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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 24, 2016)
4 A ❘ SATURDAY EDITION ❘ SEPTEMBER 24, 2016 Siuslaw News P.O. Box 10 Florence, OR 97439 NED HICKSON , EDITOR ❘ 541-902-3520 ❘ EDITOR @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM Opinion E XTRAORDINARY P EOPLE Our local Food Service Workers C ATHERINE J. R OURKE For the Siuslaw News _____________ (Editor’s note: In recognition of National Foodservice Workers Day tomorrow, Siuslaw News’s Catherine Rourke is spotlighting some of those in our community who make eating out more than just having a meal...) T he heat is on. It’s 6 p.m. on a Saturday night with long lines forming at Bay Street restaurant doors. Servers and bussers scurry about as the whirl of cocktail blenders clashes with the clatter of plates. Hosts frantically add more names to an already burgeoning waitlist of anxious hungry patrons while bartenders rush to fill bever- age orders. Beyond the swinging doors lies another dimension in the back of the house, a realm of heat, chaos, grease and sweat. The cacophony of shout- ing cooks, chopping knives and siz- zling saucepans fills the air as kitchen workers labor in a frenetic pace. It’s multitasking to the max exe- cuted with timed precision, yet food- service workers take it in stride with amazing aplomb in a ballet between the floor, the kitchen, the front door — or even an outside patio. Then the kids spill milk all over the table. A foreign tourist wants to know why he got beef when he ordered the chicken fried steak. Six plates sit double-parked in the hot window as the chef yells for some- one to “move ‘em out.” A diner complains that his soup is cold and another says the salsa is too hot. The kitchen loses a ticket and food is delivered to the wrong table. The eggs are too runny or the steak is overcooked. The dish pit runs out of clean spoons and the daily special suddenly appears on the “86” board. Everyone demands a window table and nobody wants to sit near RICH COLTON PHOTO the door. Then the 10-top asks for separate checks. “Organized chaos.” That’s how Katy Bailey, a cook, server and bartender at Siuslaw Riverside restaurant, describes it. With 21 years in foodservice, she has seen it all. Still, she couldn’t imagine trading the stress and splat- tered apron for a desk job. “It’s a fun business and I really thrive on it,” she said. “No two days are ever alike.” Her colleague Devin Marie Robertson, a longtime server from Las Vegas, agrees. “Time flies and I feel really good at the end of a shift after making people happy,” she said. Their boss, Riverside restauran- teur Melonie Rollin, offers another take. “It’s all about having a service- oriented heart. It’s also about com- munity spirit. We love throwing a party for this town every day.” But foodservice is no picnic. With long hours without a meal of their own, servers must remain stalwart while fulfilling every whim, demand and expectation of a fickle public. Tip income often resembles Russian Roulette. Drunks, deadbeats and “stiffs” can ruin a shift The Siuslaw News welcomes letters to while coffee breaks, sick the editor concerning issues affecting days and holidays remain a the Florence area and Lane County. fantasy. Burning feet and Emailed letters are preferred. burning indignation often accompany the job descrip- Handwritten or typed letters must be tion along with burnt toast. signed. All letters should be limited to From breakfast cafes, about 300 words and must include the casinos and coffee houses to writer’s full name, address and phone fast-food restaurants and number for verification. fine dining establishments, Letters are subject to editing for we asked foodservice work- ers the same question: Why length, grammar and clarity. Publication do it? of any letter is not guaranteed and Invariably, the answers depends on space available and the vol- remained the same: a gen- ume of letters received. uine love for serving Libelous and anonymous letters or humanity. In that, the work poetry will not be published. transcends a job to become All submissions become the property a calling. “It’s all about connecting of Siuslaw News and will not be with people,” said Firehouse returned. Restaurant owner Marla Write to: McKenzie. “It’s a good feel- Editor@TheSiuslawNews.com ing to see empty plates L ETTERS TO THE E DITOR P OLICY USPS# 497-660 when they leave, but it’s more important to see the smile on their