How would you feel about peeling 900kg of potatoes every day?
Or planning and implementing three menus a day for the individual dietary needs of 2000 people? Baking 2000 bread rolls of 12 different varieties?
Or working every day for 4 months straight in a hot kitchen with no window views outside?
Let’s not even go there with the dish washing.
It doesn’t sound like the kind of job that would make you happy right?
A big focus of the P & O Pacific Dawn’s head chef Alex Kreck is to ensure his kitchen staff are happy no matter how many potatoes they have to peel?
“If the crew come to work with a sad face, they pass that face onto you”
Food is a major part of cruising life, so it’s any wonder the Chef wants us to feel happy.
Pacific Dawn has four major restaurants:
Plantation, the casual buffet, serves three meals a day with a large selection of hot and cold food.
Waterfront Restaurant has fine dining with 2 three-course menus for three meals a day.
Luke Mangan’s Salt Grill, this elegant restaurantserves a five course menu for lunch and dinner (small extra cost).
La Luna Asian has an 8 course menu open of an evening and dishing up delicious Thai and Chinese food (small extra cost).
Plus, there are a variety of smaller snack bars. That is a lot of food and tastes to please.
Chef Alex showed us what a well-oil production machine the kitchen of the Pacific Dawn is. And Pacific Dawn is a small boat; the super-liners cater to up to 6,000 guests.
Hours of thought, preparation, and love go into bringing me delicious food three times a day. And yes, without a doubt making me happy.
The galley tour certainly helped me appreciate the effort many people went to ensure I had a good time on the cruise. (and it just wasn’t the food side of things either)
Alex organises small celebrations to keep his staff connected to their homeland and elevate their happiness levels.
Special national holidays are celebrated and parties are held where each country’s food is cooked and shared with each other. (Some of those dishes make the menu for the passengers, again making us very happy!)
There are 124 cooks from over 40 different nationalities on the ship. Each of who live away from their home for months at a time, most leave their children and partners behind.
Like one of the waitresses who spent several minutes staring longingly at Savannah sleeping in her pram, rubbing her leg gently.
“My baby girl is 11. I miss her so much. She’s back home in the Philippines with my mother.”
My heart died a little.
During our week long cruise many of the staff lingered long over Savannah, giving her cuddles and playing baby games with her. I knew they were wishing it was their own. I was happy for them to have that baby love for a short moment.
Making me happy
Sometimes while we are sipping our pina coladas at sunset, having indulgent spa treatments, eating first class meals, and retiring at night to a turned down bed we forget those who sacrifice in order to give.
And give with happiness.
“My son [6 years old] goes to a good school now, so I am happy,” the head waitress told me of her sacrifice as she stroked Savannah’s hair.
“I have not seen him for 9 months.”
My heart bled. A lot.
I couldn’t imagine ever having to leave my babies for months at a time in order to give them a better life. I’m sorry that sometimes I forget how lucky I am and I complain over stupid things.
I’m so grateful for the sacrifices and hard work that went into making me happy on a cruise.
I only hope I could send some of that happiness back with a warm smile and a sincere thank you.
Do you stop to think of all that goes into making you happy on your travels?
Disclaimer: we cruised as guests of P & O
