chef

assistant manager

apprentice

head chef

kitchen team leader

Harvester

There is no typical day at work, It depends what staff is in, what day it is, whether we have a delivery that day or not, and also the major factor is what the public feel like doing that day.

What I've learned since working at the Harvester is, various online training courses, time management, communication, ability to work under pressure, team-work is key in the work place, being calm, cool, collective makes for a very efficient shift, even when busy you can still have a laugh with your co-workers.

Management Is very high standard at Harvester, The Team Leaders/Assistant Management, are very well trained as they have started at the bottom and worked to the top, so they know all the in's and outs of the business and what its like being all of the areas of the restaurant, Kitchen management Is amazing, know's who to put were to benefit the shift and make it run as smooth as possible, knows when to delegate breaks very well, And overall great management.

The Co-workers are one of, if not the most enjoyable part of working at the Harvester, they have a laugh and a joke, like a bit of banter, just when it comes down to it they work extremely hard and efficiently.

The Hardest Part of the job is probably when we're short on staff or hours have been cut due to the level of business. For example it could be 'dead' or 'quiet' as we say in the kitchen and then all of a sudden we have a nearly full restaurant. So in essence the hardest part is probably predicting what the public will do.

The place I worked the people were so lovely it was like a family! I struggled with the fact that 18-21 year olds would get payed less than someone with no experience who comes in and works that’s say 25 doing the same job but no experience would be payed more for doing the same job. It would make up for in tips sometimes but on discounted weeks where everyone is being cheap tips were low and you could feel the difference in pay. For example getting payed less than say a 25 year old I’d have to work an extra 2/3 shifts a week to get the same pay so it’s longer hours mostly night shifts and late finishes so can be hard for social life and work life balance when you need the money. There are pros and cons as sometimes the restaurant will be busy so we can be asked to come in for an extra shift or to cover someone but just because it’s on your schedule doesn’t mean it’s what you’ll work. Con of this being that when it wasn’t busy they will tell you that your not needed in today which don’t get me wrong was sometimes great but not when you need the money. Any cons put aside I really really enjoyed working at harvester and with the people I had the pleasure of working with. There’s always a place in my hearts for harvester 

Working at Harvester was enjoyable, yet stressful at times depending on what co-workers you had working with you and what guests came in to eat. Interacting with new people everyday is exciting as it allows you to learn something new and it helps build confidence in ways.
I didn't learn much as such, although working there helped me develop my skills more within the customer service role, overcoming problems which customers would face.
The management are friendly and you're able to have a laugh and a joke at times, although, they can be unorganised and can get stressed easily which has a negative effect on the staff, which can then lead to problems within the business.
The staff are very friendly and easy-going, although some are stronger than others, they all do their jobs exceedingly well.
The hardest part of the job was dealing with inexplicably rude customers, although, because of this, my customer service skills have increased and I am able to deal with complains and requests to a high standard.
The most enjoyable part of working at the Harvester was the friendly staff and some friendly customers as you could have a laugh and a joke which undoubtedly makes the job easier and far more enjoyable.

Working at harvester was a summer temp job.

Because it was summer, Harvester was very busy. Even though I wasn't a waitress, clearing tables itself was very hard! I would have to clean an amount of 3 tables within a span of 5 minutes, having them cleared of all the plates, wiped thoroughly and set up with cutlery. It doesn't sound hard, but it was.

I learnt how to waitress very easily.

The boss was very strict, I personally did not like her at all but don't we all? She was just doing her job.

Because we were so busy all the time, I barely ever had time to meet, talk or get to know anyone I worked with. Everyone seemed very moody and sarcastic when I managed to talk to them.

(Above) It was a very hard job in the span of a month, I lost 2 pounds in weight due to so much walking. My jeans can't fit me anymore, they're too big! Whenever we were really busy, and some other waitresses couldn't make it, I would be asked to cover and do waitressing, and I was very happy to help. I hated cleaning tables, but it's the money I need! 

Honestly, I didn't enjoy anything! I needed the money, and I got the money.

I have been working at the harvester for over a year now and I have never been so poorly treated within a workplace. My hours are constantly cut due to “budget cuts” to which I was sent home twice within a week due to not being able to stay on the bar. Management always have issues to address but never find a time to tell us how to work on them. They don’t tell us anything, there is no communication within the business what so ever and so it is constantly stressful for staff when guests come in and leave dissatisfied and angry because they weren’t told something management have decided to keep to themselves. It creates a toxic atmosphere within the workplace and creates bad moods and leading to guests leaving bad reviews. They’ll never praise you on what you’ve done right but they’ll sure make you suffer when you’ve done wrong. I would not recommend working here. If you value your mental state don’t do it. I’ve gone off sick 3 times within the year due to feeling so mentally exhausted. It’s not worth losing yourself for a job that will not care whether you lived or died. (They’ve actually stated this to me).

