How to work from home when you're a hospitality worker.

I’m grateful.  I’m a hospitality worker. I have ongoing employment. I think someone called it a corona proof job.  We’ll see. 

I’m cleaning up my place of work though, packing the cafe away for the foreseeable future.  We are closed for a couple of weeks.  I'm putting items in the freezer with the hope that I’ll use them one day soon. Cooking off the veggies for staff meals or to freeze as a base for a future menu item.  I know I will use it, trusting in the process to take its course.  I have to remain pragmatic, resourceful and resilient. Exercising hope.  Knowing that there will be customers and food again.  Knowing it will be different and messy.  Well the normal chaos really.

My rhythm is shot though.  My motivation to do things gone.  As yours would be too.  A hospitality worker is a human who thrives on contact, engagement.  With people.  With food and drinks.  Try do that with social distancing or working from home.  We are action people.

I’m grateful.  I have a job.

Hospitality workers are a resilient and resourceful bunch.  Everyone wants one in their home. Or they said they did. Why not adopt a chef?  A sommelier, a barista, a waiter?  I bet you have a spare room?  We need to continue to practice our trade, our passion and our addiction to people, food, drink and our cultures.  Can we come practice our trade at your house?

We’d be better than the plastic wrapped pre-cooked packets that are flying off the supermarket shelves right now.  We’d turn leftovers into lunches and breakfast will become cafe worthy.  Kids would climb out of bed at the sound of sizzling bacon or hash browns baking.  Not to mention the smells.  Your house will become a home again.

Life skills will be learned.  Because that's what we do.  Hospitality workers know where our food comes from, how to source it, how to prepare it, how to pickle or preserve it.  We have the skills to ready your household for a different future.

For years you have relied on the hospitality industry to lead our food culture.  You were enthralled with our kitchen exploits.  Our front of house tears, dramas and encyclopaedic food knowledge.  We expected you to practice it at home.  Did you?  Did you shop at the farmers market?  Did you grow your own veggies? Did you join a community garden?

We’ve been building our skills, our knowledge and our food culture.  Now’s the time to import some into your home.  To keep our culture alive.