The light side

Long hours, high rates of drug and alcohol abuse, bullying, poor mental health – the dark side of working in hospitality rightly gets a lot of airplay. But while these issues are part of the pressure-cooker environment of kitchen and restaurant culture, it’s far from the whole story. Being on staff at a restaurant, bar or café is also about camaraderie, building self-confidence, acquiring technical and organisational skills, sparking creativity and even boosting mental health – after all, it’s where many of us find our tribe and sow the seeds for successful careers. Bagging that first job is easier than in many sectors and once you’ve got a foothold, skills are highly transferable. For those who thrive, a hospitality career can be a lifesaver. For those who excel, the sky’s the limit.

DANIELLE GJESTLAND, OWNER, WASABI, NOOSA, QLD

Danielle Gjestland’s first customer-facing job was at age 14, scooping ice-cream for holidaymakers on Noosa’s Hastings Street. Ten years later she’d opened a restaurant. Sixteen years on, and countless late nights later, Wasabi