Side Work Podcast

First things first - are you registered to vote? Second things second - on today's episode we explore all of the ways being in the service industry makes you a natural born politician. Joining us is long time server Ross van Dongen who decided to take a chance and make the jump to working in politics and found that he's got the skills to pay the bills because of waiting and bartending. --- Support...

Today, we shout out educators who moonlight as servers and bartenders to make up for criminally low salaries. Now, with both industries posing safety risks, or simply not operating like usual, where does that leave us? Our friend Nadyja Von Ebers joins us to talk about being the ultimate service oriented person as a teacher and bartender. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/side-work-podca...

Every new job requires training of some sort but there is nothing more painful than the dreaded trail shift at a restaurant. Comedian and former Hacienda Hell employee Jason Burke joins us to discuss all the ways in which this experience is so demoralizing.  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/side-work-podcast/support See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Pri...

It's time for another three day weekend of service hell as we bid farewell to the summer that never was. To help us ease the pain we invite podcast and pie maven Jackie Zebrowski to chop it up with us and read an epic Server Submitted Story. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/side-work-podcast/support See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https:/...

We asked for stories, you served it up! Enjoy a full length episode featuring all of the misdeeds, mess-ups, and mayhem from your serving and bartending jobs! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/side-work-podcast/support See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

After a three part exploration of liquor and cocktail consumption in the U.S., we'd be remiss to leave out the wine bar boom! Forgive us, Lord, for we have ZINNED. Josh Hanness joins us to discuss all the pros, cons, and broken glassware that is part of bartending for "wine people". --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/side-work-podcast/support See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privac...

Today we wrap up our exploration of American liquor consumption and cocktail culture as we enter the dark drinking ages before a glorious rebirth. To get back to basics, bars and clubs had to suffer through bottle service, artificial sweeteners and Vodka Red Bull.  "The Jimmer", James Dunn dishes on headlines and Server Submitted Stories with us once more!  --- Support this podcast: http...

In part two of our brief history of American cocktail culture, women step up and into the role of bar keeps and grog hawkers, WWII ushers in an era of Polynesian delight and paves the way for Tiki time! Ooga Booga! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/side-work-podcast/support See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-s...

On today's episode, we shake and stir our way back to the late 1800's to chat about the evolution of cocktail culture, bartending, and the crazy ways the lead up to Prohibition shaped the country and how its affects are still seen today. Favorite guest James Dunn, aka "Blind Dish Pig", joins in and now all we want is someone to make us a fancy drink. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/sid...

Today we swing back to the early 2000's when a trendy revival of big band dancing ushered in a craze of martini bars and modern jazz clubs. Kara Klenk hops on to chat all about her days of service in Boston, MA. And as always we jump, jive, and wail those headlines and server submitted stories your way! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/side-work-podcast/support See Privacy Policy at htt...

Ever wonder what it's like to work on a cruise line? Our topic of discussion really sets sail into uncharted waters as we learn about this wild and challenging version of the service industry! Our guest, and salty sea dog Dunbar Dicks spent months on end aboard these floating prisons and ooooo baby he has some stories.  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/side-work-podcast/support See...

Today in a follow up episode, we lay out exactly why and how the service industry has never been an equitable career for people of color and women. And on the flip side we talk about bias toward customers we all have felt or dealt with. True story! The good news? It can change and it is changing so today, let’s start that conversation! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/side-work-podcast/...

Today we discuss the open secret of restaurant culture: Discrimination.  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/side-work-podcast/support See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Since Sunday is the fifty-first anniversary of the Stonewall Riots that occurred on June 28, 1969, we wanted to celebrate and honor the gay bar that launched civil rights for the LGBTQ community and lead to fifty years of Pride parades world wide. Happy Pride! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/side-work-podcast/support See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privac...

We explore the troubling history of the tipping “economy” in America with Confessions of a Server creator, Qualin Harris. What evolves during the service industry history lesson is racial blind spots on our part and how we all need to educate ourselves above all when it comes to the history of inequality black people live with daily. From there we can demand a brighter future for the service indus...

Waiting tables. It's not for everybody and that's because some people literally cannot handle the job. Today our guest Dave Holmes outs himself as a terrible waiter much to Brooke and Andrea's delight. But before we dive into the world of folks who can't hack it in the service industry, we have some fresh headlines, a lil' Rat Chat for ya and of course your Server Submitted Stories !  --- Sup...

Hello! Our Regularly scheduled episode rolls out on Last Podcast Network early next week and then we will return to our regular schedule of posting on Fridays! Until Then, you can catch Brooke and Andrea talking all things service industry on LPN's hilarious podcast The Brighter Side right now! Enjoy past guests Ed Larson and Amber Nelson hosting three rounds of their quickfire game Hoopagoogoo wi...

On today's episode, the gods of dumb service industry headlines smiled upon us and really dished it up. Then our topic of the day is all about the term “Karen” and what it’s meant in the service industry for years, while morphing into the mainstream as a term for white women who shirk off Covid-19 safety precautions and equate masks to slavery. Really, Karen? Our guest is the hilarious Naomi Ekper...

It's time to lighten this pandemic funk we've been feeling and return to some business as usual. After tackling some tasty headlines and diving back into tales from the "Unnamed Chicago 4 AM Bar", we explore the topic of Drag Brunch! Joining us is former server, comedian, and current Queen, H. Alan Scott, AKA Sadie Pines to discuss the evolution of having your eggs with a side of wig wearing and g...

We are back speaking with our friend, bartender, bar and karaoke company owner Thom Sigsby of Hi-Ho Karaoke fame here in Los Angeles. Not only did his bar, The Fable, get punched in the nuts by Coronavirus, so did his karaoke business. We learn about what it takes to have a successful, and super fun karaoke gig while simultaneously apologizing for being terrors whenever we descend upon one of Thom...

Restaurants are open and we are not okay with it.  We talk with Tyler Price who is forming a new Restaurant Opportunity Center (ROC) in Nashville  and their path to unionizing. Then, bar & small business owner Thom Sigsby tells us about all the ways the government is NOT coming through to help independently owned establishments. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/side-work-p...

(Sorry about the glitch but we caught it fast and re-posted with the audio fixed!) It's getting crazier and crazier out there, folks. In today's episode we start to explore existing unions for service workers and our aim is to learn how we can do it too! Then we talk about the One Fair Wage movement all while being accompanied by our favorite funny friend Nick Vatterott. God Speed and Good Health!...

Reporting live from quarantine, we have some foot soldiers on the ground in Ft. Worth TX call in to tell us how they're handling their restaurant turning into a carry-out version of Road House! We begin an epic novella of Server Submitted Stories and then speak with a couple that has been quarantined from one another for over a month and dive into our topic of the day: Working With Your Significan...

Hey Side Work family! Today we've got some great stories from listeners, plus latest news from the ever-changing pivots restaurants are doing to stay alive. James Dunn joins us as we move on to the topic of the day: Mom and Pop restaurants. God Speed and Good Health.  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/side-work-podcast/support See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Cali...

We have lots more info coming your way today as our industry scrambles to figure out how to stay alive during Covid-19. Then we talk about an issue very important to us: our PETS! More specifically, cat cafes and dog friendly restaurants and there is no one better to join us for this chat than iconic podcast host and producer Steven Ray Morris! God Speed and Good Health! --- Support this podcast:...