Bobbie found Joan in the college cafeteria around 10 o’clock. They settled in with their coffee and pastry and Bobbie explained that they had a 35 seat restaurant and a 35 seat bar, if you include the terrace and only 2 permanent serving staff. Then she mentioned that Mark was worked off his feet. He shows up before 7 to do the breakfast and then spends the rest of the morning prepping for lunch, where he does all the cooking. He stays to work the tea service until about five. Then he likes to putter in the kitchen for a little while, making the menu and planning for the next day. He’s there all day and sometimes puts in 11 or 12 hours and works on his sour dough at home too. He never complains but we have to get him some staff so he learns to delegate and does not burn himself out.

“You really threw him into the deep end and he’s swimming just fine. His time setting up the restaurant and bar and building the menus is good experience and qualifies as a work term for the course he was taking so I think I could see my way to letting Mark write his exams in June so he can Graduate with his class.”

Bobbie thought a minute. “He’s going to need some time to prepare, when are exams?”

Joan looked at her calendar. “The 10-12 of June. If he kept all his notes he’ll be fine. We didn’t do to much except go on work term after he left.”

“Joan that’s great, you’ll have to call him and give him the good news.” Bobbie frowned. “So you have a graduation class at the end of June, am I going to have to wait that long for a sous chef.”

Joan said the she had former students that were under employed and would like a chance to get some experience in their field.

Bobbie explained that she needed 2 more cooks and 2 more waitstaff and maybe more later if she was going to ramp up the restaurant service.

Joan spoke as the went to her office. “I’ll call a couple of friends and get you some sous chefs and waitstaff. Leave it to me Bobbie.”

“Thank you Joan, that’s a big help.” She smiled as she left the office and as soon as she got back, she went to see how lunch was going. Then she had to tell Trixie she was spending more money.

Everyone was setting up for the tea and a couple of customers had just moved from lunch at SPOKES to afternoon tea at the restaurant and were chatting and waiting patiently.

“They’re keeping you hopping.” Said Bobbie

Mark nodded. “We only had 4 tables for lunch and 12 seats so it was easy. I’m ready for tea and have a few of the cheese boards to make up. Everyone seems to like them.”

“Well, I’m about to go find some more kitchen and wait staff; how do you all feel about making some time on Saturday to run them through their paces.” Mink, Chase and Mark said they could all be there. Bobbie went into the kitchen to see how Rose was doing and saw she was on the stool reading something.

“Hi Miss B, I had a few minutes before the tea cups start coming in to be washed so I was just looking at this.”

Bobbie went over and saw she was looking at a continuing ed high school chemistry class. Rose looked really good. “Rose you look great, you lost a little weight and I love you’re new hair? What are you looking at?”

Rose beamed. “I fixed up my Aunt Jane’s old bicycle and ride in every morning, I’ve gone down a pant size already. I think I’m going to try some night classes, I didn’t finish my high school but it wasn’t so long ago and I just need a few credits to graduate.”

That’s great said Bobbie, “You let me know if you need some time to study.” Then she told her that they were hiring more kitchen staff. Rose said she didn’t mind helping Mark get his salads and stuff ready but more help would be good.

There were 4 people waiting for her when Bobbie got to the reception desk on Saturday Morning. She had them go up to the Boardroom for Trixie’s financial introduction. Trixie was surprisingly a morning person like Bobbie and was dressed in business casual, looking impressive as usual.

Bobbie saw immediately that one of the potential new staff members was the international student programmer she had mentored when she worked in Cid City. Sipho was a tall and sinewy black man and wore a frayed chef jacket and checked chef pants and a colourful headscarf.

“Sipho, It’s so nice to see you again, what are you doing here?”

“It is very much a twist of fate that I am here Bobbie. After I finished my programming course, I returned here as a political refugee with my 10 year old brother. Both our parents were murdered by government radicals. We fled here for our lives. My passion is cooking, if I am starting new, everything is new.”

“I’m sure you have much more to tell me, we’ll continue the tour and talk later”

When they got to the kitchen she left the new Cooks in the kitchen, leaving Mark and Rose to explain things and took the wait staff to the restaurant.

Mark was glad to have Rose for backup, he learned that, what at first, seemed like shyness in Rose was actually a quiet steadiness that helped him feel more sure of himself. He didn’t know Sipho or Gina, the short, stocky Italian girl who said she was helping her Dad with his fry truck and was glad to be training in a real kitchen.

“Sipho, we are excited to learn more about West African food. You and Gina will be sous chefs so would be doing a lot of prepping and cooking under my direction. So we will all be learning.” He passed around I pads and took them out the side door and back to the garden area. Things aren’t really growing yet but both sous chefs were excited at the thought of the fresh grown produce and the chance to work in the garden and maybe grow some food from their own cultures.

Bobbie was in the main restaurant with Chase and Mink who were trying to describe the service they offered and how staff had to be flexible and ready to help expedite the orders from the kitchen and help at the Bar if it was needed. The waiters were experienced. They were both named Jessica. One of the girls spoke up and said that her full name was Jessica Croft so people could just call her JC rather than Jessica. Mink and Chase listened while they introduced themselves. JC was a dark complected girl with long tight blond curls who had taken a bar tending course and had banquet waitress experience. The other Jessica was a tall leggy brown haired girl said she worked at her Aunt’s coffee shop and helped in the attached bakery as well as banquet waitressing.

Everyone was finished with their orientation and were chatting getting acquainted and Drey came in through the Bar Door. “Bobbie said we’re all going shopping and we’ll outfit you with safety shoes and uniforms and aprons and stuff.” Drey had a chauffeurs license and by this time. Johnny found them a minibus that held 16 passengers so there was plenty of room.

Mink, Mark and Chase waved and said we’ll see you Monday. Rose turned to them and said. “You won’t see me Monday I have to get braces.”

On Monday, Bobbie picked Rose up her Aunt’s house.

Rose was in good spirits. She told Bobbie that she had always wanted braces when she was little but her father wouldn’t let her.

Bobbie shook her head. “I’m glad you can get them now. Dr White says she has to give you two temporary front teeth so you will have the right space for your permanent teeth after the braces come off and you have your operation.”

“I read all about it on the internet; I’m ready.”

They went into the office and Rose went into the operating room and Bobbie sat making notes on her tablet. Eventually Rose came out with braces, looking a little peeked but already looking different with the temporary teeth. There was blood in the corners of her mouth and her lips looked sore and dry. She held a Kleenex and dabbed her mouth. She had a prescription for Tylenol 3 and when they got to the car Bobby offered to get it filled. Rose looked worried and said “Maybe we just throw that away and I take regular Tylenol. I don’t want to bring codeine into my Aunt’s house. She has her daemons she still has to fight and I’m not in that much pain.”

Bobbie just nodded, feeling humbled, thinking how little she understood Rose’s struggles.

Rose agreed to stay home for one day but on Wednesday morning Bobbie saw her struggling up the hill on her old bicycle. Rose was certainly dedicated and didn’t seem to skip a beat. An hour later she was finishing up the breakfast dishes and was helping Sipho learn his way around the kitchen. Mark and Gina were prepping for lunch. During the continental Breakfast, Mark was able to keep the small breakfast buffet stocked out front, while the staff back in the kitchen kept things going.