As a New Yorker working in the service/hospitality industry is almost a right of passage, if you haven't been under-tipped by a tourist or yelled at by an over-worked restaurant manager have you really lived in New York City? Over the span of the almost 5 years that I have lived in this mass of beautiful chaos I have worked at 3 restaurants with locations ranging from Times Square to FiDi and then SoHo and currently I work full-time at a boutique hotel in Midtown Manhattan. As many of you know these four districts are vastly different in terms of clientele and atmosphere, but I consider it a privilege to have worked in such polar environments because in turn I ended up meeting a colorful plethora of people that have both frustrated me, but also have taught me a thing or two. I want to share with you how hospitality helped my head and my heart creatively.
With absolutely no experience or connections in the restaurant industry I decided to turn to
Craigslist of course and quickly landed an interview at an eatery just west of Times Square as a hostess. Being a quick learner, I was promoted to being a server within a month, which brought with it the responsibility of memorizing all 4 menus and cocktails which I had never done before. As the weeks progressed I began to understand the ins-and-outs of the service industry and began to learn efficiency (especially during our extra-busy Bottomless Brunch special on the weekends, where I had to serve and play bartender) Not only did I become quick on my feet, I also began to build a clan of regulars solely because I was still so new to the city and through them I began to become exposed to different cultures and mindsets. One of the most important things to note working in the hospitality industry is how much time you are about to spend with your co-workers and how in-turn that builds strong bonds with those people to the point that they become your second family. After over a year of working with a number of extra-talented aspiring actors and singers, I had to say goodbye and moved jobs to a brand new eatery in the Financial District.
The transition between a light-hearted tourist and creative crowd to a super professional and serious business atmosphere was quite the change, yet surprisingly enough this is where I had my first creative opportunity as an artist. This restaurant was located right across the park from City Hall, in turn I came in contact with a large number of Wall Street and financial business professionals. Being in such an atmosphere even within the first few weeks I realized how different I was than these people because I found difficult to strike up a conversation and had to learn to understand corporate America and all the sarcasm and dry jokes that it comes with. Here, more than ever before, I learned how to read people and gauge their expectations and reactions. Although this restaurant hosted a number of office parties and after-work happy hour customers, focus was on service and food/liquor knowledge, but management actually commissioned me for a little bit of extra w
ork—creative work. I had the responsibility to write out and decorate the chalkboard that was placed outside of the front entrance everyday announcing our specials for the day. This soon became one of my favorite parts of my day because I got to showcase my talent and obsession in terms of typography and sketching. More often than not, my manager would catch me putting finishing touches on the sign instead of being on the floor. Unfortunately, this restaurant ended up being bought under new management and with that came a few months of construction and a new staff. With barely a weeks notice of the closing (yes, that happens) I had to find a new job ASAP or else it would be Ramen for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
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SoHo, Manhattan
Liquid Chalk on Chalkboard |
Luckily, the following week after another round of Craigslist interviews I recalled a random message I had gotten on Facebook a few months prior from the owner of a new farm-to-table restaurant in SoHo. Waking up with the a light bulb moment one morning, I immediately reached out to him and asked if they were hiring and later that day I had both an interview and a new job. I ended up spending two years working as a head hostess at this restaurant and to this day it holds a very special place in my heart because of the amazing and inspirational people that I had met, which to this day I am extremely close with. Not only did I gain a second family, I also made a good number of connections with the amount of fashion and art oriented individuals that walked through the doors.
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| Chalkboard for Sanctuary T |
Coming to work started feeling like a breath of fresh air because I never knew who I could possibly encounter on a given day. I started getting invited to gallery openings and different fashion events, which taught me a more than a class could about the industries I so anxiously want to step into. This job also allotted me a wide range of creative freedom, in terms of personalizing chalkboards and creating flyers and signs for reservations and parties on a daily basis, which always got my creative juices flowing. Furthermore, I actually ended up acquiring an internship through a coworker at a fashion showroom working under the PR director that lasted 8 months, which allowed me to begin building a creative industry resume.
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Chalkboard for HGU New York
Liquid Chalk on Chalkboard |
Ironically enough, through one of the regulars at this Soho restaurant I ended up being offered a job at an art gallery, which at the time I had to turn down due to the timing in juxtaposition with my school schedule. Once last Summer rolled around, the same restaurant regular started telling me about a new boutique hotel that was extra art-oriented that he was involved in on the Food & Beverage side, which was looking for new staff. Even with the restaurant being extremely busy, being a hostess I ended up still living paycheck-to-paycheck so with the opportunity of a pay-raise I took him up on his offer and went to an interview. That was over a year ago and I am still currently working as a Front Desk Agent/Concierge at a hotel in Midtown. This experiences has taught me a whole different side of the hospitality industry, luckily within another very close-knit work family.
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Midtown, Manhattan
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I noticed that I had more of a platform to showcase what my passions entail in front of management and ownership, which just like at my previous two jobs included a chalkboard, but also began to expand to the marketing side of the industry. The Sales Director took notice of all of the small creative things that I would immediately volunteer for at the Front Desk and presented me an opportunity to design marketing & sales material to be sent out to hotel clients on a regular basis. Being a very art-centered property, the owner's private art collection is showcased throughout the first floor lobby, bar and restaurant, which has also sparked inspiration to educate myself on the artwork both in and outside my workplace. Due to the experiences I have has within this industry I have also started to commission my typographical work to other bars and restaurants in the city. Overall, my New York City hospitality and service industry repertoire has brought about a function of not only paying my rent, but also feeding my creatively thirsty soul. You absolutely never know what kind of creative inspiration in lurking behind every corner, especially in the places that you least expect.
Stay inspired xx
P. S.
