A lucrative career, these young people love their jobs and would rather be working as waiters than pursuing other options in life.[break]
“I’ve been working as a waiter for one year now,” says 18-year-old Ramesh Shrestha, senior waiter at Himalayan Java, Civil Mall, adding, “I love my job. I initially wanted to work as a cook and took up waiting as a stepping stone to that position. But now that I’ve started working as a waiter, I can’t see myself drifting on to any other field. This just feels right.”
Various young people from different parts of Kathmandu come to the capital in search for better employment opportunities. And since they already have friends working for the booming restaurant industry, they usually end up taking up jobs in the kitchen or as waiters.
And as these jobs pay quite well, these young waiters don’t seem to complain much. Most waiters inform that they get paid more than Rs 10,000 and that is enough for their expenses at home.
“When I arrived here from Chitwan, I started work for Himalayan Java but switched to Magic Beans soon after because they provided me with a better work environment and better pay,” says 24-year-old Ranjit Thapa, barista at Magic Beans, Sherpa Mall. “The managers listen to us and pay us very well, enough for me to sustain my livelihood,” he adds.
More than waiters, young people seem to like working as baristas because of the freedom it provides.
Baristas are trained to handle the whole coffee joint on their own, from housekeeping to waiting tables to making coffee, everything is handled by these baristas.
And the freedom that comes with the job is what seems to attract these young people. But taking on a job as a barista is not easy because it requires intensive training that lasts about 45 days.
For some youngsters, working as baristas or waiters can help them with their studies as well.
For some students immigrating from rural villages, Kathmandu life can be quite expensive and difficult to handle if you don’t have proper finance, and working in the service sector can help them earn enough for school and living expenses.
“I’m a high school student at Modern Kanya at Bimsen Gola and I completely support myself by working,” says 20-year-old Kamana Katuwal, Barista-In-charge at Himalayan Beanz, Civil Mall.
“I wasn’t very interested in the restaurant industry but I needed work. I trained as a barista at Gate College under full scholarship and got a job here as soon as I graduated. And after working here for two years I’ve grown to love my job and can’t imagine myself restricted by cubicles or walls,” she informs.
Some young people have bigger dreams to be lived though. Human nature demands growth no matter what job you’re involved in, and there is only so much you can do as a waiter.
Shankar Shrestha has bigger dreams to realize, and after working as a waiter for six to seven years, he wants to move on to bigger things and not restrict himself.
Young people have the energy and the means to do bigger things, and with a little effort and help from friends, anything is possible, he informs us.
“I want to start up my own restaurant,” says 26-year-old Shankar, a waiter at Cafferina, Sherpa Mall, adding, “I’ve been employed as a waiter for six years now and I want to do something more with my life. I’m looking for a place to open up a restaurant and have been looking for friends who’ll be interested as well.”
There is a love that sparkles every time these young people talk about their job; it’s not the money or the freedom alone that drives them to love what they do.
It is the basic human interactions they love which connect them with so many different customers. When asked what they loved most about waiting tables, all of them echo the same – people.
In this crazy spiral of urbanization where people live busy lives and have billions of thoughts occupying them, this basic brush and this basic sparkle amongst people is like magic, and that magic is what brings that sparkle into their eyes.
Many young people prefer working as waiters or baristas these days and this basic human need to communicate and connect with people might be the drive.
Whatever the case, the job of waiting tables is growing within the Valley, and more and more young people seem to enjoy it.
“In this job, the key is to treat everyone like friends,” says 21-year-old Prakash Raut, Barista at Himalayan Beanz, adding, “and more than the freedom, it is that connection with the customers that I love. Although we have to deal with some difficult customers from time to time, it’s the good ones who make it all worthwhile.”
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