faces.” Initially drawn to slinging hash for the cash, many foodservice workers stay for the flexibility and variety. Mercedes Gortz, an 18-year industry veteran, always knew she wanted to work in foodservice. “I love what I do and it’s a passion,” she said. “It gave me more time with my four kids.” Surprisingly, it’s no different for fast-food workers. “I started in this business when I was young,” said Bryan Ryves, shift manager at McDonald’s. Eight years of foodservice have turned him into a master multitasker as he pivots between the drive-up window, the prep kitchen and the front counter. Breakfast workers are a special breed. Like Bryan, Blythe Robinson rises long before dawn to serve cof- fee and eggs at Fresh Harvest Café. “People are happiest when they're eating,” she said. “I put that food down and watch grumpy faces sud- denly turn into happy ones. Servers just aren’t allowed to have a bad day.” Blythe ought to know. The 31- year-old has been pouring the love along with the coffee since age 18 and prefers breakfast to other shifts. “People just want to eat fast, get their caffeine fix and go,” she said. Even younger servers can find the silver lining in their breakfast shifts where caffeine makes the world go ’round. Elyse Hickson, age 21, began working at the Little Brown Hen at 16. “The regulars bring a smile and brighten my day every time and make my job so worth it,” she said. Elizabeth Wheeler, 15, a busser at the Little Brown Hen, added, “My favorite part of being a morning server is when a grumpy customer finally gets their first cup of coffee of the day and I get to watch that frown turn upside down.” Sandra Mehuron, chef at Fresh Harvest Café, says she loves the cre- ativity as well as the challenges. She’s seen her share of them after 44 years in the industry. So has Fresh Harvest restauranteur Gilmar Ortiz, who has performed every job in foodservice from chief bottle wash- er, literally, as well as busser, server, bartender and host. “In serving, you’re in a constant position to give,” he said. “It takes a special type of people who humble themselves to serve others and that is true leadership.” 1285 Restobar restauranteur Kurt Hargens summed it up this way: “I want guests to feel like they’re com- ing to my home for lunch or dinner. They should have a warm and wel- coming experience. It’s about mak- ing them feel important. If we can do that, then we’re doing our job.” Across the street at the Waterfront Depot, Marianne Brisbane, a 20-year veteran restauranteur, shared another perspective. “We love to make peo- ple happy. It sounds simple, but you must have a servant’s heart in order to do it,” she said. Depot employee Bill Broderick has tended bar for over 35 years. “This job allows one’s personality to shine, while working with a team,” he said. “I love that this profession allows me to not be a 9-to-5 drone.” Craig Stewart, a longtime Bay Street server currently at the Waterfront Depot, started out as a busser at the ICM and then went into construction for 14 years. “It was backbreaking work,” he said. “In foodservice, I get to build relation- ships with people. If people have a great dining experience, that puts a smile on my face.” Chris Wohl at Blue Bill’s Sports Bar in Three Rivers Casino Resort echoes that sentiment. “When you’re able to do something special for a customer and then see that look of appreciation, it's so rewarding. It's all about being personable even when you're busy. I make it a point to greet and converse with customers even when the pace is crazy.” Perhaps that explains why Chris was voted “Best Bartender” in the 2015 “Best of Florence.” Still, the father of one toddler and another kid on the way admits that foodservice can pose some challenges. “Finding the balance between work and fami- ly life is the tough part,” he said. “We miss a lot of family events.” Nights, weekends and holidays all remain de rigueur for the industry as people gravitate to bars and restau- rants whether they feel up or down. “Sometimes we even have to be psychologists,” Chris said. “I'm often amazed at what folks tell me.” Martin Luther King Jr. must have had foodservice workers in mind when he wrote: “Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.” Yet there are no statues erected for their heroics or postage stamps in their honor. That’s why Sept. 25 is National Foodservice Workers Day, dedicated to the 15 million cheerful troopers employed in the nation’s largest pri- vate