Things I learnt from working in the restaurant:
1. Spring onions are evil- you don’t think of them as an onion until your tears are streaming down your face.
2. Pumpkins are one of the if not the hardest vegetable to cut so cutting 13kg on a Monday morning at 8am is not my favourite thing to do!
3. Don't get lemon ginger juice in your eyes- it hurts!
4. Worrying about being 5kgs short of carrots is not a concern I wish to have in life, no normal person should care about that quantity of carrots.
5. If you try you really are capable of doing anything you turn your hand to, although I definitely haven't missed out on my calling to be a chef!
6. [On a more serious note] There are always people who can bring out the best in you, you just have to find them.
7. And finally everything belongs in C5 and C6 (but that an inside joke!)
Being a chef was fun and something different for the last two months so I can tick it off my list of things to try in life but it safe to say it wasn’t a career path I’ve missed out on!
Considering I never really felt any desire to come to Sydney and even when I came here didn't even really plan on staying (until someone changed my mind), I really have loved being here.
During my time here, I think I have altered my perception of my self. I'm a lot more resilient than I've ever given myself credit.
After a mentally exhausting and rough first half to 2011 my travels kind of unofficially became a way to find myself again through the mist of my unhappiness, and I think Sydney is the final destination for that journey. I feel happier than ever right now and have the inner contentment to continue my life in the same way. Bad choices, indecision and life events clouded my head and made it a mess. I'm not saying I now have all the answers, far from it, but I feel I'm in better stead to make the right choices and decisions for the future. What I've gained is clarity.
The owners of Nourishing Quarter are two of the most grounded, kindest and most generous people I have ever met. Tien and Lam have been a pleasure to meet, work for and know. Tien is the Vietnamese mother I never had always making sure we ate enough vitamins and proteins and Lam the disorganised eccentric uncle I wish I had, forever hatching new and exciting plans(although never actually seeing most of them through)! They both have the ability to look inside someone and see their potential. They're motives are pure and they only aim to please, and work very hard to achieve this. They saw their dreams and they went for them, and have a beautiful restaurant to show for it (even if their organisation is a little scattered to say the least!) Both Tien and Lam, looked inside me and saw whatever it was that had gotten lost. They saw things in me that I knew I had but had forgotten about or hadn’t had the confidence to show. They put their confidence in me and in turn this responsibility made me shine. They will be greatly missed.
Along with Tien and Lam, I shall also a few other people from the restaurant.
Firstly Hien. A 28 year old Vietnamese girl. Beautiful on the inside and well as on the outside. Hien is a gentle, patient, caring person who is also hilarious and wacky and terrific fun to work and hang out with ^^ Her dedication is unmatched (apart from that of Tien!) to almost anyone I’ve ever known. The more I’ve gotten to know her the more I’ve discovered what a wonderful person she is. And I love it when she says the words “Chicken salt” like it’s a normal thing everyone’s heard of! Haha.
Jan- pronounced Yan. The German dishwasher and waiter (not waitress unlike Tien would say!) at the restaurant. We spent many times laughing so hard that we cried and had tears streaming down our faces, while having random conversations about the black bananas that Tien refused to throw away because they were still good inside and what people must have thought of us when we shouted out in the kitchen not to put the babies in the dishwasher! (‘The babies’ actually being the Victorian plates the restaurant owned and not real life children!) Jan was also as good as a qualified tester as he ate so many of the Rice paper ‘Sweet Angel’ rolls!
Ardo, a 24 year old Indonesian guy from Jakarta studying at UTS. When I first came to the restaurant he was the one in charge of the running of the kitchen. He is without a doubt of the loveliest guys I’ve ever met. His positive attitude and happiness is infectious and this made every evening at the restaurant fly by like a breeze. His laughter and energy made the work go with great ease and made the life in the kitchen fun… and man can that guy dance. A particular favourite move of mine was the penguin dance, which I will never forget!
Danielle, a 21 year old Dutch girl. She came to the restaurant and was allocated the job of ‘the roller.’ Basically being the one who made the Vietnamese rice paper rolls. I had invited her one day to join me on a lazy day in the park on a sunny day and after having a conversation about her looking for a room and she moved into my flat about a week later. Danielle’s kindness shines from her heart like a warm aura. (I sound like some earth loving, tree hugging hippy but I am in Byron bay now as Jan points out “so that is fine!”) Easily one of my best friends I’ve made travelling. We shared Chatime, Yogaberry, Cold Rock, Pancake and Paddy Market moments.
Hasan ‘I would rather cry in a BMW than cry on a bicycle’ Sayad. If the song ‘Money, money, money!’ was written for anyone, it was Hasan. A lovely person; I have spent countless hours talking to him at work about everything and anything. His intrigue in my desire to travel fascinated me, as did learning about his drives and life. This boy has dollar signs in his eyes and has his heart set on being a big shot business man in Dubai. I wish him all the luck in the world, and one day I hope I’ll be able to visit him there in his mansion.
Quirky, lovable Sandeep. When she first came to work at NQ she was a quite, shy person but quickly opened up like a flower to reveal the beautiful personality she had within. Jolly and bashful, Sandeep was a pleasure to work with and I enjoyed our naughty moments eating biscuits she sneaked into the kitchen in her apron!
And finally Hengki ‘the wokkie’ as Lam would call him. Starting at the restaurant a few weeks after me, he also studied at UTS. My walking home buddy, my friend and my ice cream companion- me and Hengki spent a lot of time talking about the comparisons between Indonesian culture and the Australian life. Hengki has a big heart and I wish him all the best and one day I wish to be able to visit him in his home city where he will have the business that he dreams of owning, which is also Jakarta in Indonesia.
For my final weekend in the big city, we celebrated Mardi Gras. We watched the most fabulous parade (even if we didn’t spot Kylie in the dancers!) and spent the night dancing in Midnight Shift, a gay club filled with topless men, which had erotic male dancers, singing all the words to Cher and Kylie. I swear I should have been born as a gay man! I felt just like Carrie from Sex and the City with my flower in my hair and my neon jewellery.
It was a brilliant way to say goodbye to Sydney.
I have so many good memories. It was definitely my time to leave, but oh I will I miss it!
