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fabrisseI want advice.
There's an open position at the Boys and Girls Club that I'm interested in. The problem is that it would be doing something that I love as an amateur -- cooking -- and turning it into my livelihood.
The club is going to be participating in a wider program for good nutrition. The position is predominantly food planning and preparation, but will involve some accounting and quite a bit of community liaison work.
The thing is most people have no concept of how to cook seasonally. None. We've become so used to the idea of being able to get what we want when we want it (sure, we might have to pay a little more) that very few people can do the seasonal planning. I know that I can.
What's more, I know that I have recipes and resources for taking "unpalatable" vegetables and turning them into something that people can love. Part of the program contributions are coming from an organization called America's Second Harvest -- so it's completely possible that a crate of beets could be passed along to this place and need to be used immediately.
The HR person I talked with said something like "These people will be happy with a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup. It's been so long since they've had a hot meal." But I watched the public schools in Belgium serve three course meals at lunch for about $3.50 per person per day. Grilled cheese and tomato soup should be the very last resort.
The downsides to this are the stresses. Physical stresses include lifting heavy pans, blisters from chopping, and fatigue. Mental stresses include "what if they don't like it," the constraints of supplies, the fear that I'll stop loving something I love.
Advice? Questions, queries, comments?
There's an open position at the Boys and Girls Club that I'm interested in. The problem is that it would be doing something that I love as an amateur -- cooking -- and turning it into my livelihood.
The club is going to be participating in a wider program for good nutrition. The position is predominantly food planning and preparation, but will involve some accounting and quite a bit of community liaison work.
The thing is most people have no concept of how to cook seasonally. None. We've become so used to the idea of being able to get what we want when we want it (sure, we might have to pay a little more) that very few people can do the seasonal planning. I know that I can.
What's more, I know that I have recipes and resources for taking "unpalatable" vegetables and turning them into something that people can love. Part of the program contributions are coming from an organization called America's Second Harvest -- so it's completely possible that a crate of beets could be passed along to this place and need to be used immediately.
The HR person I talked with said something like "These people will be happy with a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup. It's been so long since they've had a hot meal." But I watched the public schools in Belgium serve three course meals at lunch for about $3.50 per person per day. Grilled cheese and tomato soup should be the very last resort.
The downsides to this are the stresses. Physical stresses include lifting heavy pans, blisters from chopping, and fatigue. Mental stresses include "what if they don't like it," the constraints of supplies, the fear that I'll stop loving something I love.
Advice? Questions, queries, comments?
no subject
Date: 2003-11-05 01:56 pm (UTC)First of all, you mention the physical stress. I don't know how much they are likely to expect you to lift or haul around, but unless you know for sure that you will have assistance if needed, you really do need to be sure they aren't going to just forget that entire crates of food are heavier than individual items and leave you to cope.
Like siderea, I do think it may matter who you are cooking for. From your comments on planning and community, it sounds as if it may be largely adults, or people who are specifically interested in learning to cook seasonally and more nutriously, in which case you should be fine. If it is children, the approval level may have very little to do with what you actually prepare. In my experience, children are quite likely to decide they hate something before even trying it, and having once made that announcement, will refuse to admit they like it out of sheer stubbornness.
On a purely practical level, how does the pay compare w/ what you are doing now? Would this be on top of the reception work, or instead of it? If the latter, would the extra money balance the extra time/stress? If the former, and it turns out there is too much physical labor or you find you dislike having something you love turn into a chore, how hard would it be to find another job again? Is this a permanent position, or a temporary one? Because honestly, while money isn't everything, it tends to loom pretty large until you have a certain amount of it.
If you would be working out of the same place as current job, the responsibility issues should be about the same (although perhaps not, as a receptionist might be easier to replace temporarily if you are ill). If it's not from the same place, how does getting there compare, especially w/ winter coming on?
I would lean toward recommending you try it, overall, because if you can get a job you really enjoy, it's a wonderful thing. And it seems like something you'd be really good at, as well as one that would be helping people (which I think matters to you). I'd just encourage you to see if you can come up w/ a back-up plan in case you turn out to hate it.
no subject
Date: 2003-11-05 08:00 pm (UTC)As I seem to keep writing, I have lots of food for thought.