and by 7pm we are busy moving tables, sorting out table plans, checking how many staff have reported for duty, and arranging covers. I often end up serving, and I do the flambé dishes such as steak diane and cràpes suzette. I make sure the guests are enjoying their meal, and sort out any delays.
I run around a lot, and I always try to remember our regular guests' preferences. We've had a lot of vegans staying, and other guests such as coeliacs who have special dietary requirements.
I really enjoy dinner service and we have a lot of fun with the guests. One guest took the dinner menu and scribbled all over it, redesigning the spacing of the dishes.
At 9pm we take last orders, and with luck I'll be finished by 10pm. By 11pm, I should be back home and ready to go out for a drink. My girlfriend's just gone to Australia so I may just crash out. I try to be in bed by 12, but sometimes it's nearer 2am, so I catch up with my sleep in the afternoons.
I plan to stay here as long as I'm enjoying myself, but eventually I would love to have my own catering business in South Africa. My big ambition is to try to get on to the professional golf circuit. n
Interview by Pam Legateg screws and
