I have to say — working an eight-plus-hour day at the café is something else. The noise. The busyness. The heat. The pressure. All the new things. I’m crushed afterwards — I feel like going straight to bed. I’m not used to it — not yet.
I like it, though. I’m getting accustomed. And I’m marking the kitchen as my territory. Who would have thought?
When I made plans to come to Australia, the last thing I wanted to do was work in hospitality — wait tables, make coffee, prepare food. Well, look at me now. I can’t help but laugh at this.
Especially because I like it so much — the people I work with (mostly), and the freedom they give me to bake and try new recipes.
Last week I tried some new peanut butter–banana muffins. The real hit was my carrot cake muffins. But my coconut macaroons were pretty decent as well. I love baking (and cooking in general). It’s become a creative outlet — just like writing, or playing the piano or guitar.
I feel at peace while I’m trying new recipes or just whipping up old favourites in the kitchen. Let’s see what I’m going to create this week.
They also have signature pastries — one of them being the Portuguese sourdough tarts. Boy, if I could eat without gaining weight, I’d eat two of them every day. But me and my sweet tooth have to be really careful, working in a café and being surrounded by all this delicious food.
In the kitchen, I’m not just responsible for sweet treats. The café is locally famous for its toasties. These toasties are what I prepare and cook/grill once I’m done with the baking. It’s a pretty easygoing job, which only gets a little hectic once the breakfast/lunch rush hits. Each toastie has its signature ingredient, which sometimes needs to be pre-cooked or baked. And I can honestly say — the toasties are amazing. You should come by and taste for yourself!
And if you thought I’d let you in on any secret ingredients or recipes — I would never do that to the business I’m working for. (Depends what you’ve got to offer in return.)
The little café I’m working at is called Steam and Cedar, located in the beautiful small village of Gladstone — just a fifteen-minute drive from the farm. Dan, the founder, opened the café about seven years ago. He’s still the owner, but he has a lot on his plate right now with opening a new restaurant in a different location. So basically — the café is for sale. If anybody’s looking to invest, we’re open to offers.
I have a bit more respect (or fear) when it comes to being trained on the coffee machine. Coffee isn’t my go-to drink to begin with, and the coffee culture in Germany is still very different from the one in Australia (or Canada, for that matter). Even though the Germans are catching up.
Never before in my life had I heard of an “extra-hot long black,” “small flat white, quarter strength,” or “medium tiger cap with a pump of caramel”… Then there are the sizes, the different flavours, and of course — the huge variety of milks. (Or as I like to call them: nut juices.)
The number of times I have to ask a customer to repeat themselves when I’m at the till is honestly close to embarrassing — and I’m not sure if it’s because I’m not used to the system yet, or because I get lost trying to find the right drink, or because they speak so fast, or because some of them really just have the thickest Australian accent and I’m completely lost.
Usually, after asking a third time, I give up and just hope I got the order right.
So yes — you could assume I like the kitchen better. Because it gives me my “quiet and peace,” and I can hide away from customer service. Well… you’d be right about that. But I will get the hang of Front of House as well — at some point.
Our opening hours at the moment are Wednesday to Sunday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. I like it best when I start at 6:30 in the morning and have the whole place to myself for at least an hour. That way, I can prep the kitchen for the day and get the main baking done.
It just occurred to me that I might have always been more comfortable with work behind the scenes rather than being in the centre of attention. Oh well — better late than never to have these kinds of realisations.
Anyway, once again, there’s a lot of new things I’m picking up about the work system in Australia — which, again, is completely different from what I was used to in Germany, Canada, or Austria. At the moment, I’m what they call a casual worker. Which means: I don’t have a signed contract or anything. My boss gives me shifts week by week — but he’s not required to. There’s no minimum or maximum number of hours. He could easily take me off the roster and say I’m no longer needed. Adios.
It’s a very fast-changing lifestyle in that regard. I wouldn’t even have to give notice if I left the job. (All of that changes once you’re a regular employee. But I’m not there yet…)
You could turn your whole life around so easily here. Crazy. Amazing. And a little scary. Because sometimes it’s your decision — and sometimes it’s made for you. And two weeks can pass in the blink of an eye. Alright — let’s not get too sentimental here.
It is great for backpackers like me. I’m only here for a certain amount of time, and I definitely want to do more travelling than I did in Canada. I want to work in more places, and try more kinds of jobs. I want this to be a real Work and Travel experience.
Last thought: Funny how life humbles you in the exact ways you never saw coming — through the things you never imagined doing, seeing, or becoming part of.
Stay tuned for more! So long.
marie louise travels 