sector workforce. Most will be toiling on their national holiday — at the broiler, in the dish pit, behind the bar, at the door and on the floor — sacrificing their Sunday so the rest of us can enjoy ours. Foodservice workers are often the first people tourists meet upon their arrival, creating a first and lasting impression. That makes them ambas- sadors for our community as well as stewards for our celebrations. Every summer they miss the parties and picnics, the weddings and gradua- tions, the fireworks and the cook- outs. As consummate professionals, foodservice workers deserve far more credit for their mental, emo- tional and physical prowess. Portland-based veteran server Paul Paz is on a mission to elevate the status of foodservice workers to a professional level. His organization provides invaluable “tips” at WaitersWorld.com. The Siuslaw Riverside will offer a “Service Industry Night” on September 25, with special prices for foodservice workers. “Everyone should experience this industry sometime in their life,” restauranteur Rollins said. “It teaches you every- thing you will ever need to know.” Catherine J. Rourke is an award- winning journalist, author and book editor who teaches creative writing at the Florence Regional Arts Alliance. Email CJReditor@gmail.com. Copyright 2016 © Siuslaw News Publisher, ext. 327 General Manager, ext. 318 Editor, ext. 313 Advertising Director, ext. 326 Office Supervisor, ext. 312 Production Supervisor Press Manager DEADLINES: Wednesday Issue—General news, Monday noon; Budgets, four days prior to publication; Regular classified ads, Monday 1 p.m.; Display ads, Monday noon; Boxed and display classified ads, Friday 5 p.m. Saturday Issue—General news, Thursday noon; Budgets, two days prior to publication; Regular classified ads, Thursday 1 p.m.; Display ads, Thursday noon; Boxed and display classified ads, Wednesday 5 p.m. Soundings, Tuesday 5 p.m. NEWSPAPER SUBSCRIPTION RATES: In Lane County — 1-year subscription, $71; 10-weeks subscription, $18; Out of Lane County — 1-year subscription, $94; 10-weeks subscription, $24; Out of State — 1-year subscription, $120; Out of United States — 1-year subscription, $200; E-Edition Online Only (Anywhere) — 1-year subscription, $65. Mail subscription includes E-Edition. Website and E-Edition: www.TheSiuslawNews.com WHERE TO WRITE Published every Wednesday and Saturday at 148 Maple St. in Florence, Lane County, Oregon. A member of the National Newspaper Association and Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association. Periodicals postage paid at Florence, Ore. Postmaster, send address changes to: Siuslaw News, P.O. Box 10, Florence, OR 97439; phone 541-997-3441; fax 541-997-7979. All press releases may be sent to PressReleases@TheSiuslawNews.com. John Bartlett Jenna Bartlett Ned Hickson Susan Gutierrez Cathy Dietz Ron Annis Jeremy Gentry PHOTOS BY CATHRINE ROURKE From left: Three Rivers Casino Resort bartender Chris Wohl, voted Florence’s "Best Bartender" in 2015; Siuslaw Riverside restauranteur Melonie Rollin with server Devin Robertson and cook-server-bartender Katy Bailey; Mercedes Gortz, an 18-year veteran in the foodservive industry. Pres. Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20500 Comments: 202-456-1111 Switchboard: 202-456-1414 FAX: 202-456-2461 TTY/TDD Comments: 202-456-6213 www.whitehouse.gov Gov. Kate Brown 160 State Capitol 900 Court St. Salem, OR 97301-4047 Governor’s Citizens’ Rep. Message Line 503-378-4582 www.oregon.gov/gov U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden 221 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg Washington, DC 20510 202-224-5244 541-431-0229 www.wyden.senate.gov FAX: 503-986-1080 Email: Sen.ArnieRoblan@state.or.us U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley 313 Hart Senate Office Bldg Washington, DC 20510 202-224-3753/FAX: 202-228-3997 541-465-6750 State Rep. Caddy McKeown (Dist. 9) 900 Court St. NE Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1409 Email: rep.caddymckeown@state.or.us U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio (4th Dist.) 2134 Rayburn HOB Washington, DC 20515 202-225-6416/ 800-944-9603 541-269-2609/ 541-465-6732 www.defazio.house.gov State Sen. Arnie Roblan (Dist. 5) 900 Court St. NE - S-417 Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1705 West Lane County Commissioner Jay Bozievich 125 E. Eighth St. Eugene, OR 97401 541-682-4203 FAX: 541-682-4616 Email: Jay.Bozievich@co.lane.or.us