On Saturdays, I start at 4.00pm or 4.30pm. depending on whom I have to take over. I have to clear up first all the mess that my colleagues have left around. In the meantime, there are some customers sitting at tables waiting for me to serve trying to cater for each one's demand from the complicated menu. I also have to deal with the kitchen staff to get the orders that are always late because of the slow pace of the moody kitchen staff. The management being very lenient and careless gives right to some colleagues to take long cigarette and gossip breaks to let others do the dunkey work they want to avoid doing. This adding to some drug addicts and drunken hard to please customers makes it really hard to bear to the point that when I clock off at 11.30pm, I am really exhausted. There is nothing enjoyable for me doing this this hard job for a minimum wage. I only try to survive there just to get only enough to pay the rent

Arrived at work at 8 to set up for breakfast at 8.30. Setting up the bar, finishing off any jobs not completed the night before, help kitchen staff with getting ready for breakfast. During the breakfast shift; welcome guest and show them to their table, order drinks and food, prepare drinks and serve, continue. Serve food when ready. At 11.30 pack down breakfast for lunch. Work (with 30 min break) till closing at around 10, when restaurant stops serving food and start shut down procedures. 
I learnt a lot when I worked here, from carrying 3 plates, to serving multiple tables at once, basics of bar work and how to deal with all different types of customers.
The workplace culture was similar to that I met on the dive boats, with the same type of commraoditry and teamwork. The most enjoyable part of the job is when the customers leave very happy and even comment on your work and that of the rest of the team. 
Despite the hard work and, yes, stress I thoroughly enjoyed everyday meeting new people and working within a team of coworkers who become friends.

A typical day at Harvester; bar staff are moaned at, by customers, for lack of staff. Staff have no respect for each other, regardless to the rank. There is no communication between staff members, i.e. out of stock food in the kitchen. Lacking in hours, but can somehow afford new staff. Its a back stabbing gossiping environment, and the GM does nothing to solve this. Staff members doing 5 to 8 hour shifts don't get breaks. Management will make you work more than 12 hours a day during busy seasons, and will not give you 12 hours between each shift. Staff are told off every time they call in sick. But the GM does not give them the required break times, 12 hour gaps between shifts, and expects them to work like cart horses and constantly be 110% healthy. Yet does not give them the time of day to recover after falling ill. If management (incl. team leaders) do not like you, then you will know about it. Lower rankings of staff are expected to run the floor or bar without the correct training, and incorrect pay. Pay is rubbish as well. Dry house for staff.

Working at the harvester can be quite hectic, its always busy and there is always something that needs doing.  The shifts are very varied you can either do a 4 hour shift or sometimes it can be 13 hours but only if you need to stay on after your shift has ended to help the rest of the team. 
The management try their very best to keep everybody happy and safe. 
My co-workers and I are all very close friends we all work together and spend a lot of time together and we have a very strong sense of team work because of this which I see as a positive. A strong team is a happy team. 
The hardest part of the job can sometimes be dealing with the public and guest complaints it can become very emotionally exhausting but having a strong team behind you really helps. 
The most enjoyable part of the job is working with the team, we all love working together and it makes our longer shifts feel a lot better because we are all so close.

Honestly the first few weeks were amazing and then it started going down hill from there started being sent to the other harvester as apparently they where short staff which was not the case it was more that they basically thought I was a terrible waitress and I needed training for 3 months I was working at another site which I was not even employed by.
Started working at hawth park again hours where long and terrible break you could never know if you would even get your full hour break as there has been many times I would be called back of break early. Breakfast shift where the worst as I’d come in early as some managers would not set up salad bar for the breakfast I’d punch in at 8 as of when I had started to work and they would change it for the time it says on the rota which is completely not fair.
Managers would make absolutely horrible comments about other staff including myself as I was told I was getting fat and that apparently my home life with my other half was more important to them and for them to take the mock out of it

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Chef 15 salaries reported	£12.09 per hour
Assistant manager 16 salaries reported	£28,666 per year
Apprentice 2 salaries reported	£11.10 per hour
Head chef 3 salaries reported	£29,500 per year
Kitchen team leader 2 salaries reported	£13.15 per hour

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