Storm

Hello Hello, this week it is again my turn to write a blog for the website. So here it is!!

Currently, I am an employee of Mise en Place. This is a catering agency. It was founded in Maastricht at the hotel school, which is all about the catering industry and hotels. Mise en Place gets in contact with organisations or businesses that organise events. If these organisations need employees to serve drinks or food during these events they call Mise en Place and request a number of employees. Mise en Place then offers these jobs/events to their own employees.

This type of job is rather unique and very different from a regular job in the catering industry. The jobs you have to work at are big events. These events could be a festival or a big diner event. Or helping out with a cycling race or tennis tournament. You can even cater for a television program. There is plenty to choose from and you are not obligated to do anything. Of course, you must do a job once in a while but it doesn’t have to be very regular.

Of course, during the covid times, Mise en Place had a difficult time staying alive but with the measurements being mostly lifted, there are more and more jobs available.

For example this weekend I worked at the Ziggo Dome. The Ziggo Dome is one of the Netherlands' largest event/concert halls. I believe every year or every half year there are three concerts organised to commemorate our Dutch folk singer: Andre Hazes. The last time it was organized I was there myself to have a fun time and sing along. But this time I was there to work.

Mise en place offered a bartending job on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Unfortunately, I was only able to go on Sunday but that was already super cool! Beforehand we got a file with things we had to know about clothing, the job itself, parking and so on. It was prepped really well.

Side note: not every job is prepped so well but Ziggo Dome is very big so a lot of effort is put into a smooth job.

I had to be there at 12:30. Enter via the personnel entrance and report for duty. At the location, I got a blouse, apron, nametag and a personnel pas. This personnel pas was needed to register the worked hours.

You were assigned to a specific working place, but because it was the first time for a lot of people, we were brought to the correct spot by security. When everyone in your group had arrived we started with a briefing. This briefing entail all the information we had to know about the beer tap, the soda tap, the checkout and the concert itself.

Then we had some time to settle in and get to know your colleges. I had a really fun group of people with whom it was a party right away. Next to that, we were positioned at the bar NEXT TO THE PODIUM!!!!! So we didn’t have to pay for tickets but we still got the best spot.

The public started to come in slowly and the time came when we actually had to do something. But still, we could sing and dance to the music and have fun with our colleagues. Our superior was super nice and not too strict. At one point when some people were having a break, it got a bit busy. I didn’t mind that so much because I love the task I was given. Though at this point I realised I was too busy to listen to the music and see what was happening on the podium but that did not bother me too much.

At the end of the concert, we were told to not yet stop selling drinks because this was not gonna be the last song of the artist. They did that classic artist thingy where you say it is your last song but you are coming back to the stage again for one more song. So while you think it might be your yelling that brought the artist back. Well, let me tell you it wasn’t your yelling.

Around 7 o’clock we were finished and went home. Afterwards, I heard stories that before covid the employees would go out for drinks together but that has to be picked up again.

So, after all, I had the best time. And while people had to pay for a ticket and drinks. I got to enjoy the concert and make money. In my opinion, there is no better combination.

If this got you excited to also work at Mise en Place, text me (+31 6 39512378). They also welcome international students, so that does not form a problem. And there is a minimum wage of 11 euros per hour. So a good deal for the catering industry.

Oh, and they have like this friendsweek or something where you get a 100 euros sign up bonus, if you mention my name (: