Mylene Antonio spills the beans on what a day is like for her working at busy café Slices
Why did you move to Abu Dhabi?
I’m from the Philippines and I worked there as a waitress for three years. After that I got the opportunity to train and work as a barista in Bahrain. Then I heard about this job opportunity online, I applied and moved here last December – it’s the perfect job for me because I’m working as a waitress and a barista.
We’ve heard that Slices donates all unused food to the needy …
Yes, all of our food is freshly prepared daily and at the end of each day we used to walk over to the building site and give baskets of unused food to the labourers. Now that the construction work next door has finished, the Red Crescent comes to collect the extra food and they give it to people in need.
You’ll notice that we don’t have any sell-by-dates on our sandwiches because they are always made in-house and either sold or donated on the same day.
What do you like most about your job?
The appreciation that I get from customers whenever I do a good job. They smile and give positive feedback.
What do you find challenging about your job?
Actually it’s a fun job and the team has become my friends. It’s only difficult when a lot of people are off sick at the same time.
3.30am: I wake up and spend about thirty minutes preparing to go to work. I live in Khalifa and a driver comes to collect me for work. I’m doing the 5am to 3pm shift now. Sometimes I do the 10am to 8pm shift, it changes every month. I prefer doing the evening shift because I can go to bed later and sleep later.
5am: By 5am I’m at work. I help the team to set up shop by preparing the espresso machine, setting up the cups and preparing the fruit. We sell organic fruit drinks that come from all over the world so I make sure our display is full. We make fresh smoothies and fruit juices on the premises so I help to make those drinks. After that I set up the fresh salad, organic cake and pastries displays. I do some cleaning and then we are ready for the customers to arrive.
6.50am: I take my position behind the counter. Slices is self-service so our guests select whatever food they want, take it to the counter and pay for it. We have a seating area, so if we are not busy then we will go the extra mile and bring their order out to the table.
The doors open and our regular guests come in. We have about four or five customers who arrive at the same time every day. I’ve got to know them and their favourite drinks. They don’t need to say what they want; I remember their faces and orders.
My job is to toast sandwiches, serve salad, make coffee and smoothies. It’s important to be quick at serving but also be accurate; I have to give the right food and the right service. I have memorised all the different food items and how to make the drinks.
It’s also important to be able to read people’s mood and act accordingly.
10.30am: Usually I take my break around 10.30am or 11am. If it’s not too hot I go for a walk outside; in the summer months I usually get something to eat out the back.
3pm: I finish my shift at 3pm so before I go home I clean the espresso machine, sweep the floor and do some other light cleaning.
When I go home I shower, prepare dinner and then use the internet to unwind. After a busy day it’s nice to come home and relax!
Catriona Doherty
