Kids, take a job in food service. You’ll learn a lot.

Even though I wasn't born here I have spent most of my life in the Greenville area. As a teenager, summer jobs abounded. Most of those jobs were at the many, many resorts that lined the area.

The work was good, the owners treated you right and for a first job experience, it was a good memory. Unfortunately, the resorts for the most part are gone. A few have changed with the times and with a very loyal clientele are still here. But summer jobs for teenagers are not as abundant as they once were. Now, a lot of those jobs are taken by adults.

One of my first jobs was at a resort called Breezy Knoll. My dad got me the job and I was 12 years old. My task was to work one hour each day, seven days a week picking up the grounds for cigarette butts and waste. The pay was $5 per week. That is what I was paid. Actually, the pay offered by the owner was $10 a week, but my father told the owner to give me $5 to teach me the value of the dollar. Dad waited 10 years later to tell me that fact. Thanks, Dad!

My second job was at Tall Tree Manor, my aunt's boarding house. I worked the snack bar, selling candy, flipping burgers, etc. I loved that job. I got to work with family and every day was fun. From there I went on to the Friar Tuck Inn and Lobster Shanty in the Buckingham Village below. The work was hard, but I loved it. Friday nights and Saturday, all day. As a dishwasher and prep guy, I could eat whatever I wanted, had an occasional beer, got paid in cash and, as a 16-year-old boy, got to work with some of the best looking waitresses ever. The point being is it was at that point, either by preordained destiny or just dumb luck, the chef (a great guy, really) would occasionally become indisposed and a little too laid back. Paul, could you set up the salad bar? Paul, could you drop the steak fries in the deep fryer? Paul, could you cook off those New York Strip Steaks? I learned how to cook and I was good at it. By the chef’s suggestion I started cooking, no more dishwashing.

From there it was onward and upward. Hotels, restaurants, resorts―each and every one a learning process. This business puts you in contact with a lot of different people. Most are good and have something to offer. Some others, not so much. If we as parents and guardians have given our children the right tools and a strong foundation, a summer job in the food service business is a very good opportunity.

Several years ago, I had a chat with my oldest son. It was a very rewarding and memorable conversation. You see, all three of my children worked in a summer food service position. Whether it be as a dishwasher, waitress or sous chef, all gained from the experience. My son said to me, "You know Dad, all the time I spent working with you in the catering business, I took what I experienced and used it to deal with people at work on a day-to-day basis, every day."  At the time he worked at Microsoft out in Seattle. It was nice to hear that and very satisfying as a father.  

Students and parents, here is the lesson. The food service industry can be much more rewarding than just a weekly paycheck. It is not forever but the experience and life lessons learned will truly last a lifetime. That is a very reflective food for thought.

Paul Ventura is a retired local chef. He is the owner operator of Ventura's Catering and Cheesecakes. A Greenville resident for almost 65 years and past food service director for the Greenville Central School District for 27 years. He has his education from GCS, AAS from Mohawk Valley CC, BA from SUNY Albany and continuing education degree from the CIA in Hyde Park. He has been in the food service industry for over 54 years.

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