Position: Shift leader
Age: 18 – but 19 next week!
Nominated by: Business owner Sarah Heward, who says: “We are nominating James in recognition of his growth and development in confidence and as a team leader since he started with us at the tender age of 15 whilst he was still at school.
How long have you worked at The Real Food Café?
I started as a school boy when I had just turned 15. My mum knew Sarah and I had heard The Real Food Café was a good employer and it was possible to work plenty of hours, so I decided to pick them as my employer of choice.
What are your responsibilities?
I am proud to now be a shift leader and run shifts with up to eight colleagues working under my leadership. My responsibilities are broad. They involve all aspects of food prep, food safety, hygiene, front of house management and customer service, managing the performance of the team on shift and managing their breaks. It’s a demanding job but it’s never boring and no two days are the same.
What’s your favourite part of the job?
I love seeing and talking to satisfied customers. At the café, we get such a wide mix of people from all walks of life, from all over the world as well as from just down the road, it’s great. I am a people person at heart and love how cosmopolitan and varied our customers are. I am also very proud of the quality of our award-winning fish and chips.
What’s your least favourite part of the job?
Cleaning up at the end of a busy night, especially when I’m done in from a busy shift!
What is it that you like about working at The Real Food Café?
100% the team, they are a great bunch and I have learned so much from working with so many of them.
How do you feel about being nominated as an Unsung Hero?
It’s flattering to have the recognition!
